Highlights of the University of Hawai‘i evaluation of the embedded crosswalk lights at the Jack Lane intersection on Pali Highway:
Slower vehicle speeds. For the Kailua-bound direction of travel, maximum speed decreased by 16.2 percent and average speed decreased by 25.2 percent. For the Honolulu-bound direction of travel, maximum speed decreased by 17.8 percent and average speed decreased by 27.2 percent.
Less crossing time for pedestrians. The average curb-to-curb duration of crossing was reduced from 33.6 seconds to 27.1 seconds because pedestrians can cross at once as opposed to the previous condition, when frequently they had to wait on the median for a gap in traffic going the other direction.
Less wait for pedestrians. The average wait time for pedestrians at the curb was reduced from 26.7 seconds to 13.2 seconds.
More motorists yielding to pedestrians. The percentage of motorists who disregarded a pedestrian in the crossing decreased from 31 percent to 8 percent.
Less running by pedestrians. In the pre-implementation period, 21.6 percent of the pedestrians were observed to run while crossing in order to avoid oncoming traffic. This percentage dropped to 12.1 in the post-implementation period.
Fewer pedestrians crossing outside the crosswalk. The proportion of pedestrians who crossed entirely outside the marked crosswalk decreased from 15.9 percent to 8.3 percent.
Other findings: On the average, respondents from the neighborhood use the Jack Lane crosswalk about once every two days or almost three times a week. The neighbors surveyed say the crosswalk warning light system is a welcome improvement to pedestrian safety and is responsible for reducing the wait time at the curbside. However, these lights do not make a crossing as safe as it can be, and about 83 percent of the respondents preferred a traffic light at the location. Surveyed motorists said they used Pali Highway, on average for 13 one-way trips a week.
