Santa Rosa testing new crosswalk signal to improve pedestrian safety

Santa Rosa is testing a new traffic signal designed to make it safer for pedestrians to cross at mid-block, one that may take some getting used to for motorists.

The new signal on Montgomery Drive near Spring Lake Regional Park is meant to help residents of the growing Spring Lake Village retirement community and surrounding neighborhood cross the roadway more safely.

But it does so with an unusual signal pattern that drivers haven’t seen before locally. It’s called a HAWK, which stands for high intensity activated crosswalk. Unlike yellow flashers, which alert drivers to the pedestrian in the crosswalk, the HAWK runs through a sequence of yellow to red signals, requiring traffic to come to a full stop.

“If people know how it works, it’s really a lot safer because you actually get a red light, not just a flashing yellow,” said Sharon York, the executive director of Spring Lake Village.

Founded in 1986, Spring Lake Village is expanding rapidly. It’s in the process of adding 62 new units of senior housing to its campus, and will soon be home to more than 400 people in its independent living, continuing care and skilled nursing facilities.

As part of that $140 million expansion and renovation project, the city required the installation of a new crosswalk to help residents get across Montgomery Drive to a trailhead that leads into Spring Lake park.

“This is the first one that we’ve installed and we want to see how it works,” said Rob Sprinkle, the city’s traffic engineer. “I think this is the right application for this location.”

There are several reasons the city sought a more robust pedestrian signal at the site. One is because it’s a semi-rural area where, compared to a downtown location, motorists aren’t expecting to see a lot of pedestrian traffic, Sprinkle said.

Another reason is the demographics of the retirement community. There potentially will be more people with visual or hearing impairments using the crossing, as well as those who just need more time to cross, Sprinkle said.

Finally, the city wanted to try the new system out in an area with lower traffic volumes so they could see how well it works before rolling it out in other locations, he said.

“We don’t want to put in the middle of the downtown and have the wheels fall off,” Sprinkle said.

The HAWK has three signals, two side-by-side red lights atop one yellow. It remains dark when no pedestrians are around. When someone presses the button, the yellow signal starts flashing. After a few seconds, it turns a solid yellow. A moment later, both red signals come on, requiring traffic to stop. The walk signals and audible cues are then activated, allowing pedestrians to cross.

After about 7 seconds, the double red signal turns to an alternating flashing pattern. At this point, if pedestrians are clear, vehicles can proceed. The signal then goes dark again.

With four distinct patterns, the signal does risk confusing drivers who’ve never seen one before.

That’s why the city has a public outreach campaign that includes a pamphlet and video explaining the operations. Both are available on the city’s website: http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/departments/publicworks/traffic/Pages/HAWKSignals.aspx

So far, the signal doesn’t seem to be getting much use. People still seem to be in the habit of just waiting for a break in the traffic and crossing. The city will review its operations and look for other places where such a signal might be appropriate, Sprinkle said.

At the moment, however, they’re only allowed for mid-block crossings, Sprinkle said.

That’s because they are two-directional, and if one were installed at an intersection, drivers on the side streets wouldn’t have any guidance, he said.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.