Commission defers decision on pedestrian hybrid beacon at 2400 block of Clarksville Pike

The Traffic & Parking Commission deferred a proposal to install a pedestrian hybrid beacon in the 2400 block of Clarksville Pike, voting to ask NDOT for additional location and design details and to return in 30 days.

NDOT staff presented lidar-based pedestrian counts, “near-miss” heat maps and a recommendation for a PHB that would include passive lidar detection so pedestrians would not always need to press a button to activate the signal. An NDOT staff member said the device could detect a pedestrian stepping into the roadway and then trigger the beacon’s sequence.

Commissioners and members of the public questioned the proposed siting. Several commissioners said the map and the heat maps the department provided appeared to show heavy crossing activity nearer to the north end of the block — between the driveways labeled as Zones 2 and 3 — and asked why NDOT proposed a location closer to Zone 4. The NDOT staff member said the recommendation responded to crash history and lidar near-miss data and that final placement would be refined during design.

Members of the commission repeatedly pressed for clarification about how the lidar detection would work, whether the PHB would include standard crosswalk markings (it will), how the device would affect drivers, and whether nearby driveways/parking lot access were being considered. The staff member acknowledged some site constraints — utility poles and driveway geometry — and said those and other engineering details would be addressed in design if the commission approved the placement.

Public commenters and at least one commissioner also asked NDOT to coordinate with WeGo Transit on stops near the transit center and to confirm community outreach had occurred; NDOT said it would follow up on community engagement and coordination details.

Chair Mason called for a motion to defer so staff could provide a clearer justification of the exact placement, and the commission voted to defer the item for 30 days. When the item returns, staff were asked to explain why the chosen location was more appropriate than the area where most pedestrian crossings currently occur and to provide more design-level clarity.

Commissioners said they support the goal of improving pedestrian safety at the corridor but want the evidence for siting and the design constraints documented for the public record before authorizing installation.

The commission did not vote to approve or deny the PHB; it only directed NDOT to provide more information and a location justification for the next meeting.