The City of Santa Barbara installed its first Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon at Las Positas Road and Stanley Drive on Wednesday.
A Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) is installed in conjunction with a crosswalk to stop traffic and allow pedestrians and bicyclists to safely cross from one side of a busy street to the other.
This installation was funded by a 2023 federal Highway Safety Improvement Program grant, the project includes the design and construction of safety enhancements.
Las Positas Road was chosen because it is a high-priority corridor in the City’s Vision Zero Strategy to eliminate serious and fatal traffic collisions. In 2019, the roadway was re-striped between San Onofre Road and State Street to change one of the southbound lanes into space for dedicated left-turn lanes.
This road’s high concentration of collisions is due to speeding and a lack of uncontrolled pedestrian crossing points. Las Positas Road has only one protected crossing location over 3/4 of a mile, the city states.
Adams Elementary School students may continue crossing at the school’s main entrance at Las Positas Road and San Onofre Road, where a school crossing guard is present.
Through Santa Barbara Vision Zero, the City is aiming to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries in Santa Barbara by 2030, while enhancing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all.
Today, the City installed its first Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon at Las Positas & Stanley. Funded by a 2023 federal grant, it’s a step toward Vision Zero and safer streets.
More info https://t.co/63MzIbRxn6 pic.twitter.com/P2VF2IUV9Y
— City of Santa Barbara (@SBCity) September 3, 2025
These beacons are installed with crosswalks on busy streets where traffic conditions do not yet warrant a traditional traffic signal, but where a standard crosswalk would not slow traffic quickly enough for someone to safely cross. Additionally, installing a PHB instead of a traditional traffic signal on a highly trafficked city street reduces delays to drivers.
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), PHB crosswalks have been shown to significantly reduce vehicle-pedestrian collisions. A FHWA study published in 2010 found that PHB crosswalks can reduce pedestrian collisions by 69 percent and total collisions by 29 percent. Because the beacons remain dark until activated, they can help increase driver attention to pedestrians crossing the roadway and can reduce rear-end collisions. The PHB’s red signal indication removes any judgment from the motorists and is a clear message that motorists must stop and allow pedestrians to cross the street. Motorist compliance with yielding has been shown to exceed 90 percent at PHB crosswalks.
How to Use a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
Drivers, Motorists, and Bicyclists
A PHB remains dark until activated by a pedestrian or bicyclist pushing the button to cross the street.
- Dark, proceed cautiously without stopping.
- Flashing yellow light, slow down and be aware someone is about to cross the street.
- Solid yellow light, prepare to stop.
- Solid red light, come to a complete stop for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross.
- If flashing red, treat it as a stop sign. Stop, look for pedestrians, and proceed when it is safe to do so.
- Drivers on side streets should not turn if signals are activated. Treat the beacon as a stop sign.
Pedestrians
A PHB should be treated no differently than how individuals would normally cross a traditional traffic signal. To cross:
- Activate the beacon by pressing the button.
- Wait until the pedestrian signal appears before crossing.
- Follow the signals to safely cross the street and reduce traffic delays.
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I hope SBPD does a lot more traffic enforcement as people routinely fail to stop for pedestrian lights when I’m out walking through our beautiful city.
NIce – looks like it’s being placed at the intersection of Las Positas and Peregrina, great spot…
Very nice that these lights were put in and will make crossing at this location much safer (before and during crossing keep looking in both directions to ensure some distracted Boe-Zoe is not going to run you over). I doubt this will happen, but it would be n-i-c-e if signals were put in at LP and McCaw….lots of close calls at that busy intersection.
It will certainly help on your walks to Samarkand.
We have a couple out on Calle Real near TJ’s. They seem good for walkers, but bad for traffic flow. A lot of drivers get confused by the lights because they stay on long past the time it takes for the average person to cross. Some folks are just sitting there waiting for a green light.
Nobody obeys the speed limits there, so learning a bit of patience might do them some good.
Goleta dweller but acts like he is a SB local
That’s just mean. It’s really all the same. Goleta ain’t the country no more. Who doesn’t spend time in both places? If you give me grief then no more Costco for you!
They actually live in Ventucky though