Watch the video above to learn more about the new HAWK signal and view traffic and pedestrian patterns around the school.
August 31, 2017 – Midland’s new STEM school, Central Park Elementary, will open its doors for the first time on Tuesday, September 5! With an anticipated increase in pedestrian traffic in the area of the school, the City and Midland Police Department have made several changes and recommendations to motorists and parents with children who walk to school.
A traffic signal, called a HAWK (High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk) has been installed at the intersection of Rodd and Baker Streets. While appearing slightly different than traditional traffic lights, this pedestrian-friendly crossing signal functions very similarly to lights that drivers encounter every day. HAWK signals are also currently installed at Chestnut Hill and Plymouth elementary schools.
An example of a normal signal cycle for a HAWK is:
- Dark signal: Traffic can proceed through the intersection as normal.
- Flashing yellow signal: Drivers can proceed through the intersection using caution.
- Solid yellow signal: Drivers should stop if it’s safe to do so.
- Solid red signal: Stop. This allows pedestrians to get through the intersection.
- Flashing red signal: Drivers should stop, then proceed through the intersection as long as there are no pedestrians in the crosswalk.
Students walking to school from the north or west should only cross Rodd Street by using the HAWK signal. If possible, they should cross Ashman Street only at intersections where a crossing guard is located. Crossing guards will be stationed at the intersections of Ashman Street with Carpenter and Nelson Streets, as well as at Eastlawn and Jefferson Avenue and at the intersection of Carpenter and George Streets. Students walking to school from the east or south are encouraged to utilize routes that include crossing guards or safety patrol assistants provided by Midland Public Schools.
Students in the walking boundary for Central Park Elementary can also ride a bus to school if they arrive at one of 2 bus stop locations by 8:25 a.m. each day. Those stops are located at Carpenter Street School and at the intersection of E. Park Drive and Sayre Street.
Parents who drop off students at school are reminded that left turns from Reardon Street into the school parking lot are prohibited at all times. Drivers should go around the school using Rodd, Collins, George, and Reardon and enter the lot by turning right.
In addition to traffic signal changes, several sidewalk ramps in the area of the school have been upgraded to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines.
Drivers who utilize Rodd Street and parents who have children attending Central Park Elementary are encouraged to view an instructional video that shows ideal vehicle and pedestrian traffic movements around the school, as well as a demonstration of how to use the HAWK signal. This video can be viewed above or found on the City’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/_LEv2nu2HEg.
