In-Pavement Red Lights Increase Safety

If you've driven downtown lately around the Red Line on Main Street, you've noticed strips of blinking red lights set in the pavement.

The flashing markers light up when the traffic signal turns red - alerting drivers that intersections along Main Street are not typical.

We've had these flashing makers at 16 intersections, and they've been so successful at cutting down accidents, that we have installed them at four more intersections:

• Preston @ Main
• Rusk @ Main
• Polk @ Main
• Lamar @ Main

The photo above shows the pavement strip at Main and Preston.

This experimental lighted pavement marking system (LPMS) was pioneered by METRO and established to increase visibility at train crossings, cut down on drivers running red lights and reduce crashes.

It's worked.

A study performed in 2004-2005 comparing data to a study done in 2006 - 2007  indicates the illuminated pavement markers have reduced the number of accidents caused by running red lights by as much as 50 percent at some intersections.

The pavement markers have also helped stem right-turn-on-red violations. No right turns on red are allowed on Main Street.

METRO received permission from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to expand the lighted strips along the 7.5 mile rail on Main Street. The FHWA sets standards for traffic signs, signals, designs and safety features. 

We maintain and operate 70 traffic signals along the rail line with 20 of those intersections now paved with these strips of blinking red lights. Our goal is to get the technology approved by the FHWA as a standard traffic signal device.

Phoenix, New York and Los Angeles are among the cities that have expressed interest in installing red pavement lights.