By Paul Basha, traffic engineer, Summit Land Management
What is a driver supposed to do when one of these signs is flashing red?
The formal name for these signs is “Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon”. (The slang name is HAWK for High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk. The spouse of the Tucson Traffic Engineer who invented these signs in the 1990’s is an avid ornithologist.) When a pedestrian or bicyclist pushes the activation button, this beacon flashes yellow, then becomes solid yellow, then solid red, then flashing red. All laws for traffic signal colors apply.
The flashing yellow informs a driver to be cautious, the solid yellow tells the driver the light will soon become red. The solid red means stop. The flashing red tells the driver to proceed with caution when safe to do so.
When drivers see the flashing yellow or solid yellow far from the crosswalk, they should prepare to stop. If drivers are close to the crosswalk, they should proceed with caution. Obviously, drivers need to exercise judgment with far and close. Flashing yellow means more time until the red, so more travel distance to drive past the crosswalk without stopping. Solid yellow means less time until the red, so stop unless impossible to do so.
The flashing red gives the driver the choice to resume travel or stop. The driver is obligated to remain stopped if a pedestrian or bicyclist is in the crosswalk crossing or approaching the travel lane of the driver. If a pedestrian or bicyclist has completed their crossing of the driver travel lane, the driver should proceed through the crosswalk on the flashing red light. There is always a sign stating so.
Importantly, these devices are beacons, not signals. At traffic signals, if the signals are all dark or black, typically because of a loss of electricity, all drivers must stop by law. A dark signal becomes an all-way stop. At a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon, when the device is dark, drivers know that no pedestrians or bicyclists have activated the beacon, and therefore drivers can proceed without slowing or stopping.
A similar device is also sometimes used.
These devices are named Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons often called “RRFB”. When a pedestrian or bicyclist pushes the activation button, bright yellow flashing lights appear. A driver is obligated to stop or go depending on their judgment of which is safest.
What do these construction barricade signs mean?
The barricade sign on the left with the low end of the diagonal lines on the left and the high end of the diagonal lines on the right informs drivers to pass the construction site on the left.
The barricade sign on the right with the low end of the diagonal lines on the right and the high end of the diagonal lines on the left notifies drivers to pass the construction site on the right.
Curious about something traffic? Call or e-mail Paul at (480) 505-3931 and pbasha@summitlandmgmt.com.
