Cherokee County commissioners have approved spending $19,500 to replace one type of pedestrian crossing beacon with another at Hopewell Baptist Church on Ridge Road in Canton.
Bartow Paving Co. Inc. will install two, rectangular rapid flashing pedestrian beacons at the crosswalk, according to a staff report to commissioners. These were part of the original design for Ridge-Bells Ferry Road improvements, but federal officials withdrew their approval over patent issues. A pedestrian activated warning beacon (PAWB) was substituted.
“Now that the PAWB has been installed, it has been observed that drivers are not slowing down or stopping if pedestrians are in the crosswalk,” and the county’s design engineer believes the original beacon would work better as it flashes brighter and faster, staff said.
The patent issue has been resolved, so that device is again available. The PAWB units will be moved to the crosswalk between Kenny Askew Park and the Cherokee Senior Center on Univeter Road, where the roadway geometry better suits that beacon.
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