ROCKVILLE, MD — Plans are in the works to install a flashing safety signal at a Rockville crossing that has proven deadly for pedestrians and bicyclists. The Maryland State Highway Administration said Tuesday it plans to install a flashing pedestrian safety signal at MD 586 (Veirs Mill Road) and Turkey Branch Parkway (Matthew Hanson Trail) in Rockville, the site of at least three deaths.

Bicyclist Frank Lawrence Towers, 19, of Rockville died Dec. 28, 2015, when he was walking across Veirs Mill Road at Turkey Branch Parkway, and was struck by an SUV. A Silver Spring bicyclist died in July 2016 after he was hit by a car at the problem-plagued intersection. Oscar Mauricio Gutierrez Osorio, 31, was crossing Veirs Mill Road at Turkey Branch Parkway in the marked crosswalk when he was struck by a Honda Accord that was traveling eastbound on Veirs Mill Road.

And in January 2015, a woman was struck and killed at Parkland Drive by a driver who had a green light when the accident happened. "Pedestrians and bicyclists make up one-fifth of the 500 traffic fatalities in Maryland every year, which is disproportionate when compared to how much we drive," said SHA Administrator Gregory Slater. "SHA is continually seeking engineering solutions to help protect our most vulnerable travelers and influence behavior to enhance safety."

The new flashing signal on MD 586 at Turkey Branch Parkway (Matthew Henson Trail) will display a flashing yellow caution light 24/7 on MD 586 until a pedestrian or bicyclist presses the cross button. The signal then turns to solid red, stopping all vehicular traffic. SHA said the location for the signal was based on heavy pedestrian and bicyclist use and potential conflicts with considerable amounts of vehicular traffic; MD 586 has about 42,000 vehicles each day. Design of the traffic light has begun, with installation anticipated by mid-summer for MD 586.

Education and enforcement will be crucial elements to ensure the proper use of these safety improvements. Together with local partners, the Maryland Department of Transportation will deploy safety ambassadors on MD 586 to educate pedestrians and bicyclists that they must press the button to stop traffic and cross.

SHA is also working with federal officials to potentially use a Maryland Enhanced High-intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) beacon in Maryland. A standard HAWK beacon stays dark until it is activated by a pedestrian, which triggers a flashing yellow light that changes to a solid yellow light. The HAWK beacon then changes to a dual solid red light, and a pedestrian signal indicates pedestrian and bicyclists can safely proceed across the road.