City receives a grant for a Pedestrian Safety Project

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- On Friday, the City of St. Joseph made an announcement of being awarded $252,000 in federal funding through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) to improve pedestrian safety at key crossings across the community.

The Safe Crossings of St. Joseph project will cost $315,000, with $252,000 provided through the federal TAP grant and $63,000 contributed by the City of St. Joseph.

The Safe Crossings project was developed in direct response to concerns raised by community members during Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee meetings and the Metropolitan Transportation Plan public engagement process.

The project will install modern pedestrian safety technology at three high-risk locations in the city.

Jackson Lohman, a transportation planner with the City, said the project will help with safety for pedestrians. 

"This is going to help to give them safe marked areas to cross where it otherwise didn't exist, especially because all three of these crosswalks are in high pedestrian areas with roadways that are either higher speed or heavily trafficked," he said.

The grant will add a new Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at St. Joseph Avenue at Krug Park/Parkway Trail. The installation will include pedestrian push buttons, dual-sided LED flashers and high-visibility crosswalk markings.

Parents and staff also identified the need for safer crossings in a Safe Routes to School survey conducted in partnership with the St. Joseph School District.

The grant will add a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at Hyde Park Avenue near Hyde Park and Benton High School. The additional RRFB will provide safety to children and safety.

Additionally, the grant will replace an outdated pedestrian signal with a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) at Spring Garden Middle School. According to the U.S Department of Transportation, the new technology is shown to reduce over 50% in pedestrian crashes.

Lohman said the Hybrid Beacon reduces pedestrian crashes because it's similar to a red light.

"So hot beacons are like a red light," Lohmna said. "So it actually, instead of asking traffic to yield, that actually gets them to stop, and it's treated just like a stoplight would be."

Public Works is hoping to get the new RRFB and PHB added to the crosswalks in the Spring of 2026.