ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation has been working to improve pedestrian safety along Florida’s roadways, including the busy corridor of State Road A1A in Ormond Beach.

What You Need To Know

  • The Florida Department of Transportation invited local residents and visitors recently to a free informational “Walk and Talk” event to highlight safety enhancements along State Road A1A in Ormond Beach

  • As part of the improvements, FDOT installed eight new mid-block crossings and raised medians within the corridor from Milsap Road to Granada Boulevard

  • At the Rockefeller Drive intersection, FDOT placed a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon — an overhead traffic device that remains dark until a pedestrian activates it by pushing a button

  • In addition to the crosswalks, the $4.1 Million pedestrian safety project lowered the speed limit from 35 mph to 30 mph along the segment of A1A

FDOT invited local residents and visitors to a free informational “Walk and Talk” event Wednesday morning to highlight the new safety enhancements.

During the event, a project team member took participants on a voluntary walk along the sidewalk as they learned about the advantages of the recent pedestrian safety improvements. This educational journey covered approximately 1.4 miles.

FDOT safety administrator Loreen Bobo said the event's goal was to offer the community an opportunity to learn and experience firsthand the benefits of the newly installed safety features. 

“We have seen crashes that resulted in serious injuries and fatalities along this corridor because of the nature of this area, with a lot of people walking and biking," Bobo said. "That's what kind of prompted us to do a study to understand where people are crossing."

According to FDOT, since 2019, there have been six pedestrian-related crashes along this stretch of A1A. To improve safety in this area, FDOT installed eight new mid-block crossings and raised medians within the corridor from Milsap Road to Granada Boulevard.

Seven of the newly constructed crossings are equipped with Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBS) at the following intersections: Milsap Road, Benjamin Drive, River Beach Drive, Arlington Way, Ormond Parkway, Osceola Avenue, and Bosarvey Drive.

The crossings near Milsap Road and Bosarvey Drive are slightly elevated, aligning with the sidewalk to increase pedestrian visibility to motorists and promote slower traffic speeds. The project also installed raised medians and resurfaced State Road A1A from south of Milsap Road to Granada Boulevard to extend the life of the roadway.

At the Rockefeller Drive intersection, FDOT placed a new Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB), which is an overhead traffic device that remains dark until a pedestrian activates it by pushing a button. 

“And what we'll start seeing is a yellow," Bobo said. "So now, it's telling drivers, 'Hey, you need to start yielding. Somebody is going to be crossing here soon.' Then it goes to a solid red. That red is you need to stop for people crossing."

In addition to the crosswalks, the $4.1 Million pedestrian safety project lowered the speed limit from 35 mph to 30 mph along this segment of A1A.

“As a driver through this corridor as well, I know that when I see somebody in that crosswalk that I need to slow down, I need to stop for them because everybody has the right to use this corridor safely,” Bobo said.

Improvements also included resurfacing of the existing pavement, concrete sidewalk upgrades, traffic separator installation, and lighting enhancements. Ormond Beach City Commissioner Lori Tolland also joined the walk.

“I love the opportunity to come out and walk with FDOT," Tolland said. "The perspective is very different from the car versus the pedestrian. So, I’m very grateful for that, and I think that this will definitely improve safety within the city and to keep our residents safe and also our drivers."

Audible pedestrian signals and detectable warning pads were also installed at each crossing to provide accessibility for the visually impaired.

Ormond Beach Police Department Capt. Christopher Roos said he hopes everyone uses these crosswalks.

“No matter where you come out, if there's a crosswalk close by, use the crosswalk," Roos said. "Your safety to get across the street is much more important than the 30 seconds you're going to save to get to the beach."

For more information about RRFBs, PHBs, and instructions on how to use them, visit FDOT's Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow Program website.