David Y. Ige

HONOLULU – The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) has completed installation of gateway in-street sign treatments at four intersections along Pali Highway in Nuuanu. The gateway treatments are part of a pilot project to determine if their installation will help to protect pedestrians in unsignalized crosswalks.

HDOT began by installing gateway treatments at Pali Highway and Wood Street on Oct. 19, 2018 and committed to installing additional treatments at Pali Highway’s intersections with Ahipuu Street, North Dowsett Avenue, and South Dowsett Avenue. These installations were completed on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018.

“We’ve made a commitment to prioritize safety on our highways and that includes looking at solutions that can bring safety to our roads sooner,” said Ed Sniffen, Hawaii Department of Transportation Deputy Director for Highways. “The gateway treatments will be tested in conjunction with our pedestrian safety improvement projects on Farrington Highway, Kalihi Street, and other state roadways.”

Gateway in-street sign treatments will be installed at four unsignalized intersections on Farrington Highway in Waianae. They will be installed at Glenmonger Street, Bayview Street, Army Street, and Kaupuni Street. Installation will occur in December 2018. HDOT will be assessing the effectiveness of the gateway treatments and will determine additional locations for treatment installations on Farrington Highway along the Leeward Coast.

The gateway in-street treatment consists of two signs posted on either side of the road reminding drivers to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. These signs will be accompanied with yellow delineators in between each travel lane to draw attention to the crosswalk. Similar treatments installed at crosswalks in Michigan were shown to increase vehicles yielding to pedestrians. A picture showing the treatments installed at Pali Highway and Wood Street is available here.

The State Traffic Code requires motorists to stop for pedestrians crossing “upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling” and for pedestrians approaching from the opposite half of the roadway if the pedestrian is “approaching the vehicle so closely … as to be in danger.” Text of the law on pedestrian right-of-way in crosswalks can be found at https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0291C/HRS_0291C-0072.htm An illustration of the law from HPD can be found at https://hidot.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/HPDNew-Ped-Flyer.pdf

As of Nov. 21, 2018, there have been 104 traffic-related fatalities in Hawaii, of which 37 were pedestrians. A link to the traffic fatality statistics can be found by clicking here.

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