Smart, Quick and Hardly Pedestrian

Out of tragedy, hope. A Sun Valley intersection where a mother and her child were seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident became the first in Los Angeles outfitted with a high-tech crosswalk that alerts drivers when pedestrians are near. The signal system uses microwave sensors and costs less than a quarter of a traditional traffic light--making it a potential solution to dangerous corners across the city.

Sensors installed last week at the corner of Lankershim Boulevard and Arminta Street trigger flashing yellow lights when pedestrians step into the roadway. The lights give drivers a heads-up and warn them to slow down. Pedestrians don’t have to push a button; the sensors detect anything that breaks the beam. At least four pedestrians have been involved in accidents at the intersection since 1991. The most serious: Juana de la Cruz Mercado and her 10-month-old daughter were hit and seriously injured as they crossed Lankershim.

At $15,000, the microwave system is considerably cheaper than the $80,000 it costs to install a standard signal. A similar system was installed last week at another problem intersection in Highland Park. Given that neighborhoods can wait months or years for city officials to finish the studies necessary to qualify for a standard stop light, these so-called “smart crosswalks” can provide a quick fix at a fraction of the cost. That is smart.