Before the end of the year, walkers crossing Sashabaw at Bowpointe may have an easier time getting to the other side of the road.
After hearing complaints, McLaren’s Corporate Director of Facilities Management Dan Medrano along with Township Trustee David Lohmeier, County Commissioner Tom Middleton, and members of the Road Commission of Oakland County (RCOC) found a way to solve the crosswalk conundrum.
Within 30 days, McLaren intends to ‘provide conceptual drawings to the RCOC? for a High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) signal to replace the current one, Medrano said.
The HAWK signal will allow pedestrians to push a button and activate the crosswalk when they need to walk across Sashabaw. Once the button is pressed, the traffic light will change to flashing yellow, then to solid yellow, and finally to solid red.
When the light is a solid red, pedestrians will get a ‘Walk? signal. After a few moments, the solid red light will switch to flashing red allowing drivers to proceed if pedestrians are finished crossing.
McLaren agreed to fund the installation of the HAWK signal. From Medrano’s point of view, picking up the tab for the new crosswalk signal is part of McLaren’s desire to be ‘good neighbors.? Medrano said, ‘We’re conscious of our responsibility to the community.?
Trustee Lohmeier is ‘very optimistic? about the crosswalk because ‘we want [the township] to be pedestrian friendly,? he said. Because no roadwork is needed for the HAWK installation, walkers could be activating the new signal by the end of 2012.