New HAWK signal coming to Rehoboth Beach

Officials say beginning September 17th it will be safer for pedestrians to cross over Route 1 at the corner of Rehoboth Avenue. Deldot is installing a pedestrian crossing system called the High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk, or the HAWK Signal for short. It’s the first of it’s kind in Sussex County and the third in the state of Delaware.

Jim Westhoff, the spokesman for Deldot says, “When the pedestrians are crossing there’s a countdown so they know how much time they have to get across. There’s a lot of lanes of traffic they have to get across.”

That issue is something Rehoboth Beach resident Kerry Gallup knows all too well.

Gallup says, “It’s like playing Frogger you know.”

Gallup crosses over Route 1 every day. There is no pedestrian traffic signal on the south bound side of the roadway which Gallup says forces folks to “jay- walk” or just wait.

Gallup continues, “It takes me a good 20 minutes to cross the highway during the summer.”

These issues were expressed by the Route 1 Pedestrian Safety Task Force to Deldot. Officials with the department say this HAWK signal will prevent those problems.

The traffic lights will stay green for motorists unless the HAWK signal is activated by a pedestrian by pressing a button on the signal.

When that happens, a blinking light will begin flashing for motorists. That will give them more time to slow down before someone starts crossing the street. Deldot says it has proven successful in Kent County and expect the same in Sussex.

Gallup goes on, “I hope so. I hope that it will help out a lot.”

Bearing any weather delays, the HAWK signal should be installed in just one night.

Installation of the HAWK signal will take place from 8 p.m. on September 16th to 5 a.m. on September 17th. Motorists should expect lane closures during that time.