Manteca Mayor Gary Singh has gotten an earful of complaints about the city’s North Main Street pedestrian/traffic safety project.

He is unapologetic.

His reason is simple.

Singh doesn’t want another teen — or anyone else —  seriously injured after being struck and thrown into a windshield while in a crosswalk more than half way across the street.

Nor does he want to add to the pedestrian death toll, with the most recent being a woman killed in December 2024 while crossing North Main between Jason and Edison streets.

She was the fourth pedestrian in less than seven years to lose their life on the deadliest stretch of roadway in Manteca — North Main between Alameda Street and Northgate Drive.

There are just two more pedestrian-related improvements as well as striping of the new pavement that needs to be done.

One is completing the installation of the city’s first HAWK, shorthand for a high intensity activated crosswalk.
The poles and signals are in place at Edison and North Main. It is where two teens in the crosswalk were struck and seriously injured in 2019 including one that was thrown into a windshield

What is left to be done is the striping of high visibility crosswalks and then activating the HAWK.

North Main is one of two major pedestrian safety projects in Manteca that represents more than a $7 million investment in grants secured by the city.

The other is a series of smaller Safe Routes to Schools projects near six school campuses in Manteca including Sierra and Manteca high schools.

That work includes everything from missing sections of sidewalks being installed to what will be the city’s second HAWK signal.

“The new HAWK signal is another important step in improving pedestrian safety across Manteca,” Singh said.

“It gives our residents especially students walking to and from school a safer way to cross busy streets. As a city, we’re investing in projects working with our  Safe Routes to School committee to  enhance crosswalks, and better lighting to make sure our neighborhoods are safer and more walkable for everyone. This is about protecting lives and keeping Manteca moving forward responsibly.”

There is a second pedestrian crossing with the more traditional flashing overhead amber light going in on Main at Jason.  It is part of the Safe Routes to School project awarded to another contractor.

 HAWK signals operate in a yellow-red-flashing red sequence to alert motorists that pedestrians need to cross the road. 

Unlike traffic signals, the HAWK only operates when a pedestrian pushes the crossing button. Vehicles are free to move when no one is crossing the street.

How the HAWK signal works:

*1. Dormant State: The signal remains dark (unlit) until a pedestrian activates it by pushing a button. 

*2. Flashing Yellow: When activated, the signal will first display a series of flashing yellow lights. This indicates that a change is coming, and drivers should slow down. 

*3. Solid Yellow: The yellow lights will then turn solid, signaling drivers to prepare to stop. 

*4. Solid Red: The signal will turn solid red. Drivers must come to a complete stop, just as they would at a red traffic light. 

*5. Alternating (Flashing) Red: After the solid red phase, the signal will display two red lights that flash alternately. Drivers can proceed with caution if the crosswalk is clear of pedestrians. 

*6. Dark: Once the pedestrian crossing is complete and there are no pedestrians in the crosswalk, the signal returns to its dark, dormant state. 

Federal Highway Administration data shows the HAWK system makes a major difference for pedestrian and driver safety. Studies show a nearly 70% reduction in pedestrian crashes and almost a 30% drop in all crashes.

A HAWK signal is also going on Moffat Boulevard at Garfield Avenue by Manteca High as part of the Safe Routes to Schools project.

The medians with fencing are designed to do two things.

*Discourage pedestrians from crossing mid-block.

*Reducing the potential for mid-block T-bone crashes by motorists making left to and from commercial destination,

The North Main work is being funded almost entirely by a California safety grant,

There are not a lot of state funds available to help pay for such projects.

In order to get it, Manteca had to meet and exceed a lot of thresholds for basically having fatalities, serious injuries, and property damage way above the state average.

The stretch of North Main between Alameda Street and Northgate Drive between Jan. 1, 2017 and Dec. 31, 2021 had accident rates 10 percent above the state average.

It was where 19 percent of the city’s fatal accidents happened.

Sixty percent of all accidents on the stretch of North Main were either T-bone or broadsides, head-on, or pedestrian vehicle collisions.

They are the type of accidents most likely to be fatal and produce great bodily harm.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com