The Tusayan Town Council has voted to spend $16,000 on flashing crosswalks signs in the northern part of the community. The flashing signs which are activated by pedestrians who push a button will be placed at the crosswalks near the IMAX and the Trading Post.

The signs will flash in both directions and be placed at both ends of the intersections. Rules from the Arizona Department of Transportation require that if you place these at one crosswalk you have to install  the signs at all seven of the town’s marked crosswalks. Phasing them in at all seven will take a few years.

The crosswalk troubles began not long after the redesign of Highway 64. It turns out those new crosswalks give pedestrians a false sense of security and it has led to more accidents.

The Tusayan Town Council originally wanted to pursue less expensive options or reduce the number of crosswalks but ADOT said no at every turn.

Tapco, which makes the signs, assures the Town Council that this solution has ADOT’s blessing. Sales Representative Dave Donovan brought a scaled down model of the signs that will be used. He says they increase the ‘yield rate’ by 23% which means the odds of a car stopping for a pedestrian go up 23% with these signs. They should be up in four to six weeks.