Innovation meets safety at Beaumont crosswalk
Posted in: News Item
Date Posted: 2020-09-22
Organization Name: City of Beaumont
The City of Beaumont now has a new, innovative way to encourage safe crossing. ATS Traffic installed a unique 3D application at a crosswalk, the first of its kind in Canada, to create an optical illusion that more effectively signals cars to safely stop for pedestrians.
“The City of Beaumont is becoming known for innovative thinking, and trying new approaches for old problems,” says Tyler Tymchyshyn, project manager with the City of Beaumont. “We had the opportunity to try this effect again, and are pleased with the end result. The location of the crosswalk provides tremendous visibility for the 3D illusion, and will greatly improve safety around the school.”
In 2019, the City of Beaumont installed two 3D crosswalks to test their effectiveness over traditional crosswalks. In the end, the effect wasn’t as strong as it could have been, yet they remained effective. Following the pilot, ATS Traffic approached the City of Beaumont to try another 3D crosswalk using different materials.
This crosswalk is the very first Geveko 3D crosswalk in Canada. The product applied is not paint, instead it is a thermoplastic material that, when heated, forms a mechanical bond with the bitumen in the asphalt to become a permanent part of the road.
“Communities across western Canada trust ATS Traffic with implementing the latest crosswalk enhancement technologies to help protect vulnerable road users,” said Bobby Cantera, CEO at ATS Traffic. “We wanted to provide this innovative product to the City of Beaumont as it is highly durable compared to alternative products in the market, and the research of this particular marking shows to have a positive result of slowing motorists.”
The new crosswalk is being installed at no cost to the City of Beaumont, with the $12,000 cost covered completely by ATS Traffic.