Woonsocket, Rhode Island, adds RRFBs to two downtown crosswalks

March 27, 2019

Location: Woonsocket, Rhode Island

Project size: 4 crosswalks with R920 Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons

Client: City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island

Overview

The City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, is home to about 41,000 people and is part of the Providence metropolitan area as well as the Greater Boston Combined Statistical Area—home to more than 8 million people. This gives Woonsocket the ability to offer small-town comfort with the amenities of larger cities close at hand.

NBC 10 screengrab showing Carmanah RRFB at crosswalk in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, while Mike Debroisse speaks about it

The City sought to enhance existing mid-block crosswalks in two locations where there were traffic-related concerns: one was in front of Kennedy Manor, a 10-story development for elderly residents, while another was in front of the Stadium Theatre, a performing arts theater built in 1926 and restored beginning in 2001. Both locations had painted crosswalks only and considerable foot traffic.

Choosing Carmanah

The City worked with Carmanah to select a 90-day trial with Carmanah’s rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs), supplied by Coastal Traffic, Inc. This 90-day trial allows customers to see how easy Carmanah products are to install and how reliably they operate. The Carmanah team ran a site-specific solar assessment, complimentary with every project request, for each location to ensure the correct product configuration.

“My Administration is always looking to identify and implement new creative ways to provide for the safety of pedestrians citywide,” said Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt in a recent press release.

“Increasing the presence of these ultrasmart and safety-conscious crossing signals at marked crosswalks is an immediate and impactful public safety upgrade that benefits us all. I am proud to integrate this advanced technology into the City’s overall public safety plan. The initial units have a proven performance record that has served the City well since we first piloted them last winter.”
– Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, Woonsocket, RI

Our Solution

The R920 RRFBs were installed by the Highway Department at the two crossings in February 2018, at no cost to the city. During the trial period, the City’s Departments of Public Works and Public Safety, along with other city agencies, assessed the equipment and reviewed its compliance.

NBC 10 screengrab showing Carmanah RRFB at crosswalk in Woonsocket, Rhode Island

Outcome

“The units are extremely easy to install, and since they are solar-powered, we didn’t have to trench to add power to these mid-block locations,” said Michael Debroisse, Superintendent of Solid Waste/Engineering, who spearheaded the project.

The trial period was so successful that one year later, the City ordered and installed more R920 RRFB systems for two other crosswalks. “Carmanah’s 90-day trial was the perfect way to see just how cost-effective this type of crosswalk treatment would be for our City,” Debroisse says. “The residents adapted quickly to the new systems, so it was an easy decision to install more of them in similar locations.” The new R920 RRFBs are in front of another apartment complex and the World War II Veterans Memorial Park, and both crosswalk locations see high foot traffic as well.

In the future, Baldelli-Hunt expects that several other locations may be studied to determine if RRFBs would be a good fit. “Increasing the presence of these ultrasmart and safety-conscious crossing signals at marked crosswalks is an immediate and impactful public safety upgrade that benefits us all,” she says. “I am proud to integrate this advanced technology into the City’s overall public safety plan.”

Watch the news story on NBC 10

Download the case study Learn more about Carmanah’s 90-day trials

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