City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 18, 2013
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of Installation of a HAWK Pedestrian Beacon for Mid-Block Crossing of Eisenhower Avenue at the U.S. Patent and Trade Office.
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a recommendation to install a High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) pedestrian beacon for a midblock crossing on Eisenhower Avenue at the U.S. Patent and Trade Office (USPTO).
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council authorizes installation of a new HAWK for a midblock crossing on Eisenhower Avenue at USPTO pursuant to City Code Section 10-2-7. This recommendation is consistent with the Traffic and Parking Board recommendation who, following a public hearing at their June 24, 2013 meeting, voted unanimously to recommend installation of the signal (Attachment 1). As presented at the Traffic and Board meeting, this location meets the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Guidelines for HAWK installation.
BACKGROUND: Eisenhower Avenue is a four-lane arterial road with a posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour and average midday peak hour volumes of 650 vehicles per hour. There is a heavy presence of pedestrians crossing Eisenhower Avenue at this location, with 236 pedestrians counted crossing during the lunch hour on a weekday. In April 2013, a crosswalk with "Yield to Pedestrian" signs was installed to increase the visibility of pedestrians trying to cross at this location. Even with the crosswalk installation, drivers routinely fail to yield to pedestrians. Also, the heavy, high-speed traffic, particularly during off-peak hours, makes the crossing difficult for pedestrians.
DISCUSSION: The HAWK is a Federal Highway Administration approved signal-beacon designed to help pedestrians safely cross busy streets. The HAWK signal is dark, and allows vehicles to travel unimpeded until it is activated by a pedestrian. When pedestrians want to cross the street, they press a button that activates the warning flashing yellow on the major street. After a set amount of time, the indication changes to a solid yellow light to inform drivers to prepare to stop. The device then displays a dual solid red light for drivers on the major street and a walking person symbol (symbolizing WALK) for the pedestrians. The beacon then displays an alternating flashing red light, and pedestrians are shown a flashing upraised hand (symbolizing DONT WALK) with a countdown display advising them of the time.
Staff recommends the installation of HAWK signal at this crossing due to the width of the roadway, number of pedestrians crossing, distance between signals, vehicle volumes and citizen requests for safer crossings at this location. Based on the criteria identified in the Complete Streets High Priority Location Program which includes crashes, distance to major transit stops, pedestrian generators, and potential pedestrian and bicycle activity, this crossing ranks as a priority location for pedestrian safety improvements. The following table outlines the technical considerations.
Eisenhower Avenue Crossing at USPTO |
Roadway Width |
80 feet |
Distance between Signals |
1,000 feet |
Number of Pedestrians |
236 per hour |
Number of Vehicles |
650 per hour |
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In addition to the technical justification for installing a HAWK signal at this crosswalk, the City has received a number of complaints from residents, including those with disabilities, regarding need for improved safety at this crossing. Since 2003 there have been two pedestrian crashes and one bicycle crash along this portion of Eisenhower Avenue. The first HAWK signal installed in the city at Van Dorn Street and Maris Avenue in 2008 has been successful in improving pedestrian safety.
FISCAL IMPACT: The cost of installing this signal is estimated at $60,000. Capital funding for the installation is included in the department's FY 2014 budget as part of the Complete Streets Program. The annual operating cost for this signal is estimated to be $2,500.
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment 1 - Traffic and Parking Board Docket Memorandum
STAFF:
Mark Jinks, Deputy City Manager
Richard J. Baier, P.E., LEED AP, Director, T&ES
Joel K. Marcuson, P.E., Deputy Director, Transportation, T&ES
Jerome Fletcher, Special Assistant to the City Manager
Antonio J. Baxter, Division Chief, Strategic Management Services, T&ES
Bob Garbacz, P.E., Division Chief, Transportation, T&ES
Sandra Marks, Division Chief, Transportation Planning, T&ES
Carrie Sanders, Principal Transportation Planner, Transportation Planning, T&ES
Hillary Poole, Complete Streets Coordinator, Transportation Planning, T&ES