As many of Buena’s students have come to realize, the City of Ventura is slowly adding High Intensity Activated Crosswalks (HAWKs) to all of their pedestrian crossing zones. Most of Ventura already has this system but is instead modifying the existing HAWKs to verbally clarify when pushing the button and instruct you to “wait” or “walk.”
This allows for greater accessibility, especially for disabled users, for those who are not able to safely identify when it is safe to walk. An additional feature is that the new HAWKs are lower, allowing more people to easily push the button on their own. The displays on the screen are also bigger and brighter, making for higher visibility.
“[The goal is to] always prioritize safety for everyone on [and near] the road,” Derek Towers, the Active Transportation Specialist for Ventura City, said in a video published by Ventura City.
The addition of these newly updated features will ultimately improve the Ventura Community, allowing for people to go through everyday tasks, such as crossing the street, with ease.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, streets with HAWKs have a 29 percent reduction rate in total number of crashes, a 69 percent reduction rate in pedestrian crashes, and a 15 percent reduction rate in severe crashes, with the overall conclusion that HAWKs do make for a safer environment.
The HAWK that is most near and pertaining to Buena students is the one added to the corner of Wakeforest Ave. just short of the bus stop. The previous HAWK was to the right, next to the street, just a few inches from the road. Ventura removed the button from the signpost and had decided to add the new HAWK a few feet away from the previous one.
The current one is shorter, as well as comes with the pre-empted safety measures, such as the verbal directions have been updated with the new HAWKs . Some confusion arose amongst the community as to the logic behind moving the new HAWK only a few feet away from where the old one currently stands, although most people have accepted this fact and moved on.
Regardless of the public’s opinion of this new system, the City of Ventura will continue to implement HAWKs around the city, in the hopes of providing greater accessibility for all of Ventura’s residents.
