Don’t Be a Chicken: Safer, Lighted, Raised Crosswalk Design

We’ve seen some pretty ridiculous crosswalk improvement concepts, but this one may actually be worth implementing in the future. Designed by Seungkyun Woo, “School Zone” is a modular crosswalk concept that combines safety and ease of use with flexibility. The raised, lighted surface of the crosswalk makes crossing the street much safer for children and simpler for everyone else.

The modular design means that the system can be installed just about anywhere, even temporarily. The series of slabs fit together like Lego pieces, allowing the system to be customized for any size road. The slabs are all exactly the height of the curb, meaning that they act as speed bumps and make it simple for strollers and wheelchairs to cross the street.

Each segment of the crosswalk is lighted with LEDs that are timed to the existing crosswalk lights. As time runs out, the LEDs go out, giving a visual cue for how long the signal will allow pedestrians to cross. The signals can also run independently if the crosswalk is installed in a place where there is no existing crosswalk signal.

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See more in Unbuilt Concepts or under Technology. February, 2010.