Crossing Signal May Aid Visually Impaired

A new crossing signal at Lindley Avenue and Nordhoff Street will make it safer for visually impaired pedestrians to cross the street, Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson said Tuesday.

The “tactile pedestrian indicator”--the first signal of its kind in Los Angeles and the second to be installed in California--replaces the traditional crossing button with a new panel with a large raised arrow that indicates the direction pedestrians may cross, Bernson said.

“Up until now, people who are visually impaired were at risk when they came to an intersection,” Bernson said. “This new tool, which vibrates during the walk cycle, is extremely cost-effective and should be placed at every crossing signal in the city.”

The new device is superior to existing audible pedestrian signals, which emit a peeping tone during the walk signal, Bernson said, because visually impaired pedestrians say the audible signal is often “confusing, intrusive, loud and unclear.”

The Braille Institute and Development Associates worked with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to develop, field test and evaluate the new device, which costs $375, Bernson said.