Title
Five-Year Plan High-Visibility Crosswalk Markings and Stop Bars - Citywide
Description
This report provides the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee with information on a five-year plan to implement the use of high-visibility crosswalks and stop bars citywide.
THIS ITEM IS FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
Report
Summary
On May 7, 2025, a Citizen Petition was submitted at the Formal Council Meeting requesting the City Council to:
1. Update the City's policy and design guidelines to require the use of high-visibility crosswalk markings at all signalized and non-signalized pedestrian crossings; and,
2. To require stop bars at all pedestrian crossings, including intersections with signals, stop signs, and HAWK crossings.
On May 21, 2025, at the Formal Council Meeting, City Council directed staff to bring this petition to a future Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee meeting for additional discussion.
On June 18, 2025, at the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Planning Subcommittee, the Subcommittee directed staff to develop a five-year plan for the installation of high-visibility crosswalks and stop bars citywide, present and incorporate feedback from the Vision Zero Community Advisory Committee and to develop a proposed revised engineering standard for the incorporation of high-visibility crosswalks and stop bars citywide.
On October 22, 2025, at the Vision Zero Community Advisory Committee Meeting, the Committee provided feedback that high-visibility crosswalks and stop bars should be implemented citywide as soon as possible.
Background
The Street Transportation Department (Streets) follows the standards and guidance for pavement markings outlined in the latest edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), published by the Federal Highway Administration and adopted by the Arizona Department of Transportation.
Crosswalks are categorized as either transverse or high visibility. Transverse crosswalks consist of two lines that are placed perpendicular to traffic flow, while high-visibility crosswalks include markings parallel to traffic flow, with or without transverse lines. Attachment A illustrates the MUTCD-approved crosswalk types. The City’s current standard is to install high-visibility crosswalks at all mid-block crossings on arterial and collector streets, as well as at all HAWK pedestrian crossings.
Stop lines (or stop bars) are wide, solid white lines placed perpendicular to the roadway at intersections to indicate where vehicles must stop in relation to a stop sign, traffic signal, or other control device. While not required by the MUTCD, stop bars are typically used with stop signs to clarify stopping locations. The City installs stop bars at stop-controlled intersections only when specific criteria are met. Stop bars are not currently installed at signalized intersections.
Stop bars are not applicable at mid-block crossings, as they are only installed where vehicles are required to stop.
Peer Cities
Streets conducted outreach to several large cities throughout the United States to establish points of comparison with the crosswalk policies used by these cities. Staff reached out to Houston, Jacksonville, Denver, Austin, and Philadelphia. These cities have a comparable number of signalized intersections to Phoenix. Staff also investigated practices in New York and Los Angeles which both have significantly more signalized intersections than Phoenix.
The findings were generally that these cities do utilize high-visibility crosswalks and stop bars at most of their signalized intersections. Houston has a guideline that aims to install high-visibility crosswalks in specialized situations and only on arterial and collector streets. The use of high-visibility crosswalks on local streets is inconsistent among these cities.
Five-Year Plan
The cost and labor requirements for converting standard crosswalks into high-visibility crosswalks and adding stop bars varies significantly depending on the width of the roadway. The cost to add one stop line at a signalized intersection is approximately $1,000. The cost of converting a standard transverse crosswalk to a high-visibility crosswalk at a signalized intersection is approximately:
• $2,800 for a 3-lane roadway
• $4,100 for a 5-lane roadway
• $5,800 for a 7-lane roadway
Based on prior installations, high-visibility crosswalks require approximately 75 percent more material and labor than standard transverse crosswalks. Additionally, many intersections do not meet the pavement condition standards necessary for thermoplastic application. Resurfacing is required where pavement is damaged or deteriorated, as striping equipment cannot operate effectively on compromised surfaces. Staff estimates that 75 percent of crosswalk locations would require resurfacing, adding significant cost and time.
Streets conducted an analysis to assess the feasibility of converting all transverse crosswalks to high visibility and adding stop bars citywide within five years. The analysis included a full inventory of marked crosswalks and their proximity to key pedestrian generators, including schools, the High Injury Network (HIN), community activity centers, and high-ridership transit corridors.
Findings show the City has 6,389 marked crosswalks:
573 (9 percent) are high-visibility
5,816 (91 percent) are transverse
563 (9 percent) include stop bars
5,826 (91 percent) do not include stop bars
The estimated cost to fully implement the five-year plan is $95 million, requiring 20 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, even when coordinated with the City’s planned pavement maintenance program. Even including the additional 20 FTE staff, this project may not be completed within five years.
Considerations
The Street Transportation Department’s pavement maintenance plan can support the implementation of high-visibility crosswalks and stop bars. Pavement is resurfaced on a five-year cycle, covering approximately 900 miles and 1,400 crosswalks, about 22 percent of the citywide total. This work already consumes a significant portion of the department’s pavement marking capacity.
High-visibility crosswalks also have higher maintenance costs than initial installation. Thermoplastic cannot be reapplied over existing markings; removal through obliteration is required, increasing labor and cost. The typical lifespan of thermoplastic markings is five years.
The current annual budget for citywide pavement markings and signage is $9.8 million. Expanding to a full network of high-visibility crosswalks and stop bars is estimated to increase the annual budget an additional $24 million. This estimate does not include additional costs associated with pavement obliteration required for thermoplastic application.
Options
Recognizing that resources for citywide implementation over a five-year period is substantial and currently not available, a targeted approach may be more feasible than citywide implementation. Prioritizing high-visibility crosswalks at key signalized pedestrian locations - such as school zones, the High Injury Network (HIN), community areas, and high-ridership transit corridors, can better manage costs. Mid-block crossings on arterial streets have already been converted to high-visibility markings.
Streets has identified three alternative options for implementation of high-visibility crosswalks:
Option 1: Install high-visibility crosswalks at all locations when replaced.
This option leverages the planned pavement maintenance program and other capital projects, however, the long-term additional maintenance cost remains. The timeline is estimated to be about 12 years. This option would impact routine striping maintenance work and the condition of other pavement markings throughout the City. This timeline would be extended if a full level of staffing cannot be achieved or maintained.
Option 2: Same as Option 1, with accelerated implementation using Vision Zero Road Safety Action Plan funding.
This option involves allocating funding, starting in FY2030, to partner with contractors to support the installation of high-visibility crosswalks. This option will shorten the citywide installation timeline depending on contractor pricing and funding allocation, however, this option also impacts long-term maintenance costs and routine maintenance levels of service similar to Option 1.
Option 3: Install high-visibility crosswalks at all non-signalized crosswalks. Install high-visibility crosswalks at selected signalized intersections based on presence on the HIN, proximity to schools, community areas, or high-ridership transit corridors.
Option 3 would upgrade approximately 78 percent of the City’s crosswalks, including all non-signalized crosswalks, to high-visibility markings and reduced on-going annual maintenance cost. The timeline is estimated to be about seven years. This option will still impact maintenance levels of service but to a lesser degree than Options 1 and 2 and requires no additional staff.
Streets will evaluate the alternative high visibility crosswalk styles included in Attachment A to determine if the longitudinal bar and bar pair options require less material and labor resulting in cost savings that minimize on-going maintenance costs.
Recommendation
Staff recommends approval for Option 3 to install stop bars at all signalized and stop-controlled intersections with crosswalks and to install high-visibility crosswalks at all non-signalized crosswalks and selected signalized intersections on the HIN, near schools, community areas, and high-ridership transit corridors when replaced.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by City Manager Jeffrey Barton and the Street Transportation Department.