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Council weighs HAWK beacon versus full traffic signal at 40th and Madison for Safe Routes to School
Summary
City engineer presented two options for pedestrian safety at 40th and Madison: a HAWK beacon (~$150k–$200k) or a full traffic signal (~$350k–$450k). Councilors debated access, right‑of‑way, collision tradeoffs and funding and asked staff to firm up designs and costs for return to council.
City engineer Jory presented options to improve pedestrian safety where a Safe Routes to School change will require north‑side students to walk across 40th Street. He said a HAWK (pedestrian hybrid beacon) "is about 150 to $200,000 to put in," while "a full traffic signal" was "probably on the order of magnitude of 350 to 425, 450, kind of that range."
Jory explained the HAWK is push‑button activated and stops traffic only when needed, while a traffic signal would provide full access for northbound turns but typically leads to more rear‑end collisions. Several councilors argued a traffic signal would slow traffic and better protect children and crossing guards; one councilor referenced a recent local fatality to emphasize caution, saying, "I'd rather have a car hit a car than a car hit a kid, you know." Councilors asked staff to check right‑of‑way needs, available conduit from prior widening, ADA ramps and to return with firm cost estimates and two design options for council direction, noting funding would likely have to come from city sources on a tight timeline if installation were desired by the coming school year.
Staff and the council agreed to prioritize producing engineered cost estimates and to present funding options at the next meeting so the council can decide whether to proceed with final design and construction.
