The city of Dublin installed a new crosswalk lighting system that spotlights pedestrians as they cross the road at night.
The city paid $20,000 to install an Intelligent Security Systems SecurOS Soffit crosswalk lighting system at the corner of Brand Road and Coventry Woods Drive. The city says the lighting system, mounted on a nearby pole, is able to detect human movement to track people as they cross the street.
City leaders hope if the technology works well, the crosswalk lighting system could be used elsewhere in the city. Officials said despite the new technology, this was a cheaper alternative to some other lighting options to make the intersection safer and alert drivers of pedestrians crossing the road.
ISS describes the crosswalk system as "AI-driven." It operates much like motion-activated lighting.
Dublin's Deputy Director of Transportation and Mobility Tina Wawszkiewicz told WOSU the lighting is supposed to catch a driver's attention more.
"It is difficult for drivers to see a pedestrian. Their scale is so much different than another vehicle. They don't have lighting like a typical vehicle would. So we're trying to put pedestrians in the best light," Wawszkiewicz said.
A WOSU reporter tested the lighting system Thursday evening. The light stayed off until the reporter stepped onto the crosswalk. As the reporter crossed the street, the light flashed, changing intensity along the walking path until the reporter reached the other side.
The light was turned off before and after the reporter entered and exited the crosswalk.
Brand Road doesn't have sidewalks near this intersection, but the neighborhoods on Coventry Woods Drive do. There aren't any businesses in this area to generate much foot traffic, meaning most of the pedestrians crossing here would come from the two subdivisions on either side of Brand Road.
The city said in a news release that it picked the intersection after the city of Dublin received resident feedback regarding concerns about visibility and vehicle speeds in the area. The city evaluated traffic conditions, pedestrian volumes and speed data, which showed the area as an ideal place to test the new technology.
Wawszkiewicz said the technology automatically recognizes that there is a person at the curb ramp. She said it is meant to recognize the human form, but is unsure if it can detect other movement, such as wildlife, and also illuminate it for drivers.
Wawszkiewicz said resident feedback so far is generally positive and people are happy to see safety enhancements at the intersection.
"It hasn't been too long. So we'll definitely wanna continue to see what that reaction is and how our residents like this moving into the future," she said.
Wawszkiewicz said if the technology is effective, it may be used at other similar intersections in the city.
