We are excited to share that the City’s Hollister Avenue HAWK Crosswalk Project was selected as Project of the Year by the American Public Works Association (APWA) California Central Coast Chapter! This was in the category of Transportation Project under $2 million. The project upgraded the existing midblock crosswalk on Hollister Avenue at the Goleta Valley Community Center by installing a High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) system in order to increase the safety of pedestrians crossing the street. The new HAWK system replaced the existing yellow flashing beacons, installed additional roadway lighting, relocated the crosswalk approximately 100 feet to the east, and installed pavement striping and signage.

The pedestrian-activated HAWK system installation is the first of its kind on the South Coast. The HAWK system crosswalk has significantly improved the pedestrian crossing in an area heavily used by seniors and children. It links the residential neighborhood to the north of Hollister Avenue with the Goleta Valley Community Center, Boys & Girls Club of Goleta, and Rainbow and Head Start pre-schools located on the south side of Hollister Avenue. This project was completed with the help of ISL Engineering (Design Firm), Lee Wilson Electric Company, Inc. (Construction Firm) and MNS Engineers (Construction Management).