Channeling devices aimed at increasing pedestrian safety could hit the streets of State College as early as January.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) started distributing the devices this year free of charge to municipalities that have a history of pedestrian-vehicle crashes at intersections or problems with motorists failing to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.

Each device would be placed in the center of a two-lane road 50 feet in advance of a crosswalk.

They would contain a yield sign to remind motorists of a state law that requires vehicles to defer to pedestrians in a crosswalk.

"The biggest thing [channeling devices] will do is make motorists realize there is a pedestrian crosswalk ahead and remind them to yield," said borough engineer Amy Story.

Students enrolled in Mark Radomsky's Industrial Health and Safety 410 (Safety Behavior and the Investigation Process) class aided State College Borough by conducting a traffic study required by PennDOT.

Pedestrian and motorist activity was observed for two hours at the intersections of College Avenue and Shortlidge Road/Garner Street, College Avenue and Allen Street, Beaver Avenue and Allen Street, and College Avenue and Pugh Street.

According to its report, the class found the majority of pedestrians crossing intersections within the crosswalks had no conflicts with motorists. However, at the busiest intersection -- College Avenue and Shortlidge Road/Garner Street -- 3.6 percent of motorists failed to yield to pedestrians, almost resulting in accidents.

Radomsky, a member of the borough's Advisory Task Force for Pedestrian Safety Education, said the borough also conducted a survey of area residents and found many people don't have a grasp of traffic safety laws.

"There's a lot of room for improvement in education," Radomsky said.

In an effort to do just that, the task force has run informational radio announcements and placed brochures inside Centre Area Transportation Authority buses.

The application for the devices has been submitted.

The only thing halting the introduction of the safety instruments in State College is a temporary delay in the program by PennDOT, Story said.

In an e-mail, PennDOT informed the borough that distribution has been momentarily stopped due to problems with the devices breaking.

The signs are supposed to be designed to bounce back when hit by vehicles.

"I think it's just a small setback on the part of the manufacturer," Story said. "I would suspect the problem will be solved because the devices are very effective."

Should the problem be resolved, the portable channeling devices would be placed near the crosswalks observed in the study.

Story said the borough plans to use the devices on weekdays between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.