Wisconsin-based equipment supplier Traffic and Parking Control Co. Inc. (TAPCO) has unveiled its new pedestrian safety system at the American Traffic Safety Services Association’s (ATSSA) Annual Convention and Traffic Expo, currently taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Offering an innovative way for traffic safety professionals to increase night-time pedestrian visibility, TAPCO’s new SafeWalk Crosswalk Illuminator lights up entire two-lane crosswalks at night, when 75% of pedestrian deaths occur, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The first-of-its-kind crosswalk lighting enhancement works in tandem with TAPCO’s other widely-used pedestrian safety systems such as Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacons (RRFBs), BlinkerSigns and BlinkerBeacons. As recommended by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the illuminator lights up crosswalks at a minimum of 20 Lux, equivalent to 20 lumens per square metre.
The SafeWalk Crosswalk Illuminator’s dual light system protects pedestrians throughout the crosswalk and its key features include:
- Activates concurrently with LED-enhanced warning alerts;
- Only activates at night, extending battery life and increasing autonomy;
- Fits on most intelligent warning system (IWS) poles;
- Allows for precise light focus at most crossings;
- Built to withstand harsh weather due to rugged enclosure.
“Our goal is always to maximize safety,” said TAPCO’s director of marketing, Morgan Marks. “Nearly 6,000 pedestrians are killed each year, often because motorists don’t notice them. The SafeWalk Crosswalk Illuminator can help change that by increasing visibility via unique technology that uses a flood light on the approach area of the crosswalk and a beam light on the middle, making pedestrians clearly visible and hard to ignore.”
An industry-leading innovator, TAPCO manufactures and distributes a wide portfolio of traffic and parking safety systems, including its world-renowned line of LED-enhanced pedestrian crossing products. At the ATSSA Expo, taking place from January 26-28, TAPCO is showcasing its Wrong-Way Alert and Pedestrian Crosswalk Systems that feature FLIR’s TrafiSense and TrafiOne thermal traffic cameras to provide high precision, accuracy and reliability in the detection and warning of traffic hazards. The cameras’ ability to provide accurate detection using thermal heat profiles, enables a monitoring visibility in total darkness, fog, rain, snow, sun glare and other adverse conditions.
Easy to setup and configure, FLIR’s TrafiSense thermal camera can monitor detection areas across up to six lanes of traffic to activate TAPCO Wrong-Way Alert Systems. The ability to determine exactly where to detect is key to accurate wrong-way detection. For example, the camera will not falsely detect a vehicle traveling in the correct direction on a stretch of road located beyond or adjacent to the route being monitored.
In pedestrian and bicyclist detection, the FLIR TrafiOne’s targeted detection zone allows it to identify vulnerable road users moving within the crosswalk and activate TAPCO Pedestrian Crosswalk Systems. Besides detecting waiting pedestrians and bicyclists, the camera’s ability to detect directionality serves a vital function in crosswalk applications because it reduces false detections caused by people walking away from the crosswalk or bicycles traveling parallel to traffic.
