Crosswalk Beacons Coming to Causeway, Patricia Ave

Rapid-flashing yellow beacons will soon be installed on Causeway Boulevard and Patricia Avenue.

The city wants to install five rapid-flashing beacons at the following causeway and Patricia Avenue locations, at a cost of $34,755:

• Causeway Boulevard west of South Paula Drive (in the median)
• Causeway Boulevard west of Gary Place (in the median)
• Causeway Boulevard west of Woodette Drive (in the median)
• Causeway Boulevard at Royal Stewart Arms 
• Patricia Avenue south of Admiral Road

The rectangular, rapid flashers are activated by pedestrians or bicyclists wishing to alert drivers that they are crossing the road. Industry standards consider them more safe than conventional "yellow ball" flashers, Joan Rice, city traffic engineer, says in a city memo.

The Temple, Inc. equipment cost would come out of the Transportation Impact Fee Fund, where $60,672 is budgeted for the work, city records show.

Both the Dunedin Beach Civic Association and the Causeway and Coastal Waterway Committee support the installations.

The city has already installed the rectangular, rapid-flashing beacons at pedestrian crosswalks on County Road 1 near Peaceful Lane, on both sides of Skinner Boulevard at the Pinellas Trail and on Bayshore Boulevard in front of Weaver Park. 

Purchase of the flashers is on the consent agenda for the regular commission meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at City Hall.