Grandview Parkway HAWK Signals
Grandview Parkway currently has two HAWK Signals, which are unique traffic signals designed to create a safe way for pedestrians to cross the road while minimizing vehicle delay.
While data shows that HAWK signals do improve pedestrian safety, many drivers remain confused, leading to ongoing issues with compliance. Research indicates that:
Many drivers do not recognize HAWK signals as legitimate traffic signals.
The signal design is not intuitive for drivers.
Drivers often lack education on how to respond to the signals.
There is little to no enforcement of violations.
Yet, more are on the way
By the end of 2025, the Grandview Parkway corridor will have 6 HAWK signals, with the potential for 2 more soon. Despite the challenges, this expansion presents an opportunity to address some of the issues with:
Increased driver familiarity over time.
More public discussion and awareness.
Opportunities for better education.
An Opportunity to Educate
With the concentration of potentially 8 HAWK signals along a 3-mile stretch, there’s an opportunity to make this a designated Pedestrian Safety Corridor with enhanced education and enforcement efforts to help reduce driver confusion and educate drivers that violations at a HAWK signal have legal penalties.
This could be implemented with road signage informing drivers of the Pedestrian Safety Corridor along with public outreach efforts focused on educating both residents and tourists on the importance of understanding and obeying the HAWK signal.
Potential Future HAWK Signals
The current crosswalks at Peninsula Drive & E Front St and Oak St & Grandview Parkway were constructed with mast arms in 2024 as part of the Grandview Parkway reconstruction project in preparation for adding HAWK signals at these crosswalks in the future.
However, these HAWK signals have not yet been installed due to a requirement by MDOT to study the crosswalks and determine if the number of pedestrians crossing at these locations justifies adding HAWK signals.
Despite the “Yield to Pedestrian” sign installed on the mast arms and crosswalk signs on both sides of the road, drivers are not legally required to stop for pedestrians unless they’re already in the crosswalk, and as a result, the current setup requires pedestrians to wait for a gap in traffic before they can begin crossing.
This uncomfortable crossing situation discourages pedestrians who may need to use this crosswalk from doing so and may discourage walking or biking for that trip altogether.
We support adding HAWK signals at these locations to create a safer crossing experience and improve pedestrian and cyclist connectivity across Grandview Parkway.
Peninsula Dr
Oak St
Why not a regular traffic light instead?
Federal and state guidelines set the criteria for when a traditional red-yellow-green traffic signal can be installed for pedestrian crosswalks.
These signal warrants require a minimum number of pedestrians using the crosswalk in order to justify the vehicle delay that a full protected crossing phase would cause.
The HAWK signal was designed as a way around those guidelines to provide an initial protected crossing phase for pedestrians while also permitting vehicles to continue during the pedestrian countdown phase.
However, the Florida Department of Transportation has begun using a hybrid approach with the Midblock Pedestrian Signal, which uses a traditional signal but is programmed to function like a HAWK signal. This has reduced driver confusion and is more widely understood.
However, the Midblock Pedestrian Signal has not been approved for use in Michigan yet, so the HAWK signal is the only option available for providing protected pedestrian crossings across Grandview Parkway at this time.