New pedestrian crossing device installed at Ormond's A1A, Rockefeller Drive intersection

In effort to enhance pedestrian safety, the Florida Department of Transportation Thursday opened a pedestrian hybrid beacon at a busy State Road A1A intersection in Ormond Beach.

The intersection of A1A and Rockefeller Drive is now equipped with "an innovative overhead traffic device that remains inactive until a pedestrian activates the beacon by pushing a button on the signal pole," the department said in a press release.

"With an average of 18,600 motorists traveling down this corridor daily, the installation of the pedestrian hybrid beacon represents a significant step toward safeguarding the Ormond Beach community," the release said.

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The new PHB is part of a larger FDOT project to implement safety improvements along A1A in the city, from Milsap Road to Granada Boulevard (State Road 40).

How does a pedestrian hybrid beacon device work?

The signal device has two light bulbs on the top and one on the bottom.

When the pedestrian activates the device, its bottom light signals drivers to slow down by flashing yellow and then turning solid yellow.

The beacon's top lights will then turn solid red, which indicates to motorists to stop and allow pedestrians to safely cross the street. They will then flash red, at which time drivers can proceed with caution if the roadway is clear of pedestrians.

More pedestrian safety devices along A1A in Ormond

The entire project, which will cost around $4.1 million, also consists of adding more mid-block crossings and raised medians within the corridor from Milsap Road to Granada Boulevard along A1A.

Over the next few weeks, FDOT will also install seven mid-block crossings equipped with rectangular rapid flashing beacons along A1A at the following intersections:

• Milsap Road.

• Benjamin Drive.

• River Beach Drive.

• Arlington Way.

• Ormond Parkway.

• Osceola Avenue.

• Bosarvey Drive.

RRFBs are different from PHBs in that they consist of "two, rectangular-shaped yellow indications, each with a light-emitting diode (LED)-array-based light source," according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. They "flash with an alternating high frequency when activated to enhance conspicuity of pedestrians at the crossing to drivers."

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"The new mid-block crossings near Milsap Road and Bosarvey Drive will be slightly elevated to be level with the sidewalk, which will put pedestrians in a more visible position to motorists and naturally encourage drivers to reduce their speed," FDOT said.

Bringing the project to A1A "was based on traffic volume data, field observations, crash history, and an operational and safety assessment," Cindi Lane, FDOT spokeswoman, wrote in an email to The News-Journal.

"This segment of State Road A1A does not currently have many crosswalks, but it has a lot of pedestrian use because it’s close to the beach and in an area of many residences and hotels," she wrote.

According to Lane, FDOT decided to bring the PHB specifically to the Rockefeller Drive intersection because there is county beach park on the west side of the road (Rockefeller Park) and a beach ramp on the east side.

"Pedestrians often cross S.R. A1A in this area to reach the beach. Additionally, this is near the new dog beach, so it is likely to be even more popular now," Lane added.

Information about RRFBs, PHBs and instructions on how to use them is available at AlertTodayFlorida.com/Pedestrian.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: FDOT installs pedestrian crossing device at Ormond A1A intersection