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In 2011, HAWK pedestrian beacons were constructed in the following locations:
- Cloverdale Road and LaGrange Street
- Lake Hazel Road and Lowland View Way
- Cloverdale Road and Hollandale Street
- Meridian Road and Woodbury Drive
- Mitchell Street, north of Emerald Street
- Boise Avenue and Utter Street
- Near Star Elementary School
- Victory Road and Saturn Way
The crossings are called HAWK Pedestrian Beacons--
HAWK stands for High intensity
Activated crossWalK.
The new signalized pedestrian crossings will provide school
children and pedestrians with a protected means of crossing
the road.
The HAWK beacons were constructed near schools or
along a route used by children walking or biking to school.
For an informational flier that includes frequently asked
questions and instructions on how to use the HAWK,
click here.
For copies, please e-mail
projects@achdidaho.org.
About the HAWK Beacon
There are pedestrian crossing signals in several locations in Ada County but never
one like the new "HAWK" beacon. HAWK stands for High-intensity Activated crossWalK
beacon. The Ada County Highway District (ACHD) has
received approval to use the new type of hybrid beacon at crossing locations in Boise, Eagle and Meridian in an effort
to increase pedestrian safety.
The HAWK beacon uses traditional traffic signal heads but in
a different configuration, with features that have not been used on any other ACHD
signal. The first-built Boise HAWK signal or beacon was
constructed in 2008 and is located about 500 feet west of the Cole and Ustick
intersection. Several additional HAWKs have been
constructed in Ada County and more are planned for the
future.
When not activated, the beacon is dark. It is activated when a pedestrian pushes
the walk button. The HAWK beacon begins flashing yellow to indicate to drivers someone
will be using the crosswalk. It then goes to solid yellow like a typical traffic
signal, advising drivers to stop if safe to do so. The beacon then turns solid red, requiring
drivers to stop at the stop line and remain stopped. Finally, the beacon goes to flashing red, letting
drivers know that after coming to a complete stop, they can proceed once the pedestrian
has crossed safely. The beacon then turns to the dark condition.
The HAWK pedestrian crossing beacons have greatly improved pedestrian safety in
Tucson, Arizona where it was found that the device substantially improves motorist
stopping behavior. The technology has been so successful that the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) visited Tucson to look at the crossings and see how well they
might work in other cities. Other cities, including Portland, Oregon have also received
permission to install and use HAWK beacons. ACHD is one of the latest agencies to
get permission to use the HAWK beacon. In 2009, the
FHWA included the HAWK beacon in its 2009 Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
ACHD manages and maintains all traffic signals and pedestrian
crossing controls in Ada County, as
part of its duties as a countywide highway district.
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