Mount Pleasant unveils new flashing beacons along Mathis Ferry Road

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) – The Town of Mount Pleasant celebrated Wednesday the inaugural use of a new safety improvement on Mathis Ferry Road.

Leaders, staff, and neighbors gathered at the corner of Milldenhall Road and Mathis Ferry Road for to see the area’s newest safety feature, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB). It comes as a step forward in the town’s safety action plan and Vision Zero, which is an effort to provide connectivity, encourage healthy living, and protect non-roadway users on popular pedestrian crossings.

The Point Pleasant neighborhood has been working with staff for over a year to get a RRFB installed on Mathis Ferry Road, as concerns for pedestrians had grown.

“We have a number of children in our neighborhood that use this crosswalk to get to and from school. The traffic is getting faster and faster on Mathis Ferry and it’s hard for those drivers to see us trying to cross the street in the morning, especially when it’s dark out,” Erin Haselkorn, a resident, said.

According to national studies, the beacons are expected to reduce pedestrian crashes by 47% and increase the probability of drivers yielding to 73-93%. Will Haynie, mayor of Mount Pleasant, added that this safety feature was also a neighborhood-friendly option.

“We don’t want to cut down all the trees, that’s what makes Mathis Ferry beautiful and it’s part of our community,” Haynie said. “So, these rapid flashing rectangular beacons are the answer. You push the button, those little lights start blinking, and you can’t miss it. So, while you might not see a person coming out of the shadows or the dark, which has happened. You know see that these flashers are there. We just need people to use them and use them correctly, it will save lives.”

The town has reaffirmed $16 million for its federal Safe Streets for All initiative, which will allow for more installations. The beacons aim to make everyone feel safer, but they are especially important near schools.

“This was a high priority area because of the traffic because of the schools and because of our Safe Routes to school program. We are always looking for if there is a traffic improvement that will make a school route safer. We will go there first,” said Haynie.

“It’s fantastic, we feel a lot safer with the kids in the morning crossing the street. They press the button – the drivers actually see us now and will stop, which is great,” Haselkorn said. “Then we’re able to safely cross the street and make the morning a lot less stressful and a lot easier in terms of getting to school.”

The town also honored Ms. Austin, who was a crossing guard for James B. Edwards Elementary School 19 years ago. She had been struck by a car and was thankful she was able to see these beacons constructed.

Officials plan to add more beacons across the town with the federal grant funds.