TAMPA, Fla. -- On a busy 40th street, there's a flashing sense of calm. Crews spent all day Tuesday installing a flashing yellow beacon of light to draw attention to pedestrians.

"This is a great idea to put up something," said resident Derrick Hill.

"Ah man, I'm so glad I don't know what to do," said resident Robert Ford.

Leila Reid, 63, died last week while trying to get to the bus stop. She had just moved into the River Pines Retirement community. People there tell us they have been worried about traffic for years.

"Cars can be going so fast sometimes, some of them going 50-60 miles per hour," Ford said.

One city council candidate questioned why the safety measures took so long.

"It's really mind boggling that we have a retirement facility and it should have been done when this new road was put in," said candidate Orlando Gudes.

City leaders said 40th Street has been on their radar for a while, but a lawsuit between the manufacturer and the Federal Highway Administration delayed the work.

"It was more of a patent issue, more than a safety issue," said Tampa Transportation Director Jean Duncan.

Two weeks ago, contractors got the go-ahead to start work at the crosswalk. The plan also calls for narrowing the road and reducing the speed limit. All of this work started just after Leila Reid died.

"It was purely coincidental that the accident happened when it did," Duncan said.

Now, pedestrians can push a button for the flashing yellow light. The community just hopes it helps to prevent another loss of life along 40th Street.

Several pedestrians walked over to thank contractors for installing the flashing beacon. Tampa's Transportation Director said studies have shown that the signal slows down drivers and reduces accidents.