The City of Des Plaines, in coordination with the Active Transportation Alliance and School District 62, is pleased to announce the installation of Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) at the Fifth Avenue school crossing of Algonquin Road. 

RRFBs are a modern version of traditional school zone flashing beacons, using an array of highly visible LEDs versus the old single flashing incandescent bulbs.  Research has shown that RRFBs are much more effective at highlighting school crossings and encouraging drivers to yield than the old technologies.  The modern RRFBs are push-button activated, which is an improvement over the old timer-operated devices.

The RRFBs installed at Algonquin/Fifth were awarded to the Active Transportation Alliance by Carmanah Technologies, which manufactures the product.  The Active Transportation Alliance then offered the RRFBs to the City based upon the Active Transportation Alliance’s extensive work with the City, which has included the creation of the City’s School Travel Plan, Active Transportation Plan and Complete Streets Policy in 2011 and 2012. 

After a review of the City, the Algonquin/Fifth school crossing was selected as the top candidate location for the product.  Among the factors are that it is an existing heavily-used, uncontrolled school crossing of a minor arterial that serves four schools (Forest Early Learning Center, Forest Elementary School, Algonquin Middle School, Maine West High School).  The addition of the RRFBs at this location will improve safety by helping alert vehicles to the presence of pedestrians.#