CROSSWALKS BLINK TO ALERT DRIVERS.

Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer

GLENDALE - In a continuing effort to decrease pedestrian deaths, city officials have installed 35 sets of blinking lights in crosswalks, and on Thursday demonstrated how one of them works.

A Hollywood stunt driver and a pedestrian from a traffic safety group showed off a recently installed system at Colorado and Porter streets, as a dozen students from nearby Glendale High School watched from the sidewalk.

``Crossing a busy street such as Colorado can sometimes be dangerous,'' said Lilit Nalbadyan, 17, the school's Associated Student Body president. ``And as teenagers tend to get distracted easily, it brings us all comfort and a sense of security to know that the drivers ... will be more alert.''

Glendale had five pedestrian fatalities in 2003, a high number for a city of about 200,000 people, officials said.

But with the help of the crosswalk light systems - which cost $1.1 million, with $500,000 coming from the federal and state governments - and a campaign that included giving pedestrian safety coloring books to all elementary schools, fatalities dropped. There was one each in 2004 and 2005.

The city started installing the ``in-roadway'' light systems in 2000. Most of them are installed along main thoroughfares: Brand Boulevard, Glendale Avenue and Colorado Street.

Alex Dobuzinskis, [phone]

alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Ernie Dade, taking part in a city of Glendale traffic safety demonstration, waits to cross at Porter and Colorado streets.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News