Trail walkers and cyclists in Anderson Township now have new safety upgrades at three crossings along the community's hike-bike trail system. The township has installed three pedestrian-activated crosswalk warning signals designed to give people on foot and on bikes a better shot at being seen before stepping into traffic.
The new signals are located at Wolfangel Road and Hampton Place, Birney Lane and Windy Hills Drive, and Little Dry Run Road and Blairhouse Drive, according to WKRC. All three crossings sit along stretches of the township's hike-bike trail network where paths meet roadways, spots where trail users have long had to time their crossings around passing vehicles.
Part of a Broader Trail Network Push
The township has been working on the improvements as part of upgrades to its extensive trail network, the station's report notes. Anderson Township's own trails plan describes a long-term strategy to create a more walkable community, with new pathways proposed for construction each year, according to the township.
These three crossings are not the first of their kind in the area. Nearly 20 similar pedestrian-activated warning devices have been installed over the past 15 years, per the same account. A township newsletter separately describes pedestrian-activated crosswalk flashing-light installations at nearly 20 intersections in the township, alongside changes to pedestrian signals, though it is not clear from available information whether that figure refers to the same set of devices or includes the three newest signals.
A Different Approach a Few Miles Away
Just down the road in Loveland, a separate crossing along the Little Miami Scenic Trail in the downtown area recently switched to a different kind of system entirely. Bicyclists and pedestrians there will now follow traditional walk and don't-walk signals before crossing West Loveland Avenue, according to WKRC's coverage of the Loveland project, with the new signal synchronized with nearby lights at State Route 48 and Karl Brown Way.
That West Loveland Avenue crossing previously relied on a pedestrian-activated flashing crosswalk system, according to a notice from the City of Loveland, which said the new setup will deliver automatic traffic control and establish right of way for trail users. Loveland police planned to be on-site during the transition to help drivers, cyclists and pedestrians adjust to the change, WKRC reported.
The two approaches differ in design, with Anderson Township relying on pedestrian-activated warning signals while Loveland has moved to a synchronized walk-and-don't-walk signal, but both are aimed at the same underlying goal: making it safer for trail users to cross roads that carry vehicle traffic. Neither community's project details, including cost, funding, or the specific technology behind each signal, were addressed in the available reporting.
