To improve pedestrian safety, the city has undertaken an assessment of intersections in urban Honolulu and will repaint crosswalks as needed and replace the standard yellow-orange pedestrian signs with fluorescent yellow-green ones, which are easier to see at night.

The effort is in response to a spate of pedestrian accidents that included 10 deaths in the first 10 weeks of the year.

Crews have assessed crosswalks and intersections in Kalihi and downtown and are studying the Waikiki area now, looking for crosswalks and signage that need improvements, said Richard Torres, deputy director of the Department of Transportation Services.

"It's not just for the pedestrians, but for the drivers, too," Torres said.

The city has identified six crosswalks near Jefferson Elementary School alone that need to be repainted, an indication of the amount of work that needs to be done to improve pedestrian safety in densely populated Waikiki.

Work to upgrade crosswalks and signage will start soon, Torres said, though he couldn't give an estimate on how long it will take or how much it will cost to complete all of the improvements in each district.

"But if we determine (the upgrading) ... needs to get done because it's a safety issue, it becomes a top priority," Torres said.

Torres couldn't say how many problem crosswalks or signs have been found so far, but did indicate that crosswalks are not all marked in the same way. The plan is to make sure all have international-style markings, which feature thicker lines and bars that run across the crosswalk to resemble a ladder. The city hopes to eventually take the assessment islandwide, he said.

Pedestrian safety has been a hot topic in the islands this year.

Ten pedestrians were killed while in crosswalks, on sidewalks or jaywalking in the first 10 weeks of 2007.

By comparison, there were 20 pedestrian fatalities in all of 2006.

Honolulu police officers are issuing fines for jaywalking. Motorists cited for not stopping at marked crosswalks to allow pedestrians to cross also are being fined.

Most of the intersections on the main roads in Waikiki are up-to-date, Torres said.

But even his crews were surprised at the deteriorated state of some crosswalks on side streets, particularly around Jefferson Elementary School.

"We were pretty amazed," he said.

Torres said a work order to improve the six crosswalks around the school was submitted Monday.

Though she hasn't heard any complaints about the crosswalks, principal Vivian Hee said she's relieved the city will improve them.

"That's such good news," Hee said.

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.