HAWKs are for highways, not our beloved Boulevard

Examples of HAWKs in the U.S.

The agenda for the Tuesday, July 15 meeting of the CIP Advisory Board includes discussion of a potential future pedestrian crossing for E. 5th at Boulevard near Stephenson Park. If you're familiar with the area, then you've likely seen well-dressed diners or moms with strollers making the "mad dash" across Boulevard on their way to dinner at Boulevard Steakhouse or to hang at Stephenson Park.

A proposed HAWK (High-Intensity Activated CrossWalK) would include new traffic signals over lanes of the street that flash red to warn drivers when pedestrians are crossing Boulevard. Some HAWK examples are shown above.

OUR TAKE: A crosswalk is sorely needed here. But HAWKs are for highways and roads that presume high-speed traffic and inattentive drivers. Boulevard is already signed for 30 miles per hour. A HAWK would reinforce Boulevard as just another road carrying high-speed traffic through, rather than to, Downtown Edmond for another generation.

A modern crosswalk with some basic traffic calming measures like flashing signs speed radars, and curb extensions are proven solutions for urban streets. A better solution could be a combination of low-cost traffic calming improvements at E. 5th and Boulevard while the street is reimagined to better serve the business district.

Boulevard today and what could-be in the future. Thanks, Streetmix!

The Park District is home to Edmond's history museum, signature urban park, a live music venue, and the most dense collection of local restaurants in the downtown area.

Downtown streets in business districts - like 5th and Boulevard - ought to be designed to function as downtown streets.