Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System
A Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) in Princeton, New Jersey. Federal Highway Administration.
RRFBs are pedestrian-actuated conspicuity enhancements used in combination with a pedestrian, school, or trail crossing warning sign to improve safety at uncontrolled, marked crosswalks. The device includes two rectangular-shaped yellow indications, each with an LED-array-based light source, that flash with high frequency when activated. The RRFB design differs from the standard flashing beacon by utilizing:
The RRFB is a treatment option at many types of established pedestrian crossings. RRFBs are particularly effective at multilane crossings with speed limits less than 40 mph. Consider the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) instead for roadways with higher speeds.
RRFBs are placed on both sides of a crosswalk below the pedestrian crossing sign and above the arrow indication pointing at the crossing. The flashing pattern can be activated with pushbuttons or automated (e.g., video or infrared) pedestrian detection, and should be unlit when not activated.
The Federal Highway Administration has issued interim approval for the use of the RRFB (IA-21). State and local agencies must request and receive permission to use this interim approval before they can use the RRFB.
The cost to furnish and install a flashing beacon can vary widely depending on site conditions and the type of device that is used (from $4,500 to $52,000 each). The RRFB can be constructed using solar power to simplify installation. The installation may include an indication visible to pedestrians confirming that the device is activated and/or an audible message instructing pedestrians to wait until cars have stopped before crossing. The pushbutton and other components of the crosswalk must meet all other MUTCD accessibility requirements.
