Surprise, AZ, USA - Going Beyond its Citizens' Expectations for Pedestrian Safety
22 March 2006
Surprise, AZ, USA, has recently installed SmartStud LED road marker systems near the Texas Rangers / Kansas City Royals spring training facility, Surprise community park, aquatic center, and Surprise regional library. This is the first installation in the state of Arizona and was fast-tracked due to the ever-increasing need for pedestrian safety in this heavily populated area. Surprise public officials take every precaution possible when it comes to the safety of their public and with the population growing from 10,737 in 1995 to an estimated 96,000 today, pedestrian safety is at the forefront.
SmartStud is a lighting system designed to provide clear and reliable guidance to motorists. The lighted markers are highly visible, even during daylight hours, and are powered inductively (no wire connections to the lights). The SmartStud system is based on inductive power transfer technology allowing each power supply to energize 1.2 miles of cable and 200 road markers. The SmartStud system is easily installed and extremely cost-effective, making the SmartStud system a perfect solution for Surprise.
Nicholas D. Mascia, Traffic Engineer, comments, "Rather than putting up standard crosswalk signs, we realized that we needed to provide some type of warning device that would enhance the drivers' awareness of the crosswalk. We had some issues acquiring power without exceeding our budget, and that's where solar power gave us better options and with the SmartStud system requiring minimal power consumption it seemed to be a good idea. The installation was surprisingly easier than we thought it would be, and within a week we had received numerous interested and ecstatic calls concerning the crosswalk from both employees and the public. We are excited to see how this installation will impact our pedestrian issues."
Chris Carrillo, Account Manager, adds, "We knew we had to meet the city's budget and supply the most effective application for pedestrian safety and I was really impressed with what we were able to accomplish together. On the day of installation, we received an immediate positive reaction from local citizens."
