The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) awarded Santa Clarita with the 2021 Excellence in Transportation Award in the Transportation System Operations Improvements category following a year of enhanced pedestrian safety and reduced travel times for motorists.
The award follows the implementation of the “Pedestrian Scramble,” a traffic safety modification for intersections, that had been incorporated into the intersection of Seco Canyon Road and Decoro Drive, located near both Santa Clarita Elementary School and Arroyo Seco Junior High in 2019.
The project and modified traffic signal simultaneously enhanced safety and reduced traffic congestion, allowing pedestrians to cross simultaneously during certain hours.
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Prior to the improvements, during school hours, particularly peak drop-off and pick-up times, the intersection of Seco Canyon Road and Decoro Drive became heavily congested with both vehicles and pedestrians, according to CalTrans officials.
The newly implemented “Pedestrian Scramble” mitigated traffic during peak hours and safely maintained the flow of traffic, eliminating the potential for vehicular-pedestrian conflicts, according to officials.
The traffic flow also improved as vehicles no longer needed to wait for larger volumes of pedestrians to clear the crosswalk before making a turn while the light was green, according to Caltrans officials.
This new traffic pattern is supplemented by “blank-out signs,” which clearly instruct drivers on when they can safely make right-hand turns through the intersection, officials said.
For the full list of 2021 award winners, click here.
To learn more about other traffic safety projects across Santa Clarita, contact Transportation Planning Analyst Mark Hunter at mhunter@santa-clarita.com.
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