$1.1 million pedestrian crosswalk and island will be implemented on State Route 503Free

Washington State Department of Transportation contractor crews will begin building a pedestrian hybrid signal and refuge island Monday on state Highway 503 for people walking to and from Prairie High School, 11311 N.E. 119th St., Vancouver.

The $1.1 million pedestrian hybrid signal will be built south of Northeast 116th Street and east of the high school.

Drivers can expect single-lane closures overnight from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. in that area. Sidewalks and shoulders will also be closed. Marked detours in the closed lane will guide pedestrians walking alongside the road. The department said the project is estimated to be done by February.

Construction begins exactly two years after a vehicle struck and injured a 14-year-old student who was crossing Highway 503. The highway is used by 29,000 vehicles every day, according to a WSDOT news release.

A hybrid signal is a high-intensity activated crosswalk, which only turns on when a pedestrian presses the button and flashes yellow for drivers to prepare to stop, solid yellow for when drivers should begin stopping and red when drivers must stop. The refuge island will be in the middle of the road for pedestrians to pause safely. It is meant to reduce crashes and help people safely cross the road, according to the news release.