Evaluation of HAWK Signal at Georgia Avenue and Hemlock Street, NW in the District of Columbia
Source: District Department of Transportation
A High-intensity Activated crossWalK (HAWK) signal was installed at the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Hemlock Street in Washington DC to reduce incidences of pedestrian-vehicle conflicts as well as overall crashes involving pedestrians. The signal was evaluated by conducting a series of field observations of pedestrian crossing and driver behaviors at the crosswalk in order to determine their compliance with the HAWK signal. The field observations were conducted in July and August of 2010, and involved obtaining the frequencies of motorists yielding or stopping for pedestrians during crossing events for at least 100 pedestrian crossing events or 4 hours of crossing events (whichever came first). The results of the analysis of the data obtained in the field showed an average of 97.1% motorist compliance with the HAWK signal. Based on the motorists' compliance rate, the use of HAWK signal as a device for improving pedestrian crossing events at selected unsignalized intersections is recommended. This device would be especially useful at intersections on high-volume major arterials with moderate-to-high pedestrian crossing events, which do not satisfy the warrants for the installation of a traffic signal.
