A full traffic signal will replace the original plan for a pedestrian hybrid beacon at the South Street and King Court intersection in San Luis Obispo.
The decision came after public input at Tuesday's city council meeting, where most residents voiced support for the full traffic signal. The signal replaces an earlier proposal to install a pedestrian hybrid beacon at the intersection.
Stephen Brannam, who lives near the crosswalk and uses it daily to walk his dog, said the current setup leaves pedestrians vulnerable.
"I go to like push this button right here, and then you know, it'll blink and stuff, but they don't stop," he said.
Brannam said he was relieved by the council's decision.
"I think it's a good idea."
Other neighbors echoed that support during public comment.
"I really support a signal; I support moving forward with this immediately," one resident said.
"It sounds very promising," another said.
Not all feedback was positive. Some residents raised concerns about traffic potentially rerouting onto neighborhood streets and about safety at other intersections along South Street.
"I really think that King Street proposition that you're proposing is a band-aid, it's not the cure," one resident said.
City of San Luis Obispo Transportation Manager Luke Schwartz addressed those concerns, saying the city plans to add traffic calming measures throughout the surrounding neighborhood.
"We'll be adding traffic calming throughout this neighborhood, including along the Exposition Drive and Woodbridge. That will slow traffic and make this much less attractive for people trying to cut through the neighborhood if they are stopped at the red light here," Schwartz said.
Schwartz said the traffic signal is expected to be a more efficient solution at the intersection. He added that modern technology will improve both emergency response times and overall safety.
"Things like high-visibility yellow school crosswalks, new street lighting that lights the whole intersection, and some things that give pedestrians a head start into the intersection before you have conflicts with turning traffic. The goal is to improve safety for everyone using the intersection," he said.
Schwartz expects the traffic signal to be operational by the end of 2026.
