Pedestrian Safety at Hospitals

Featured Project Summary – Parkland Hospital, TX

Project Summary, Parkland Hospital, Dallas TX

Location: Dallas, Texas

Type: Mixed-Use Commercial

Project Size: 12 in-roadway warning lights (IRWL), 8 Bollards, 2 AC PCUs

Overview:

Parkland Health & Hospital System first opened its doors in 1894 and is now one of the largest public hospital systems in the country, serving more than 1 million patients annually. The new Parkland Hospital is a 2.1 million-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility built in 2015 to better meet the healthcare needs of a growing Dallas population.  To ensure patient safety, the client chose LightGuard Systems as its pedestrian safety partner—installing Smart Crosswalk^™in-roadway warning light system at a 2-lane crosswalk zone directly in front of the hospital entrance, and another at a vulnerable 4-lane crosswalk zone with a center divider.

Requirements:

A traffic calming solution that’s proven effective at warning motorists up to 1,000 feet in advance of the crosswalk with the ability to store data, such as time, date and movement in each crosswalk direction. Patient and visitor distractions created the need for automatic (passive) pedestrian detection, with no action required by pedestrians other than entering the crosswalk. Additionally, the traffic safety equipment needed to complement the architectural design and modern aesthetic of this newly constructed facility.

Solution 1:

12, 9X LightStar™ IRWL 

LightGuard Systems provided 12 9X in-roadway warning lights (IRWL) with high-intensity LEDs that alert motorists up to 1,000 feet in advance of a crosswalk. Visible both day and night, only LightGuard’s IRWL are directionally sensitive—with the ability to be aimed directly at the on-coming motorist’s line of sight. IRWLs are MUTCD compliant and a proven method of increasing driver awareness up to 95%. The client selected durable 10” composite base plate (pictured).

Solution 2:

8 T6 Automatic (Passive) Pedestrian Detection Bollards

Our T6 Bollard sensor was selected due to its elliptical, elegant design and its directionally sensitive infrared light beam sensors, which activate only as pedestrians enter the crosswalk. Placed at crosswalk entrances in pairs, pedestrians automatically trigger the system’s flashing IRWL by walking in-between them—making bollards the safest, most effective activation method. Bollards have a range of forty (40) feet and contain vandal-resistant stainless steel fasteners. Standard white was selected for this project which coordinate well with the architectural design and modern elements of the new facility.

Solution 3:

2 AC Power Control Unit (PCU)

Parkland Hospital selected our advanced controller which has the ability to monitor and store data, such as time, date, and movement in each crosswalk direction. Our advanced AC PCU accepts call signal inputs from manual push button and/or automatic passive pedestrian bollard sensors, or motion detection devices. Once activated, the in-pavement light fixtures and any additional LED enhanced warning signage begin to flash. Our PCU can be programmed to turn on automatically at a specific time, and then revert to standby mode for normal operation. It also contains instantaneous battery back-up power in the event of a power failure.