Sutter Medical Building’s narrow driveway is used by both pedestrians and vehicles. The Building’s owner recognized the potential for accidents and began looking for a way to make the driveway safer for pedestrians.
Safety is a high priority at any medical facility. The Sutter Medical Building in San Francisco, CA is no exception. The Building’s owner decided to address an unsatisfactory pedestrian safety situation before something happened.
Staff, patients and visitors expressed concern about the safety of the Building’s narrow dual purpose driveway. Patients and their loved ones use the driveway to access the disabled persons entrance. Drivers also use it to go to and from a parking lot behind the building. Drivers were often surprised to find themselves sharing the driveway with pedestrians and patients using wheelchairs and walkers.
The Building’s owner instructed his engineer to find a solution. An Internet search identified Traffic Safety Corporation (TSC) inpavement lights as a possibility. The engineer called TSC’s California representative, Ed Campbell, to learn more.
Ed confirmed that a TSC safety lighting system could help. He proposed a custom layout for the site and helped select the equipment for the job. TS-600 light fixtures were chosen because their fully-flush design wouldn’t interfere with canes, walkers and wheelchairs. Pushbuttons that play a custom audio caution message were chosen to provide additional safety for pedestrians with visual impairments.
Juan Deharo, President of Silver Creek Electric, planned and supervised the installation. He recalls the unusual layout required for the project, “We had to figure out the best way to orient the base cans. Unlike a typical crosswalk, traffic and people here travel in the same direction. We had to face the fixtures in line with the pathway so cars would see them. Drivers need to see the LED lights. This is the single most important requirement.”
Ted Vaeches, Marketing Manager for TSC, traveled to the site to furnish support and brief installers. He remained on-site during the project to offer assistance as needed. Installer Juan Deharo was pleased with the experience, “The installation went very easy…Ted Vaeches was very helpful in providing guidance and recommendations…it went very smoothly. It was great to have a company representative on-site. We could ask him any question regarding the system or installation. After the system was installed it began working perfectly, alerting drivers and delineating the pathway. It’s a great safety precaution. People aren’t going to be run over by cars.”
The Sutter Medical Building project is one of many site-specific solutions TSC has helped configure. TSC works closely with customers from inception to installation to optimize the safety of each project. Thanks to the owner, his engineer, and support from TSC and its dealer, Sutter Medical Building patrons can enjoy a safer visit to the doctor.