Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Crosswalks (PHB)

Through Santa Barbara Vision Zero, the City is aiming to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries in Santa Barbara by 2030, while enhancing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all. 

An Engineering tool the City is using is Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) crosswalks. 

A Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) is installed in conjunction with a crosswalk to stop traffic and allow pedestrians and bicyclists to safely cross from one side of a busy street to the other.  

These beacons are installed with crosswalks on busy streets where traffic conditions do not yet warrant a traditional traffic signal, but where a standard crosswalk would not slow traffic quickly enough for someone to safely cross. Additionally, installing a PHB instead of a traditional traffic signal on a highly trafficked city street reduces delays to drivers. 

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), PHB crosswalks have been shown to significantly reduce vehicle-pedestrian collisions. A FHWA study published in 2010 found that PHB crosswalks can reduce pedestrian collisions by 69 percent and total collisions by 29 percent. Because the beacons remain dark until activated, they can help increase driver attention to pedestrians crossing the roadway and can reduce rear-end collisions. The PHB’s red signal indication removes any judgment from the motorists and is a clear message that motorists must stop and allow pedestrians to cross the street. Motorist compliance with yielding has been shown to exceed 90 percent at PHB crosswalks. 

Our Traffic engineers analyze traffic conditions on busy city streets to determine if they meet certain thresholds for a traditional traffic signal, including:

• Traffic volumes.
• Number of pedestrian crossings.
• Collision history.

Where those thresholds are not met, the City may instead install a PHB crosswalk to improve pedestrian safety and reduce disruption to the street’s traffic flow.   

PHB crosswalks are becoming more popular across the United States as they are proving to be an effective solution to mitigating collisions by:

1. Improving mobility and crossing safety for pedestrians and bicyclists;
2. Causing fewer delays than a full traffic signal; and
3. Encouraging drivers to yield to fellow community members walking and biking at crosswalks.  

Drivers, Motorists, and Bicyclists

A PHB remains dark until activated by a pedestrian or bicyclist pushing the button to cross the street.  

1. Dark, proceed cautiously without stopping.
2. Flashing yellow light, slow down and be aware someone is about to cross the street.
3. Solid yellow light, prepare to stop.
4. Solid red light, come to a complete stop for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross.
5. If flashing red, treat it as a stop sign. Stop, look for pedestrians, and proceed when it is safe to do so.
6. Drivers on side streets should not turn if signals are activated. Treat the beacon as a stop sign.

Pedestrians

A PHB should be treated no differently than how individuals would normally cross a traditional traffic signal. To cross:

1. Activate the beacon by pressing the button.
2. Wait until the pedestrian signal appears before crossing.
3. Follow the signals to safely cross the street and reduce traffic delays.