Alarmed by a flurry of pedestrian deaths so far this year, Gov. Linda Lingle is urging lawmakers to stiffen penalties for crosswalk violations with hefty fines, license revocation and possible jail time.

Meanwhile, she would also like lawmakers to dispense with further studies on crosswalks in favor of immediate action.

That sentiment was echoed by residents around the island yesterday.

At a hearing on these matters yesterday, Sen. Kalani English, chairman of the Committee on Transportation and International Affairs, said his committee could not make decisions on penalties. But he said he intends to replace proposals for a new study with a bill that would start funding crosswalk improvements as soon as July 1.

Barry Fukunaga, interim director of the Department of Transportation, summed up the urgency: "In 2005, we saw pedestrian deaths one every 10 weeks. ... This year we started out a 10-week period where we had a death a week, which really is an awful trend."

Anna Hunter of Downtown Honolulu laughed when she heard the state was considering another study but agreed with the penalties proposed by the governor.

"That one I like," said Hunter, doubling her fist. "Do that and you won't have to do the other bill. We don't need another study. Save our money. We're not stupid. Everybody already knows what's going on."

Pastor Harry Simons, with the Hawai'i Coalition of Christian Churches in Wai'anae, was in lockstep with Hunter.

The Wai'anae Coast saw two pedestrian fatalities in a week recently, the accident sites on Farrington Highway just a mile apart.

"I'm for more enforcement with teeth, whether it be for pedestrians or speeders," Simons said. "I'm for the Van Cam, even.

"It's just ridiculous what's going on. And we're all in so much of a hurry, and we don't seem to have much care for anybody anymore."

No one testified against the two bills — although some proposed changes — and Lingle, the Honolulu Police Department and Barbara Kim Stanton of AARP gave the measures strong support.

"No one should have to feel that they have to fear they will lose a loved one for just walking across the street," Lingle said.

She wants drivers who don't stop for pedestrians to face fines from $150 to $1,000, along with combinations of license revocation and prison time. "It's for potentially endangering someone's life because of your action," she said. "I do feel severe penalties are needed."

The governor also stressed that rather than funding another study, the Legislature should pay for ongoing improvements, such as replacing traffic lights with higher visibility LED ones, adding countdown timers at key intersections, using reflective striping in the crosswalks and installing pedestrian-activated traffic lights at intersections without lights.

"We need to take action now," she said. "I think studies for the long term are OK, but the time for action is now."

AARP has already identified crosswalks that do not allow the elderly enough time to get across the street, and Stanton told the committee that her 152,000 members are saying, "Enough with the studies. Take action. Do something to stop the carnage in the street."

In addition to increasing penalties and making physical improvements, English, Lingle and Stanton made it clear that education about the crosswalk law is a critical part of reducing the number of pedestrian accidents.

English called on the state Transportation Department and the Honolulu Police Department to help with the education, not just of drivers, but of pedestrians as well. Walkers, English said, need to be engaged when they cross the street.

"If you're going to change the law, you really have to get the word out so people aren't taken by surprise," English said.

Pedestrian safety is a concern across the generations, too, according to some interviewed yesterday.

Carl Yamashita, 70, walks for two hours every morning around Palolo, where he's lived for more than 30 years.

He leaves the house at 2:30 a.m. and meets up with fellow walkers, all wearing light-colored clothing.

He supports stricter penalties on drivers who violate the right-of-way of pedestrians within crosswalks but added that pedestrians need to take responsibility for their own safety, too.

"Everybody's in a hurry," Yamashita said yesterday at Kaimuki Shopping Center. "It's terrible. I see pedestrians walk out (into the road), red light and all. It's a two-way street."

Carly Namaka, 15, walks home to Kapahulu from Sacred Hearts Academy on Wai'alae Avenue almost every afternoon. She prefers walking along the residential streets of Kaimuki to get home.

She said she's seen drivers ignore posted stop signs and run red lights. She was almost hit by a car while in a crosswalk Downtown. The driver apparently didn't realize the light was red, she said.

She would like to see longer walk signals but doesn't think stricter penalties will stop drivers from breaking the law.

"You still have to watch out," Namaka said yesterday after shopping at Longs Drug Store in Kaimuki after school. "Drivers don't give you the right of way. They always think they have the right of way."

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.