Active Warning Signage

Enhancing pedestrian safety has been identified as a key emphasis area in the City of Santa Clarita’s recently completed Local Roadway Safety Plan. Pedestrians are involved in one-third of the City’s fatal and severe injury collisions in the past five years. The Active Warning Signage project was implemented at the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Valley Center Drive. The project was completed on schedule, within budget and has been operational since June 2022.
The City continually explores cost-effective and innovative solutions to enhance safety at signalized intersections in the City. At this intersection, there is a channelized free right-turn lane that does not require right-turning vehicles to stop. Due to the geometrics of the intersection, there is not a clear driver-pedestrian line of sight when pedestrians cross between the sidewalk and channelized island. This has led to pedestrians being vulnerable due to poor yielding rates from motorists.
To support the City’s goals of reducing pedestrian-involved incidents by enhancing pedestrian safety and improving motorist yielding rates, the City deployed a new system at this intersection. The system utilizes video detection technology that seamlessly detects pedestrians when approaching the crosswalk and will automatically activate an installed electronic blank-out sign to warn approaching right-turning traffic of pedestrian activity. The signage remains illuminated until pedestrians finish crossing the roadway.
Traffic and public safety are always the most important issues expressed in opinion polls conducted by the City. The City has received complaints from pedestrians regarding vehicles failing to yield when using the crosswalk in channelized right-turn lanes. This is due to the high volume of right-turning traffic being accustomed to not stopping. While after data is still being collected on the effectiveness of this project, past implementation of active warning signs around the City have historically yielded very high compliance rates compared to static signage. The City expects to see a similar result here.
This project has had a huge positive impact on the quality of life and safety for those pedestrians and bicyclists that use this crosswalk by giving motorists active advanced notification. It creates an additional layer of safety. While the City has used active warning signage at other locations, its application to channelized right-turns is unique and is not aware of any other agency with a similar setup. The City has received positive feedback from the community on this project.