More 'Hawk' Traffic Signals Coming To Denver

DENVER, CO — There are now nine Hawk Signals in Denver, and more are on the way, city officials announced Monday. The ninth Hawk signal was turned on Monday at Evans Avenue and Gilpin Street near the University of Denver.

Officials are reminding drivers how to use the new signals. Denver Public Works posted a video with instructions.

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When a pedestrian presses the walk button to cross the street, a yellow light will turn on to warn drivers to slow down. When the beacon is solid red, drivers must stop. The beacon will then flash red, which tells drivers that they can proceed after pedestrians have safely crossed the road.

Because a Hawk Signal appears to resemble a railway crossing during its flashing phase, some drivers remain stopped even though it's safe to proceed. Other drivers have presumed a power outage has hit the signal when it hasn't been activated.

A study by the Federal Highway Administration found that Hawk Signals decreased vehicle crashes with pedestrians by nearly 70 percent. More drivers comply with the new beacon than with regular traffic signals, according to the report.