Chicago's first pedestrian hybrid beacon coming to Ridge Avenue in Edgewater neighborhood

Crews on Monday were to break ground on Chicago's first pedestrian hybrid beacon.

The beacon is being installed in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, at the intersection of Ridge, Hollywood, and Wayne avenues.

The three streets meet just off from a six-way intersection, as at the northwest-southeast diagonal Ridge Avenue, the courses jog for both the east-west Hollywood Avenue and the north-south Wayne Avenue.

The system being set up is called a high-intensity activated crosswalk, which helps pedestrians cross busy streets at locations where a full traffic signal is not warranted.

Pedestrians can push a button to activate the signal, which is made up of two red light lenses above one yellow lens.

Drivers will see either a flashing yellow light indicating that they should slow down, a solid yellow light saying prepare to stop, or two solid red lights telling drivers to stop until pedestrians finish crossing.

If the signal is alternating flashing red lights, drivers must come to complete stop as they would at a stop sign, yield to any pedestrians still crossing, and proceed with caution if the intersection is clear.

The beacon is dark when not activated.

There is a traffic light at Hollywood Avenue heading east from Ridge Avenue, but not at Hollywood Avenue heading west, where Wayne Avenue also runs through.

Along with Peterson Avenue, Ridge Avenue carries U.S. 14 and serves as a main artery connecting the Edens Expressway with DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Motorists connect with DuSable Lake Shore Drive from Ridge Avenue by way of either Hollywood Avenue or Bryn Mawr Avenue.

At one time, Ridge Avenue between Clark Street and Hollywood Avenue, and Hollywood Avenue between Ridge Avenue and Sheridan Road, had reversible lanes during rush hour periods. But this was discontinued in 1991.

Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppeworth (48th) and Illinois state Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) were set to be present for the groundbreaking for the new pedestrian hybrid beacon. The project is expected to cost $1.3 million.