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Debate over solar flashing beacons: low cost but potential nuisance, council hears
Summary
Council members discussed using removable solar LED flashing beacons (cited at about $140 each) as a lower-cost, temporary measure; others warned about strobe nuisance and overuse without clear criteria.
A council member proposed buying removable solar LED flashing beacons as an inexpensive way to alert drivers at problem intersections. The member said the beacons were about "$140 a piece on average, including the solar and the batteries" and contrasted that cost with built-in lighted stop signs that were described as "very expensive, averaging about $3,000 a piece." The member suggested buying a modest fleet of removable units to deploy for school zones or short-term trials.
Several colleagues welcomed the idea's cost advantages but urged caution. One member said flashing beacons can cause a nuisance for neighbors — "we gotta think about the people who have to live with something strobing outside their house every time a car pulls up" — and warned that placement should follow engineering guidance and clear criteria so devices are not deployed citywide without review.
