FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 13, 2017
Contact: Chris Brown
City Engineer
Engineering Division
479-575-8206
cbrown@fayetteville-ar.gov
Signalized Pedestrian/Cyclist Crosswalk Activated on N. College Avenue/HWY 71B
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A signalized crosswalk is being installed today on N. College Avenue near Rebecca and Trenton Streets and will be activated on Thursday, December 14.
The new crosswalk signal has been programmed using the “coordinated traffic signal” system. The traffic signals along College Avenue work together in sections, so that vehicles in a group will travel forward, making as few stops as possible.
The signalized crosswalk is called a High intensity Activated crossWalK (HAWK) or Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon and is the fourth installed in Fayetteville. The crosswalk signal lights remain dark and are only activated when a button is pressed. A video demonstration can be found at this link.
Traffic signal lights – what drivers see and what they should do:
- All signal lights are dark – drivers should proceed as normal.
- Lower signal light is flashing/solid yellow – drivers should prepare to stop.
- Upper two signal lights are both solid red – drivers must stop.
- Upper two signal lights are flashing red – drivers must stop; then proceed if the pedestrian or cyclist has fully cleared the crosswalk.
- After the cycle ends, the signal lights will be dark.
Crosswalk light – what pedestrians/cyclists see and what they should do:
- Crosswalk light is illuminated with solid red hand image indicating: Stop. Do not cross.
- Press signal button. The button box will chirp once when pressed and turn on a small light above the button – letting the person know that the crosswalk system has been activated. NOTE: The wait time between pressing the button and HAWK activation could be more than one minute at this particular crosswalk on N. College Avenue due to timed traffic lights for vehicles.
- Crosswalk light will change to walking person image, followed by a flashing hand image with a seconds countdown.
- Pedestrians/Cyclists should first check for vehicles and then proceed on the crosswalk.
- When the countdown finishes, the crosswalk light will return to the solid hand image.
College Avenue is a main north/south thoroughfare and also an Arkansas state highway. For many years, City and state officials have received requests for a safe crossing solution in this area due to the number of pedestrian/cyclist crossings. As part of the College Avenue Improvement Project, City staff collected public feedback and traffic data in the summer of 2017. The City submitted this information along with a permit request for a HAWK signal to the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). After review, ARDOT approved the HAWK signal permit.
This crosswalk, along with the growing trails system, integrates into a primary goal of the City Council-adopted Active Transportation Plan to establish a trail connection within one-half mile of 97% of Fayetteville’s residents by 2040.
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