MOVEBR Installs First Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon to Make Crossing Busy Streets Safer

Mayor-President Sid Edwards officially opens the Bluebonnet Boulevard Mid-Block Crossing Project with (l-r) EBR Director of Transportation and Drainage Fred Raiford; EBR Traffic Engineer Trevor Heap; Bluebonnet Highlands Homeowners Association President Erika Kampen; MOVEBR Project Manager Jolie Maberry; MOVEBR Deputy Program Manager Joseph Cains, III; and EBR Metro Councilman Rowdy Gaudet.

Originally published 1/15/26

The MOVEBR Program continues to bring new technology to its signalization system with the activation of the first Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) in the parish. Mayor-President Sid Edwards and EBR Metro Councilman Rowdy Gaudet joined other City-Parish officials for a ribbon-cutting and activation of the new pedestrian crossing on Bluebonnet Boulevard near the Bluebonnet Highlands neighborhood.

This signal uses a pedestrian-activated sequence of yellow and red lights to stop traffic and allow pedestrians or bicyclists to safely cross a road at marked mid-block crosswalks.

PHB signals reduce traffic delays by only stopping vehicles when needed for a crossing and significantly improve safety by reducing pedestrian and vehicle crashes, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

The MOVEBR program has several more of these signals in design and BREC has four that will be activated soon. It’s important for everyone to understand how these signals operate to help keep our streets safe.

Here’s how the PHB works:

  • The signal remains dark when the sidewalk is not in use, allowing the traffic to proceed without delays.
  • When a pedestrian or bicyclist presses the activation button near the sidewalk indicating a need to cross the street, motorists traveling on Bluebonnet Boulevard will see the signal light up.
  • The signal will flash a yellow light, followed by a solid yellow, then a solid red when drivers must stop.
  • The pedestrians are provided a countdown to cross the street, then the signal will begin flashing red. If the crosswalk is clear, drivers can proceed with caution.

PHBs are ideal for mid-block crossings, like Bluebonnet Boulevard and Springpark Avenue, a higher-speed roadway where pedestrians need a safer way to cross.

Learn more about this project here.

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