The Smart Crosswalk
"The LightGuard System utilizes a series of signal heads with light emitting diodes (LED) in a durable housing which is embedded in the roadway. The LED's flash, in a unidirectional manner, a warning to approaching motiorists that a pedestrian is in, or entering, the crosswalk.
A pedestrian can activate the System by pushing a button, or the system can be automatically activated when the pedestrian passes through an activation zone breaking an optical beam. The LightGuard System can be a stand-alone, solar-powered system or a conventional AC powered system (AC to DC) with battery back-up. "
Cottage Grove is investing in one of the systems which on the surface I think is a very good idea after seeing a demonstrated on the company's web site.
The thing that was a shocker to me is when I heard about the $80,000 price tag. KVAL
The city of Cottage Grove plans to pay for the project mostly from the local gas taxes.
8 comments:
Robin-this seems like a great idea but it never ceases to amaze me how much everything costs and the governments proclivity to spend like the money is never ending. Maybe we need a fast rail to Cottage Grove so pedestrians can use the new crosswalk lights.
Have you noticed the huge amounts of money spent lately on speed bumps and curb bump-outs to slow traffic? It's too bad we can't get a pothole filled now and then.
Robin, did you happen to catch Coast to Coast with George Norey last night 3/15/06? He had some excellent guests on that were talking about RFID chips and how they want to put them on every farm animal born and make even small farm owners with one or two goats or chickens notify the government when they are born and when they die or are sold. Also they want to track every farm with GPS and track everyone who visits the farm. This would mean if you had a chicken in the country and your grandkids came over the gov. would have to know about it or they could fine you.
I know you are concerned about this issue. If you missed it, the last hour of the interview with call in questions will be rebroadcast at 9:00-10:00 on KPNW 1120 radio on 3/16/06.
This seems like a real power grab by the government to control all access to food in the country. The large dairies and ranches have special provisions to allow them to easily navigate these laws while the small independant farmers will be swamped with so much red tape that they go out of business.
Robin, please go to www.nonais.org for more info on this insanity.
you know that we have to have systems in place to regulate stupidity.
you know that we have to protect the person that's too stupid to know better than the not look both ways across the street especially on a dark rainy night in dark clothing.
Actually Tony, you make a good point.I see it all the time when somebody just steps into a busy street and they never look to see this in a car is coming.
like my dad used to say, "you may have a right away, but that is not always be that you get it."
Typical for any new gadget, when the news cameras were rolling, the lights didn't work. Another waste of money by City Hall. Years ago Cottage Grove bought banners to put up all over town - different sets for different seasons. Now they don't have the money to pay employees to go around and put them up. So, there went about $10,000. I was wondering how long the lights in the crosswalk would last until I saw the news report. They haven't even started.
There is one of these lighted crosswalks on Ft. Vancouver Way leading from Clark College to a parking lot just west of the school. It looks good and may save a life or two, especially after dark. But the cost is so prohibitive that it has rendered itself impractical and pretty much undoable.
www.xwalk.com
These products are better quality and cheaper than that Lightguard junk.
If the decision to install inpavement lights is made, we might as well go with thebest, especially if its less expensive, right?
www.xwalk.com
These products are better quality and cheaper than that Lightguard junk.
If the decision to install inpavement lights is made, we might as well go with thebest, especially if its less expensive, right?
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