U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590

December 20, 2005
Refer to: HOTO-1

Mr. Bahman Janka
Transportation Administrator, City of Pasadena
Department of Transportation
221 East Walnut Street, #210
Pasadena, CA 91101

Dear Mr. Janka:

Thank you for your November 29 letter requesting permission to experiment with steady and flashing in-roadway lights for the purpose of enhancing the delineation of crosswalk lines for pedestrians.

Chapter 4L of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) provides for the use of in-roadway lights to warn drivers of the presence of an uncontrolled crosswalk. However, your experimentation is aimed at enhancing the conspicuity of the proper crossing paths for pedestrians and complementing the simultaneously operated pedestrian signal indications at a signalized intersection. You intend to evaluate the effects on both pedestrian compliance and motorist behavior in yielding to pedestrians when turning at the experiment location and at a control site.

We have reviewed your proposal for experimentation and have found it to be satisfactory, subject to the following comments:

• Orange, rather than yellow, should be the color of the in-roadway lights during the flashing or steady don't walk intervals if lights in that color are commercially available. If orange is not readily available from manufacturers, yellow will be acceptable for this experiment.
• We have a concern that the display of steadily illuminated orange or yellow in-roadway lights along the crosswalk lines during the steady don't walk interval may unduly encourage pedestrians to begin crossing. We approve of your plan to evaluate both options for in-roadway display (steady orange or yellow, or dark) during the steady don't walk. However, we urge that you monitor pedestrian behavior very closely during the steady don't walk interval immediately following implementation. The illuminated in-roadway display during the steady don't walk interval must be eliminated promptly if there is any indication that it is encouraging unsafe pedestrian movements.

Your request for experimentation is approved for a period of 3 years following the installation of the experimental in-roadway lights. For reference purposes, we have assigned your request the following official experimentation number and title: "4-301(E) - In-Roadway Lights for Pedestrian Delineation - Pasadena, CA." Please refer to this number in future correspondence.

We appreciate your interest and effort in improving traffic and pedestrian safety and operations, and we look forward to receiving your reports and evaluation results from the experimentation. If we can be of further assistance in this project, please contact Mr. Scott Wainwright by email at scott.wainwright@fhwa.dot.gov or by telephone at 202-366-0857.

Sincerely yours,

Regina S. McElroy
Director, Office of Transportation Operations
FHWA:HOTO-I :SWainwright:ds:60857:12-13-05
cc: HOTO-1 HOTO-1(HKalla/SWainwright)
Mr. Roger Wentz, ATSSA Mr. Jim Baron, ATSSA
Mr. Martin Knopp, HRC-MW Mr. Pat Hasson, HRC-MW HDA-CA(2) Mr. Bruce Friedman, Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. Chron 3408 Reader 3408

Mr. John Fisher
Assistant General manager
City of Los Angeles D.O.T.
221 North Figueroa Street, Room 500
Los Angeles, CA 90012

DF(4-301(E) In-Roadway Lights for Pedestrian Delineation - Pasadena, CA) M:\MUTCD\EXPERIME\4-301(E) In-Rdwy Lights for Pedestrian Delineation - Pasasena CA.doc