RICHMOND, Va. –   As part of the ongoing Citywide Traffic Signal Retiming Project, the Department of Public Works (DPW) expanded the use of Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) from 28 to 107 intersections. The use of LPI’s increase the visibility of people walking or rolling to turning vehicles which improves safety and can reduce the number of conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians by up to sixty percent.

LPI signal phasing provides:

• People who walk or roll across the street an exclusive period to begin crossing the intersection before the concurrent vehicle phase begins
• A “head-start” of several seconds for people walking or rolling
  
  • This proven technique is primarily intended to increase the visibility of people walking or rolling in the crosswalk by positioning them ahead of right (or left) turning vehicles allowing pedestrians to establish their position ahead of the turning traffic before the turning traffic is released.

• A low-cost, simple solution that provides a benefit to people crossing at intersections by decreasing potential driver conflicts in some of the busiest city crosswalks.

The length of an LPI varies by intersection. The Department uses the Urban Street Design Guide, published by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) to guide its decisions using current national research and best practices. In general, LPIs of 3 to 7 seconds allow people who walk or roll enough time to cross approximately one-quarter of the intersection.

This improvement is part of the City’s comprehensive approach to achieve the Vision Zero goal of zero traffic-related deaths or serious injuries by 2030.

Example of a LPI at 9th and Marshall streets. It shows what people who are crossing see and also what the driver sees. The pedestrian signal head shows a “Walk” indication while the corresponding vehicle signal heads show a red indication.

For more information on the department please visit www.rva.gov/public-works or send an email to askpublicworks@rva.gov

We’re Social! For updates on DPW-related projects, activities and events visit us on X (formerly Twitter) @DPW_RichmondVA

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The City of Richmond Department of Public Works (DPW) is one of only 195 currently accredited public works agencies in the United States. DPW’s portfolio comprises a wide array of services to include leaf collection; street, sidewalk and alley maintenance; trash collection; recycling; grass cutting;  graffiti removal; parking enforcement; urban forestry; street signs; traffic signals and pavement markings and civil engineering. In addition, DPW maintains upkeep on most city buildings; issues permits for working in the city’s right-of-way; manages the RVA Bike Share program and maintains the fleet of city vehicles. DPW’s operating budget