Four dangerous intersections in Lakeland will get new crosswalk lights

LAKELAND, Fla. - Lakeland ranks as the fifth-worst city in the nation for pedestrian deaths, and Memorial Boulevard in Lakeland is one of the worst streets in the county. 

In an effort to address safety concerns, FDOT has installed four new sets of pedestrian warning beacons called HAWKS, or high-intensity crosswalk signals. They’re designed to give drivers an extra heads up to pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the street.  

Just like at a regular crosswalk, pedestrians will need to press a button to signal that they are ready to cross. The lights will then start flashing yellow to alert drivers to begin to slow down. From there, it will change into a solid yellow light and then solid red, signaling for drivers to come to a complete stop.

Once the pedestrian has crossed the street, the light will begin to flash red, allowing drivers to proceed with caution as long as the crosswalk is clear. 

The four HAWK lights are spread out along Memorial Boulevard with locations at the crossings on Vermont Avenue, Morgan Avenue, Stella Avenue, and Kettles Avenue. 

The lights are part of an effort to make sidewalks and streets along Memorial Boulevard safer for those traveling on foot and on bike. The lights are scheduled to be up and running Monday morning.