A Walk on the Safe Side

School is back in session and drivers should be paying attention to students crossing the main road through Lamar, especially at the Lamar Middle School. Three areas along Highway 287 are using crossing lights developed to heighten awareness of student crossings; near Lamar Community College near the ballfields, at the intersection of Parkway and the highway and at the Lamar Middle School.

That area now uses a HAWK lighting system that uses several banks of lights in four stages to prepare a driver for an imminent crossing.

Lights at Lamar Middle School Crossing

Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons, also known as HAWK Signals (High Intensity Activated Crosswalk signals) are traffic devices used to assist pedestrians crossing busy streets.

Traffic Signage and Lights at Parkway and 287

Pedestrian hybrid beacons are only activated when pedestrians wishing to cross a street activates the signal. If the lights of the beacon are dark, vehicles can proceed through the crosswalk. Flashing yellow lights usually last around three seconds, during which the driver should prepare to stop. A solid yellow light indicates the driver must stop. Once the light turns red, pedestrians will cross. Flashing red lights indicate that if there are no pedestrians in the walk, the driver may proceed through the walk with caution. After the flashing red lights, the signal will go dark again, and vehicles may freely pass through the intersection again.

The other two sets of lights south of the middle school do not flash red, only yellow alerting motorists pedestrians wish to cross the roadway and they should be prepared to stop if someone is in the intersection.