Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – Following extensive discussions between the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) staff, police officers, community members and elected officials, two raised pedestrian crossings will be installed next week on Farrington Highway in Nānākuli in an effort reduce accidents and save lives.
Representative Stacelynn K.M. Eli said with recent fatalities and several major traffic accidents in the area just in the past three months, these "speed tables" are desperately needed to save lives.
"We need to do something immediately to ensure that we can minimize the deaths related to speeding along the route. We have seen too many lives lost," said Eli (D-43, ‘Ewa Villages, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale, Nanakai Gardens, Ko ‘Olina, Kahe Point, Nānākuli, Lualualei, Mā‘ili). "The DOT has found through installation of these crosswalks in areas like Waiʻanae, ʻEwa, Nuʻuanu, Haleiwa, Kalihi, and Hana that the improvement consistently and significantly reduces excessive speeding."
According to HDOT, work to install the raised crosswalks will begin nightly on Monday, Jan. 11 through Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. Lanes will be closed in each direction on Farrington Highway between Piliokahi Avenue and Laumania Avenue to allow for the installation of the raised crosswalk across the roadway. One lane in each direction will remain open at all times. Both raised crosswalks will be completed by Friday morning, weather permitting.
The raised crosswalks promote pedestrian safety by improving the visibility of pedestrians and providing drivers a physical reminder to reduce their speeds as they enter a residential area. The speed limit on Farrington Highway between Tracks Beach Park (after the Kahe Power Station) and Haleakala Avenue is reduced from 35 mph to 30 mph, and advisory speeds over the raised crosswalks is 25 mph.
Raised crosswalks were previously installed on Farrington Highway at Ala Walua Street, the Waianae High School exit, Alawa Place, and Maiuu Road. HDOT will collect speed data at the installation sites to determine how effective the speed tables are at slowing drivers.
"After all our discussions, this is what we decided would be best to help keep our keiki and kupuna safe," said Eli.
For more information about raised crosswalks, visit the Federal Highway Administration’s video at https://youtu.be/jSVMJ7HALOI