HAWK Beacon
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A HAWK beacon (high-intensity activated crosswalk beacon) is a traffic control device used to stop road traffic and allow pedestrians to cross safely. It is officially known as a pedestrian hybrid beacon. The purpose of a HAWK beacon is to allow protected
pedestrian crossing A pedestrian crossing (or crosswalk in American and Canadian English) is a place designated for pedestrians to cross a road, street or Avenue (landscape), avenue. The term "pedestrian crossing" is also used in the Vienna Convention on Road Sign ...
s, stopping vehicular traffic only as needed. The HAWK beacon is a type of traffic control alternative to traffic control signals and/or where an intersection does not meet traffic signal warrants. A HAWK beacon is used only for marked crosswalks. A similar hybrid beacon, called "emergency-vehicle hybrid beacons" are allowed at driveways of emergency service buildings such as
fire station __NOTOC__ A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, firemen's hall, or engine house) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire apparatus, fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equ ...
s.


History

The first beacon was developed in
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by Transportation Administrator R. B. Nassi, and installed in 2000. After being inspired by a trip to
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where he saw a
pelican crossing A pelican crossing is a type of pedestrian crossing with traffic signals for both pedestrians and vehicular traffic, activated by call buttons for pedestrians, with the walk signal being directly across the road from the pedestrian. Pelican cro ...
, he developed a prototype and his wife suggested the abbreviation HAWK. Prior to its full implementation, the HAWK beacon was categorized as an experimental device. At the time, United States transportation agencies that wanted to use the HAWK signal were required to obtain interim approval from the
Federal Highway Administration The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...
(FHWA). The interim approval also required the agencies to collect and submit data on the effectiveness of the device. The device was fully implemented when it was included in the 2009 edition of the ''
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices The ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways'' (usually referred to as the ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'', abbreviated MUTCD) is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the Unit ...
'' (MUTCD) as a pedestrian hybrid beacon.


Design

The vehicular signal head has three sections: two horizontally arranged circular red sections over a single circular yellow section centered between the red lights. The MUTCD requires at least two HAWK signal faces facing each vehicular approach to the crossing. Normal pedestrian signal heads control pedestrian traffic. The
MUTCD The ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways'' (usually referred to as the ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'', abbreviated MUTCD) is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the Unit ...
has guidelines to meet before a HAWK beacon is installed. The guidelines consider pedestrian and vehicle traffic volumes, vehicle speeds, and roadway width.


Operation

Unlike ordinary
traffic signal Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa, Zambia, and Namibia – are signaling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order t ...
s, the vehicular signal heads of a HAWK beacon are unlit until activated by a pedestrian who wishes to cross the roadway. The pedestrian signal heads operate normally, displaying an upraised hand (don't walk) aspect during the time that vehicles have the
right of way A right of way (also right-of-way) is a specific route that people, animals, vehicles, watercraft, or utility lines travel, or the legal status that gives them the right to do so. Rights-of-way in the physical sense include controlled-access h ...
. When a pedestrian activates the beacon by pushing the pedestrian call button, the HAWK beacon sequence is started. First with flashing yellow, then steady yellow, and finally steady red over a period of several seconds. Pedestrian signal heads at either end of the crosswalk display the upraised hand (don't walk) signal until the HAWK beacon displays the steady red signal, at which time, the pedestrian heads change to the walking-person (walk) aspect. As the pedestrian phase starts to end, the walking-person (walk) aspect changes to a flashing upraised hand (don't walk) with a countdown indicator. Pedestrians in the roadway should finish crossing the roadway, and anyone who wishes to cross but has not entered the roadway should reactivate the signal and wait. At this point, the vehicular signal heads change to display an alternating flashing red aspect. Vehicles must yield to any pedestrians still in the crosswalk. If the crosswalk is clear, they may proceed after coming to a full stop. Once the pedestrian crossing phase ends, the countdown indicator reaches "0," and the pedestrian signal changes back to the non-flashing upraised hand (don't walk). Then, the vehicle signal head returns to the dark state, and vehicle traffic has the right of way until the signal is reactivated.


