Pedestrian signals and hybrid beacons

Explanation

Pedestrian signals tell pedestrians when they may cross.

• WALK or a walking person: pedestrians may safely cross.
• DON’T WALK or a raised hand: not safe to cross. When the words or symbol flash, the time to cross safely is ending.
• Some intersections have a button near the base of the pedestrian signal or stop sign that activates the walk signal.

Pedestrian hybrid beacons help pedestrians cross, often at a mid-block crosswalk. The beacon is dark until a pedestrian activates it. Then:

1. Flashing yellow — lets drivers clear the crossing.
2. Steady yellow — your right of way is ending.
3. Two steady reds — shown while the pedestrian crosses.
4. Two flashing reds — go through if the crossing is clear of pedestrians.
5. Dark again until the next activation.

Example

At a mid-block crosswalk, a pedestrian hybrid beacon turns steady yellow: your right of way is ending. Then two steady red lights show while the pedestrian crosses. When the two red lights flash, you may proceed through if the crossing is clear of pedestrians.

Common mistake

Treating a dark hybrid beacon as a broken signal. The pedestrian hybrid beacon is dark unless it has been activated by a pedestrian.

What the manual says

Pedestrian signals display the word “WALK” or a symbol of a person walking when pedestrians may safely cross a street or intersection.

The words or symbols flash to alert pedestrians that the time in which to safely cross the street or intersection is ending.

The pedestrian hybrid beacon is dark unless it has been activated by a pedestrian.

Then, two steady red lights will be displayed while the pedestrian crosses, and then the two red lights will flash to allow drivers to proceed through if the crossing is clear of pedestrians.