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Wellington advisory panel urges 'HAWK' beacon at Showgrounds crossing to protect riders
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Summary
The Equestrian Preserve Committee unanimously recommended the village ask council to install a pedestrian hybrid beacon (a “HAWK”) at the Pearson/Showgrounds crossing, prioritize the $7,500 warrant study and $80,000 design work, and pursue construction funding (estimated ~$321,000).
The Wellington Equestrian Preserve Committee voted unanimously to recommend that village council install a pedestrian hybrid beacon — commonly called a HAWK — at the Pearson Road crossing by the Showgrounds to give equestrians an enforceable stop condition when crossing heavy traffic.
Trisha Barr, a professional engineer with Simmons & White who presented design options, said the HAWK would move the site beyond a warning device to a signal that can command motorists to stop when equestrians push the button. "It tells the cars…you must stop and you must yield," Barr said, describing the device’s sequence of flashing yellow, steady yellow, steady red and the pedestrian ‘WALK’ interval. Barr estimated a warrant study at roughly $7,500, design costs around $80,000 and construction roughly $321,000, with a 9–10 month lead time to procure and install the structure.
The recommendation follows reports of repeated near misses at the crossing in peak season and committee feedback that current rapid rectangular flashing beacons and push‑buttons have sometimes conditioned motorists to ignore warnings. Sergeant Cullen of the Palm Beach County sheriff’s office read Florida statute 316.0825 during the meeting and warned that the statute applies primarily to vehicles on roadways and shoulders, not paths; he said the law is enforceable but seldom used and that education of deputies and the public will be necessary alongside any new signals. "Every person operating a motor vehicle shall use reasonable care when approaching or passing a person who is riding or leading an animal…" Cullen read aloud when committee members asked about enforcement options.
Committee members discussed short‑term mitigations for peak show hours — including human controllers supplied by the show operator or off‑duty deputies — and asked staff to pursue both the warrant study and design work promptly so construction would not be delayed by the typical procurement timelines. The EPC motion recommended the council approve the HAWK at Pearson/Showgrounds and prioritized moving the warrant study and design to the top of the equestrian trails capital schedule.
The committee also requested staff report back with an implementation plan that includes whether the horse show operator can provide human traffic controllers during peak events and how PBSO will coordinate enforcement and education sessions with the equestrian community.
Next steps: staff will issue a purchase order for the warrant study and bring design work forward to council as part of the capital plan; the committee asked that the project be prioritized so construction can proceed as supply chains and lead times allow.
