Because of several pedestrian fatalities over the years, a modern pedestrian crosswalk and sidewalk is expected to be constructed in Frenchtown Township in 2027.
It is one of four state road projects planned on US-24 (Telegraph Road) in Monroe County through 2029, according to Aaron S. Jenkins, communications representative for the Michigan Department of Transportation.
“We have and will continue to include US-24 in our annual review of locations to be submitted as part of our annual Call for Projects (CFP),” Jenkins said. “The annual CFP is a competitive process, and there are limited funds available in the various templates that are funded statewide.”
2027: Telegraph Road and Buhl Road pedestrian crossing
Planned for 2027 is a new pedestrian High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk on US-24, from the Kimberly Estates manufactured home community to Buhl Road in Frenchtown Township. The crossing will be Monroe County’s first HAWK crosswalk.
“There is currently not a pedestrian crossing between Kimberly Estates and Buhl Road. The safe pedestrian crossing proposed is to address a pedestrian crash history at this location,” Jenkins said.
In 2013, for example, three pedestrian fatalities occurred on North Telegraph Road between Grafton and Buhl roads, according to Monroe News archives.
“January 2015 to date, there have been five car-verses-pedestrian crashes at Telegraph and Buhl. Three of those were fatal crashes; one was serious injury; and one was minor injury,” said Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough.
HAWK crossings, according to MDOT’s online “Pedestrian Safety” brochure, “provide mid-block pedestrians the opportunity to cross the road while traffic is stopped.” The signal is only activated when pedestrians or bikers are present.
To use the signal, pedestrians press a button and a flashing yellow light and then a solid yellow light alert drivers to prepare to stop. A solid red light indicates drivers must be stop to allow a pedestrian to cross. Pedestrians have a countdown of seconds to cross the road.
Watch a 30-second video of a HAWK in use here.
2026: Traffic signal modernization at US-24 at Lorain in Monroe
“A traffic signal modernization project includes replacing all components of the traffic signal to meet MDOT’s current standards,” Jenkins said. “This includes items like poles, cabinets, signal heads, LED countdown pedestrian signal, electronics, etc. Modernization includes upgrading long-life LED signal head sizes, creating improved site lines for signal head visibility, upgrading signal controller capabilities to be tied into the CSCS yielding more efficient operations and pavement markings.”
Monroe County already has some modernized signals.
“The most recent signal modernization project in Monroe County on MDOT state trunklines was completed over this past year, at US-24 at M-50 and US-24 at Seventh Street,” Jenkins said.
The other projects
MDOT’s two other Monroe County projects are:
— Contact reporter Suzanne Nolan Wisler at swisler@monroenews.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Because of several fatalities, MDOT is planning new pedestrian crossing in Frenchtown Twp.
Reporting by Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News / The Monroe News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
