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/
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Consideration of Installation of a HAWK Pedestrian Beacon for Mid-Block Crossing of Eisenhower Avenue at the U.S. Patent and Trade Office.
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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 stree...
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