Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – May 3, 2024 – Pedestrian safety takes a significant step forward along Johnson Avenue with the installation of a High Intensity Activated CrossWalK (HAWK) signal.
These signals, first approved by the Federal Highway Administration in 2009, aim to facilitate safer pedestrian crossings on busy streets without disrupting traffic flow.
The Jonesboro Police Department reports 19 pedestrian accidents on Johnson since 2020, including 3 fatalities and 6 pedestrian incidents categorized as “serious injury.”
These incidents prove the need for proactive safety measures like the HAWK signal.
Operational mechanics of the HAWK signal are straightforward yet effective. Pedestrians approach the crosswalk via newly poured ramps and sidewalks and activate the light by pushing clearly marked buttons. Motorists encounter a yellow/red sequence, prompting them to stop only when pedestrians activate the buttons on either side of the crosswalk. This system ensures traffic flow only stops when pedestrians require passage, enhancing both efficiency and visibility.
Construction work is being done by J&A Concrete. We spoke with Mike Crump today as we watched the crew pour concrete for each of the sidewalks, “I work for Javier, I’m his go-to guy,” he said of himself and J&A’s owner, Javier Amperez.
Crump explained that the sidewalks would be done today, but the wheelchair ramps “needed some work” and would be completed Monday. He also said that they’d set the poles on Monday and fill them with more concrete.
The City of Jonesboro Engineering Department explained that the signal won’t be fully functional until the signal contractor comes back on site in a few weeks to “hook it up and turn it on.”
