Pedestrian blank-out signs may be installed along sidewalk approaches as supplementary warning devices to the highway-related active traffic control devices to improve pedestrian safety. Pedestrian blank-out signs can be effective measures at grade crossings with high pedestrian volumes, high train speeds or frequency, extremely wide crossings, complex highway-rail crossing geometry, school zones, inadequate sight distance, and/or multiple railroad tracks. These blank-out signs should be placed such that they are clearly visible to pedestrians along the sidewalk approaches while not intruding into users’ path of travel.

An example of a blank-out sign that may be used at grade crossings is shown in Figure 6-13, although alternative signs may be selected depending on the intended message to pedestrians. Blank-out signs used to enhance pedestrian safety should be train-activated through an interconnection cable to the railroad signal house similar to an interconnected traffic signal; however, the operation of a blank-out sign is much simpler and may not require a traffic signal controller.