Planning commissioners hear proposal for in-road active crosswalk pilot and pedestrian sensors

Williamsburg City staff proposed piloting embedded in-road warning lights at active crosswalks and discussed combining that technology with pedestrian-detection sensors to improve safety.

Andrew Trivette told the Planning Commission the in-road system supplements existing post-mounted flashing signals and that similar installations in other communities have improved safety. He described the proposal as a pilot and cited maintenance concerns for lights embedded in pavement, including water intrusion and vehicle wear.

When commissioners asked about siting, Trivette said staff was “certainly looking at Jamestown Road and Richmond Road” and would likely pick crossings that already have post-mounted lights to reduce hard‑wiring costs. He told the commission, “We hope to do 3 with that budget amount,” when asked whether a $150,000 appropriation would cover multiple installations.

Commissioners raised the common practical problem that pedestrians often do not push activation buttons. One commissioner favored a sensor over in-pavement lights if forced to choose: “If I had to choose between a sensor for what we have or lights in the road, I’d pick a sensor,” said a commissioner who identified themselves in the transcript as a planning commissioner.

Trivette said sensor technology exists but raised a tradeoff: sensors can be triggered by passersby and might activate signals constantly. He suggested using a mix of detection and button activation and testing different approaches in the pilot.

No formal action or funding vote occurred at the work session; commissioners asked staff to include the crosswalk pilot in the CIP materials and answer follow-up questions about maintenance and siting.