Decatur began construction and installation this week on a pedestrian hybrid beacon across from Westchester Elementary School on Scott Boulevard. The PHB, like this one, is typically placed at mid-block where traffic signals aren’t deemed necessary. Pedestrians push a button, requiring vehicles to stop in both directions, and overhead flashing lights allow for crossing at a marked crosswalk.
The city currently has two other PHBs, one on Candler Street near East Davis Street, the other on Clairemont Avenue near the YMCA. But Scott has received particular scrutiny for a number of years, especially since the reopening of Westchester in 2014 and a fatal car accident just west of the school in April 2015.
At 40 mph Scott has the city’s fastest speed limit with every other road 35 mph or less. But Scott is also a state road linking I-285 with downtown Atlanta, only traversing Decatur for 1.5 miles.
Decatur’s commission initially approved funding for designing the Scott PHB in December 2017
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