Sequence of signal


Effectiveness

One study released by the Federal Highway Administration observed after a week of installing a HAWK beacon at an intersection: there was a 29 percent reduction in total crashes, a 15 percent reduction in severe crashes, and a 69 percent reduction in pedestrian crashes. The percentages are compared with an unsignalized intersection (no treatment to the intersection). Another report observed 97% motorists complied with the HAWK beacon. This is higher than crossings with flashing yellow beacons but not for signalized intersections. Some motorist confusion has been reported at newly installed HAWK beacons. When first introduced to an area, enforcement and public education are needed until users understand how the beacon works. When the beacon has not been activated, some drivers have acted as if the signal is dark due to a power outage, but that has not been experienced by all jurisdictions with HAWKs in operation. The flashing red phase is sometimes misunderstood by drivers farther back in the queue, and they follow the lead driver through the crosswalk instead of stopping at the stop line as required. Additionally, motorists sometimes remain stopped during the flashing red phase when the crosswalk is clear due to the similarity to a railroad crossing signal. In 2016, to help address this issue, the Federal Highway Administration authorized use of a new traffic sign, 'R10-23a', as an alternative sign to use at HAWK beacons. The alternative signage describes the steady red and flashing red aspects more clearly to drivers. HAWK signals were widely adopted in
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starting in 2018, resulting in significantly fewer crashes and fatalities citywide.


Issues with unique meanings of HAWK signal aspects

The design and operation of the HAWK beacon/crossing differs materially from the meanings and operation of the same signal aspects when used in other contexts, and thus may be unintuitive to drivers unfamiliar with them: * Some motor vehicle codes require that motorists stop at dark signals, which are typically indicative of an abnormality in the normal operation of the signal, such as a power failure. However, the dark signal is a normal display at HAWK beacons, where it designates the right-of-way for vehicular traffic. * Drivers may fail to appreciate the conversion of a flashing yellow to a steady yellow signal, and thence fail to comprehend that the signal is about to change from steady yellow to red. Flashing yellow signals in other contexts are simply caution markers, and do not convert to steady yellow and thence to red in this way. * At conventional traffic signals, the entire pedestrian crossing phase, including the entire flashing upright hand (don't walk) "pedestrian change interval" is protected from vehicle traffic of the roadway pedestrians are crossing. However, at HAWK crossings, during the flashing upright hand (don't walk) "pedestrian change interval", vehicles may legally proceed through the crosswalk after stopping. This could create a collision risk from a pedestrian not expecting a vehicle to enter the crosswalk. * The arrangement and colors can confuse
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drivers given that the red and yellow lights can appear to be the same color and so depend upon placement to distinguish. Colorblind drivers may also rely on placement and assume that the bottom signal is green. If colorblind drivers misperceive the top two lights as yellow, this is contrary to the intention of the inventor R. B. Nassi, who said "We need to get red lights showing on these locations. Red means stop."


Alternating flashing red aspect

The alternating flashing red aspect used with the HAWK beacon has a different meaning than other traffic control devices. * The alternating flashing red (wig-wag) aspect is used in several other applications for vehicle control in the United States. ** At railroad crossing signals, which several jurisdictions require drivers to treat as stop and stay. ** On
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es, all states have
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that require drivers to stop and stay upon encountering it. ** At
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s, which must be treated as stop and stay. The MUTCD states if two horizontally aligned red signal indications are used on an approach for an intersection control beacon, they shall be flashed simultaneously to avoid being confused with grade crossing flashing-light signals (e.g. railroad crossings). However, at a HAWK beacon, an alternating flashing red aspect instructs drivers to stop and proceed when clear, and is not supposed to be treated as stop and stay by drivers. * Emergency-vehicle hybrid beacons, for emergency vehicle facilities (i.e. fire stations), use the same signal head design, and uses an alternating flashing red aspect to protect departing emergency vehicles. The only distinguishing part of the design is a different sign, R10-14, which is used with the signal. Unlike at a HAWK beacon, drivers are expected to remain stopped during this time to allow emergency vehicles to enter the roadway.


References


External links


Safety Effectiveness of the HAWK Pedestrian Crossing Treatment
Federal Highway Administration, July 2010
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon Guide – Recommendations and Case Study

Brochure from Alexandria, Virginia, USA describing the operation of HAWK beacons
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100608011550/http://alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/localmotion/info/HAWK%20brochure.pdf , date=June 8, 2010
Video of a HAWK beacon in operation in Tucson, Arizona, USA

DC Experience with the HAWK-Hybrid Pedestrian Signal and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons
Pedestrian crossing components Pedestrian crossings Traffic law Traffic signals Traffic signs