112811 New signal aims to keep pedestrians safe and traffic flowing through COW campus

  • By Sharon Haught
  • November 22, 2011
  • 271
                        
Summary: A new type of traffic signal being installed in front of Lowry Center on the College of Wooster campus should keep traffic flowing along Beall Avenue while keeping pedestrians safe. A new type of pedestrian signal that keeps pedestrians safe while keeping traffic flowing along Beall Avenue through the College of Wooster campus will soon be installed. The members of Wooster City Council voted unanimously to approve the installation of a new pedestrian hybrid beacon or HAWK on Beall Avenue in front of Lowry Center. The need for some type of signal in the heart of the campus to make it easier for pedestrians to safely cross Beall Avenue while still maintaining traffic flow through the campus has been the subject of discussion since the completion of the Beall Avenue Streetscape project. According to Councilman Jon Ulbright, during the Streetscape project the traffic lights at Lowry Center and University Street were removed when ODOT determined that the pair of intersections no longer qualified for traffic lights. While the city installed a series of marked crosswalks and signage throughout the area, many local residents expressed concern about both the safety of pedestrians and the traffic congestion on Beall Avenue. “There are people who cross at that (University Street) intersection. They crossed at Lowry. They cross at two crossways in between north and south of this proposed site. And of course they cross at an intersection where there is a light at Wayne and Beall Avenue,” said Ulbright. The College of Wooster and the City of Wooster have been searching for a solution to the problem for many months when a change in the Ohio Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices made a new and unusual option available. According to City Engineer Joel Montgomery, the new pedestrian hybrid beacon, which will be placed above the intersection, functions very differently than a traditional traffic light. While a normal traffic light is on constantly, the HAWK system is activated only when a pedestrian pushes a button and is dark between periods of activation. Once activated the system goes through a series of lights beginning with a flashing yellow light, followed in succession by a solid yellow light, solid red light and flashing red light before once again turning dark. “Walk” and “Don’t Walk” signs illuminate for pedestrians to indicate when it is safe to cross the street. “It will take a little time to get use to,” said Ulbright adding that Wooster’s installation of the new HAWK system “will be the first time this product has been installed in the State of Ohio.” “It’s not foolproof. It relies entirely on the students,” said Montgomery. “Unlike a regular signal it will remain blank until somebody hits that button. Then it goes through its phasing from yellow to red. But for the most part traffic will continue to flow,” Montgomery added. According to Montgomery, in addition to the new pedestrian hybrid beacon the city will be installing additional signage at University and Wayne alerting people driving through the area that there are crosswalks. An overhead streetlight will also be installed to illuminate the area and crosswalk signs will be placed in the roadway. Ulbright noted that the project is expected to cost approximately $50,000, with one half of the cost being paid by the college. The city’s share of the cost will be paid out of the capital improvement fund, permissive tax fund and/or the street, construction, maintenance and repair fund. “We think this is the best solution at this point not only to address pedestrian safety but also to address the concerns of the citizens for traffic flow,” said College of Wooster Director of Security and Protective Services Steve Glick. “Hopefully we’ll see a better traffic flow through there especially during peak times,” Glick added.


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