City of Phoenix installs more traffic lights for safety of drivers, pedestrians

PHOENIX (FOX 10) - Driving around downtown Phoenix, you may notice something new on the street corner, like the one here on Seventh and Adams.

The City of Phoenix is installing a number of new traffic lights to help drivers be aware and to protect pedestrians.

"That was installed based on a citizen's request to look at the need for a traffic signal," Bruce Littleton said.

Littleton, the traffic-engineering supervisor for the City of Phoenix, says traffic lights and hawk pedestrian lights are installed on an as-needed basis.

"Based on nationally-established warrants turning movement counts, we look at the crash patterns, we look at a number of factors that all go into whether it meets the criteria," he said.

According to the 2018 highway safety report, Arizona is one of the deadliest states for pedestrians. Bruce says that's why the city is working hard on solutions, like adding more haw pedestrian lights, which benefit pedestrians and are efficient for drivers.

"After the walk indication comes up, if the pedestrian left the street, the vehicles are allowed to stop and then proceed on the flashing red, so there's not wasted time while you're waiting for the pedestrian to cross completely," Littleton said.

Bruce says even though there's more work to be done, he's pleased with the city's progress so far.

"The hawks have been extremely successful," he said. "When I came six years ago, we had 13. We are turning the 50th one on in two weeks."