Bellevue drivers who use the TravelSafely smartphone app will now get real-time alerts when a pedestrian pushes a crosswalk button at any of 27 locations across the city.

The pilot program, funded by a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, pairs the city with University of Washington researchers to test whether the warnings change driver behavior.

The system sends a signal over a cellular network each time someone activates a crosswalk button, delivering an audible and visual "Pedestrian Ahead" alert to nearby drivers through the app, KING 5 first reported.

No special vehicle is required. The alerts work on any standard smartphone, according to the city's pilot program page.

"We know how this tech works. The main question [now] is how drivers react to it," Sam Novak, the city's project manager for the pilot, told KING 5.

UW researchers are studying whether the alerts improve driver awareness, increase yielding behavior and reduce vehicle speeds near crosswalks. The study route focuses on corridors in downtown Bellevue near City Hall and the Bellevue Downtown Light Rail Station, areas with heavy foot traffic, according to the city.

Why it matters

City data show Bellevue recorded 45 pedestrian-related crashes in 2025, including nine that resulted in serious injuries. Over the five years ending in 2025, the city tallied 209 pedestrian-related crashes, two of them fatal and 41 resulting in serious injuries, according to KING 5.

Between 2017 and 2021, pedestrians and cyclists were involved in 51% of the 103 crashes that resulted in a death or serious injury, even though they accounted for about 5% of all crashes citywide, according to city data cited by KING 5. The city said failure to yield contributed to 41% of pedestrian fatalities.

Privacy questions

The use of connected phones has raised questions about tracking. City officials told KING 5 the system detects when a crosswalk button is pressed and does not generate personally identifiable information. The city said data collected during the UW research study will be anonymized.

How residents can participate

The city is seeking 10 to 20 Bellevue residents for a driving study led by the UW Human Factors team. The city's pilot page lists sessions at 1.5 to 2 hours, while a separate city announcement puts the time at about 90 minutes, including a 30-minute drive along a set route and a brief interview. A small camera records driving responses. Participants receive $100.

The testing period runs from October 2026 through March 2027. Interested drivers can fill out UW's volunteer interest form through the city's crosswalk safety app page.