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Mayor Brandon Johnson, CDOT, Ald. Manaa-Hoppenworth, and State Sen. Simmons Break Ground on Chicago's First Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon

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CHICAGO – Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48th), and State Senator Mike Simmons today broke ground on traffic safety improvements at the intersection of N Ridge, N Wayne and W Hollywood Avenues, including Chicago's first pedestrian hybrid beacon. The $1.3 million project will create a safer, more accessible crossing of Ridge Avenue while reconfiguring the five-way intersection to better align the approaches from Wayne and Hollywood Avenues.

"Every Chicagoan should be able to safely get where they need to go, whether they are walking, biking, taking public transit or driving," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "Today, we are breaking ground on a long-awaited project that will make this intersection safer and easier to navigate for everyone. This is what it looks like when the City, our state partners, local elected officials, and community members come together to deliver the infrastructure Chicagoans deserve."

A pedestrian hybrid beacon, also known as a High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk or HAWK, is a traffic control device that helps people safely cross busy streets at locations where a full traffic signal is not warranted. The beacon remains dark until activated by a pedestrian, then uses a sequence of flashing and solid yellow and red lights to alert drivers and stop traffic while pedestrians cross.

Today, people crossing N Ridge Ave. at this intersection do not have a signal to stop traffic. The five-way configuration also creates several conflict points between drivers and pedestrians, while the skewed intersections allow for high-speed turns.

"CDOT is proud to deliver Chicago's first pedestrian hybrid beacon at an intersection where residents have long called for improved safety," said CDOT First Deputy Commissioner Craig Turner. "This project will provide a safer, more accessible crossing for people walking while also simplifying the intersection for everyone who travels through it. We are grateful to our local and state partners and the community for helping bring this project to construction."

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"Approximately 30,000 cars per day travel down Ridge, and one of our neighbors passed away at this intersection in 2021," said Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth. "Here in the 48th Ward, we are doing everything we can to ensure that another family doesn't experience a traffic fatality or life-altering injury. Last year, the 48th Ward had the fewest traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Chicago, and this marks our third consecutive year with zero traffic fatalities in the ward. This didn't happen by chance. We are making a choice to believe that every crash is preventable and that every person deserves to get home safely. Investing in safe streets works."

The project will install the pedestrian hybrid beacon at a marked crossing on Ridge Avenue and reconfigure the intersection to better align the approaches from N Wayne and W Hollywood Avenues. It will also include new crosswalk and signage improvements, as well as Accessible Pedestrian Signals that provide audible and tactile cues to help people who are blind or have low vision cross the street.

Because Ridge Avenue is under state jurisdiction, CDOT has coordinated closely with the Illinois Department of Transportation, with support from State Senator Mike Simmons and State Representative Kelly Cassidy.

"The installation of this pedestrian hybrid beacon is the direct result of community advocacy and action through groups including the BARGE Neighborhood Block Club and the Edgewater Triangle Neighborhood Association and the many residents living, walking, and driving along Ridge, Wayne, and Hollywood," said State Senator Mike Simmons. "I am proud to have secured $200,000 in state funding toward this project, and am grateful for the coordinated partnership between the city and state. I look forward to its full completion!"

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"As representative of the 14th District, I am proud and excited for the groundbreaking of the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon and pedestrian safety improvements at Wayne and Ridge," said State Representative Kelly Cassidy. "This project is years in the making, encompassing work that includes a law we passed in 2023 to allow for mid-intersection pedestrian operated beacons. This project also reflects what is possible when neighbors come together around a shared goal and refuse to accept that a problem is impossible to solve. I am looking forward to this project's completion and acknowledge what a huge win this is for our neighbors."

Unlike a standard traffic signal, the pedestrian hybrid beacon stays dark until a pedestrian presses the button. Once activated, the beacon flashes yellow to alert drivers, turns solid yellow, then displays red to stop traffic. People crossing Ridge Avenue should wait for the "WALK" signal before entering the crosswalk. As the crossing interval ends, drivers see flashing red, meaning they must stop and may proceed once the crosswalk is clear.

Because the beacon is activated by pedestrians, pedestrians can safely use the crosswalk when needed, while vehicular traffic can continue moving when there is no active crossing.

Construction Impacts

The beacon is expected to be activated later this fall, with resurfacing and landscaping expected to continue in spring 2027.

During construction, motorists should expect traffic delays and lane shifts along Ridge Avenue. Northbound traffic will be reduced to one lane, while southbound traffic will remain two lanes. Temporary pavement markings will be in place.

The sidewalk on the west side of Ridge Avenue will be closed. Access to and from Ridge Avenue for both vehicles and pedestrians will be closed for the west leg of Hollywood Avenue and the south leg of Wayne Avenue.

For more information on how a pedestrian hybrid beacon works, watch CDOT's short video, "How To Use a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon."

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