Audible pedestrian signals are coming to five intersections downtown. The City is getting $17,500 from the federal government to install the signals at spots in the downtown core with heavy pedestrian traffic.
Visually impaired resident Bobby Weir says having the beeping gives her more confidence she’s crossing the street safely and quicker.
“If the audible signals are there, then I can just go with that audible sound; I do not have to wait for a vehicle to be there; I do not have to stand back to watch the flow through a few different lights.”
Weir argues that more needs to be done as well to educate drivers on how to handle visually impaired pedestrians. However, the signals are an exciting step forward for the city.
“To even bring that awareness to the city, the need, and then for them to recognize it and to get the funding is huge for us. I think from now on when they start replacing the lights, that’s just going to be something that’s just considered.”
The signals will tie into the Intelligent Traffic Signal System that was brought in in 2013.