Why didn't Frederick put flashing pedestrian lights at the new roundabout?

Jayson Luber | Denver7 Traffic

By: Jayson Luber

FREDERICK, Colo. — Steve from Frederick writes, “What's driving you crazy? The town put a roundabout on 13^th Street at Colorado Boulevard but it is very dangerous for people trying to cross the street. Why aren’t there flashing pedestrian lights especially because it is on a hill? Second issue is the speed limit on 13th St between Silver Birch and William Bailey. We have tried to get the speed limit reduced and have asked for speed bumps or lights with no success. We are very concerned.”

Flashing beacons that let drivers know a person is crossing the street are a staple at many crosswalks but are not required to be installed at any new or old crosswalk. As I confirmed when I went to take a look, the new roundabout has all the other signage and features that comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) but Rapid Flashing Beacons, or RRFBs, are an additional safety enhancement rather than a requirement.

When I asked the public works department in Frederick about this they told me even though the RRFBs are not required, the town plans to install some of these flashing pedestrian signals at the Colorado Boulevard and Thirteenth Street roundabout, as well as the two other roundabouts located in Frederick. The town tells me installation is planned for later this summer and into the fall, with the timing dependent on equipment availability. Welcome news to a bike rider I met while getting video for this story. She said very few if any drivers stop for her and I noticed the same thing. Of the at least 50 drivers that passed me, only 2 stopped and allowed me to cross which is a state law.

One of the complicating factors with the installation of the new flashing signals is that surrounding development is still going on. To accommodate the future growth, the Colorado Boulevard roundabouts were built with additional entrances and exits but future traffic volumes and uses are still undetermined. Because permanent, foundation-mounted equipment could later need to be removed, the town will use a more adaptable signpost-mounted pedestrian signal system. Town engineers tell me this will allow them to provide an immediate safety enhancement while avoiding potentially duplicative construction costs as development and future capital projects move forward.

The other advantage of the adaptable signage is less cost and set up time. The estimated equipment cost for the Colorado Boulevard and Thirteenth Street installation is approximately $22,000 with installation expected to require approximately two days. A permanent foundation-mounted installation at a full roundabout could cost approximately $98,000.

As for your concern that people are speeding down 13^th through the Silverstone neighborhood, Frederick public works tells me they aren’t seeing a significant problem. When I was out there I saw most drivers going around 35 mph, the speed limit in that area. However, I can see how drivers could easily go much faster as it is pretty low volume and wide open.

Traffic engineers say that Thirteenth Street functions as a collector roadway, meaning it is intended to carry traffic between residential areas and larger arterial streets. During the latest speed study conducted in March of this year, the 85th-percentile speed of 36.5 mph was recoded, indicating that general vehicle operating speeds are consistent with the posted 35 mph speed limit. Even though the study nor my anecdotal evidence did not identify a systemic speeding issue, individual drivers may still exceed the speed limit.

I was told the Town at this time does not think lowering the speed limit will produce a measurable safety improvement. Although they tell me they will continue monitoring the area as development and traffic conditions evolve. As for slowing potential speeders, the Frederick traffic engineers tell me they have installed Rapid Flashing Beacons at pedestrian crossings and have worked with the Frederick Police Department to place their speed-feedback trailer, along with targeted enforcement, to address any speeding concerns.

Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber says he has been covering Denver-metro traffic since Ben-Hur was driving a chariot. (We believe the actual number is over 25 years.) He's obsessed with letting viewers know what's happening on their drive and the best way to avoid the problems that spring up. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or listen to his award winning Driving You Crazy podcast on any podcast app including iTunes, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Podbean, or YouTube.