NYMTC Regional Pedestrian Safety Study - New York Metropolitan ...

Combined Automatic and Actuated Signals: Automatic pedestrian phases are provided at
times when pedestrian traffic volume is high, for example, during commute periods. At other,
times when pedestrian traffic is expected to be low, the pedestrian phase is actuated by push
button or pedestrian detectors.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS): An APS is a non-visual device for communicating
crossing information to a visually-impaired person, using either an audible or tactile signal. The
WalkingInfo website is a good source for additional information about the different types
(http://www.walkinginfo.org/aps/15-1.cfm).
Audible Pedestrian Crossing Signals: They make an audible signal, such as a chirping sound,
drumbeat, or voice, to indicate when it is safe to cross an intersection. They are very popular in
Japan and Europe and are becoming more common in the United States as well. Some residents
complain due to the constant “noise” that they produce. Australia uses the drumbeat sound at a
low level, which does not annoy the neighbors as much as the chirping signals. The tone can be
adjusted to be only audible from the appropriate crossing area to avoid confusion as to which
direction is safe for crossing; this has the added advantage of avoiding irritating other, nearby
people. NYCDOT is testing signals with a voice, which alerts pedestrian as to the status of the
signal, at intersections near facilities for the visually impaired.
The information conveyed by audible signals increases the attention of all pedestrians to traffic
and may contribute to a reduction in pedestrian-vehicular conflicts and crashes at signalized
intersections (Van Houten et al., 1997). It is widely believed in many European countries that the
audible signals increase the speed at which most pedestrians initiate their crossings, thereby
decreasing the necessary length of the pedestrian interval.
VibroTactile Crossing Signals: The pushbutton vibrates when the walk signal is on. Its
advantages are there is no sound to annoy people in the area and the walk direction is less liable
to be misunderstood. To use the device the visually-impaired pedestrian must stand with their
hand on the button; this requires careful placement of the device so that the pedestrian can also
be in position to start crossing the street when the vibration starts. The disadvantage is the
visually impaired person must be aware of the presence and location of the button in order to
take advantage of it.
Locator Tone: The locator tone is a quiet, repeating tone that alerts visually-impaired
pedestrians that they need to push an actuation button and aids in locating the button.
Rest-on-Red, Rest-on-Green: One new adaptation to an existing technology is the use of speed
detectors upstream of an intersection that continuously monitor the speed of oncoming vehicles.
If a speeding vehicle is detected, the traffic controller changes the signal indication for the signal
to yellow and then red. If the green is on and a vehicle approaches at or below the speed limit,
the green is extended. Since this is at an experimental stage, its effectiveness is not yet known.
(www.ite.org - Traffic Calming Practices).
Animated Eyes: This signal indication displays an animated eye where two elliptical shapes
resembling eyes oscillate between looking left and right. It can be used for alerting either drivers
NYMTC Pedestrian Safety Study 79