26-05-2025
Modesto now has HAWKs watching out for pedestrian safety in crosswalks
To launch crosswalk beacons aimed at enhancing pedestrian safety, Modesto chose an area of heavy foot traffic: 16th Street at H and I streets, on both ends of the Modesto Certified Farmers Market.
In April, the city installed High Intensity Activated Crosswalk beacons, traffic signal devices to help drivers and pedestrians avoid collisions. Though the acronym doesn't match the name, they're called HAWK beacons.
The devices have the same features as a typical crosswalk beacon, which include a push button to walk, a green display of a stick figure when it's clear to do so, and a timer counting down to a red warning hand.
However, drivers should notice a big difference: The signal lights are dark until activated by a pedestrian. There are three different light configurations: a flashing yellow light, a solid yellow light, and a solid double and flashing red lights.
When someone is about to use the crosswalk, a flashing yellow light will alert drivers to slow down. A solid yellow will then be shown, to prepare for a stop.
Once the traffic light turns into a solid double red, drivers must stop to let pedestrians safely cross the street. When the solid red lights begin to flash, drivers may again proceed if no pedestrians are in the crosswalk.
According to California Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System data, provided by UC Berkeley's Transportation Injury Mapping System, the city recorded 113 pedestrian fatalities and injuries in each of the last two years.
'The city is creating safer streets for everyone,' Mayor Sue Zwahlen said in a news release. 'The HAWK beacon will be instrumental in reducing pedestrian incidents in our community.'
Public Works Director Bill Sandhu said the city began talks about the crosswalk beacons last year when his department evaluated its traffic system. The two intersections were among the areas with a high volume of pedestrians entering, he said.
Additionally, the department took a road's width and the amount of traffic in a specific area as possible factors to consider for its implementation.
Sandhu says the city has three other locations in mind for HAWKs but didn't specify where. He expects them to be installed within the next year.
According to Federal Highway Administration data provided by Sandhu the crosswalks helped reduce total crashes by 29% and pedestrian crashes by 69% in Tucson, AZ.
Sandhu said Modesto's crosswalk beacons were installed by Public Works and cost under $400,000. They were funded through Measure L, which focuses on improving streets and roads in Stanislaus County through a 25-year Transportation Ordinance and Expenditure Plan and sales tax of a half cent.
A month into the crosswalk beacons' implementation, Modesto Certified Farmers Market shoppers have noticed a significant difference when it comes to safety.
Farmers Market Manager Shiela Burch said the devices make clear that pedestrians have priority.
'It is more obvious that they need to stop traffic in order for people to cross,' Burch said. Before the beacons, when the intersections had only painted crosswalks, drivers 'had to be acutely aware of people and look around, and that was not happening.'
Citlalic Marquez, a Ceres resident, has been visiting the farmers market for more than three years. She remembers having to run across the street to beat oncoming traffic.
She said she believes the crosswalk beacons will helps anyone wherever they're installed. 'I think it's good addition to [the farmers market] and hopefully they implement in other areas,' Marquez said
