More government monies will help cities and counties improve pedestrian- and traffic safety

Governments are spending more on traffic- and pedestrian-safety products in the U.S., says Michael Long, manager of product management at TAPCO – Traffic and Parking Control Co., Inc., who manufactures and distributes a portfolio of traffic and parking safety solutions designed to increase safe travels for everyone. Since 1956, the firm has delivered advanced traffic safety enhancements. Safety is key to all the firm’s innovations. These include its line of LED-enhanced BlinkerSign solutions to its pedestrian crossing products and early-detection warning systems.

Long says one piece of legislation has had an impact on public-sector spending. “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed late in 2021, has begun releasing funds to states to develop and implement safety improvement plans that target pedestrian safety.” He says funding for the Safe Streets for All grant initiative is included in the legislation. “This program includes $5 billion over five years and should contribute to 10 percent+ growth in the market for pedestrian safety products and solutions.”

Federal and state infrastructure funds are available for buying these kinds of traffic- and pedestrian-safety products, Long says. He adds: “TAPCO Intelligent Warning Systems are Build America/Buy America-compliant. See this site for funding information.”

Long says cities can gain advantages in several ways by installing traffic- and pedestrian-safety products. “Benefits include improved safety for all road users, which results in reduced fatalities, injuries, and property damage, as well as greater equity for vulnerable road users. Often simple infrastructure improvements can remind drivers of the need to share the road and calm traffic so that safety is improved.” Long lists other tools and tasks that can help safeguard pedestrians: “Delineating bike lanes, increasing visibility of pedestrian crosswalks, and installing warning systems such as rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) that notify drivers of the presence of pedestrians are examples of improvements that enhance safety.”

Technology upgrades are everywhere, Long explains. “Improvements in LEDs, solar panels, and battery technologies are stacking gains in operational efficiencies to do more with less, making Intelligent Warning Systems smaller, lighter, less costly and easier to install.” He adds that increasing use of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular and fiber optic communication platforms are further enhancing these safety systems. These platforms, he notes, enable connecting intelligent warning systems to traffic control centers. That connection capability enables managers to monitor system use and performance in real time.

Speaking of technology, new detection devices such as visual and thermal cameras are increasingly being used to detect the presence of pedestrians and automatically activate crosswalk warning systems. “These can help to improve driver yielding and compensate for pedestrians who may not press a button before attempting to cross the road,” Long tells Co-op Solutions.

Long spotlights several new product offerings from TAPCO.

• SafeWalk Crosswalk Illuminator uses solar power and is designed to illuminate crosswalks at night to the FHWA- recommended 20 lux. “Recent research indicates SafeWalk is more effective at illuminating pedestrians than overhead lighting, which costs significantly more, and that crosswalk lighting can reduce pedestrian injury crashes by up to 40 percent,” Long explains. A report, “Roadway Lighting’s Effect on Pedestrian Safety at Intersection and Midblock Crosswalks,” discusses and describes a study on the topic.
• The LegendViz Traffic Sign features an LED-illuminated legend for improved visibility at night. In addition, the LegendViz BlinkerSign adds another layer of safety by including flashing perimeter LEDs. “Both signs are shown to increase sign legibility distance by as much as 100 percent compared to standard traffic signs,” Long says. He cites the results of a closed-course driver trial and statistical analysis conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) that demonstrate the effectiveness of these products.

Long urges city officials to search for enduring values when they buy traffic- and pedestrian-safety products: “Smart procurement professionals look beyond mere purchase prices and evaluate other attributes such as lifetime cost of ownership, warranty duration, country of origin, and the customer service team that stands behind the product.” He notes that TAPCO has been serving the transportation market since 1956.

Long believes cities and counties can benefit from cooperative contracts when they buy these and other traffic- and pedestrian-safety products. “TAPCO has joined forces with OMNIA Partners, Public Sector, which is the nation’s largest and most experienced cooperative purchasing organization dedicated to public sector procurement. Their immense purchasing power makes OMNIA Partners, Public Sector the most valued and trusted resource for organizations nationwide.”

He offers this inside information: “In the traffic industry, it’s no secret that most traffic engineers and transportation planners know the product they want. The TAPCO and OMNIA Partners, Public Sector partnership really streamlines the buying process; you know what you’re getting and don’t have to rely on a low bid to get it.”

Long offers these final thoughts: “Cities and counties can use the OMNIA Partners cooperative contract to purchase the TAPCO safety solutions they want. By leveraging the competitively solicited and publicly awarded contract, cities and counties don’t have to go through the RFP process since it’s already been done for them, which allows them to save time and money.”

OMNIA Partners Public Sector offers a TAPCO cooperative contract that covers traffic control products and related products and solutions. Go here to view the documentation covering the contract.

Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].