City of Des Moines Adopts a Rational Process for Accessible Pedestrian Signal Installation
by Curtis Chong
From the Editor: Curtis Chong is a longtime leader in the National Federation of the Blind. He was formerly the director of the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind in Baltimore. He now lives in Iowa, works as the program administrator of field operations and access technology for the Iowa Department for the Blind, and is the president of the National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science. His technical skills and ability to communicate mean he is no stranger to readers of the Braille Monitor. Here is what he has to say about pedestrian signals created to help the blind.
A variety of special-purpose pedestrian signals--once known as "audible traffic signals" and now called "accessible pedestrian signals” (APS)--have been developed and installed in various cities around the country to provide nonvisual indication of when it is safe to cross the street. Early models, which emitted chirping bird or cuckoo clock sounds, were so loud that they masked the sound of approaching traffic, and they provided no clear indication of which intersection was safe to cross. This type of signal predominated in 1992 when the National Federation of the Blind passed a resolution reaffirming its policy objecting to the wholesale and routine installation of audible traffic signals.
Today's version of the accessible pedestrian signal provides more useful information for the nonvisual pedestrian and in my experience does not interfere with hearing traffic sounds that are critical to safe crossing. First, it beeps every second to tell the nonvisual pedestrian where the pole is; usually this beep cannot be heard beyond a distance of ten feet. Second, it has a button with a tactilely discernible arrow pointing in the direction the pedestrian is supposed to travel when the walk signal is activated. When the button is pressed briefly, the signal tells the pedestrian to wait; for example, it might say "Wait to cross Fourth Avenue." When the button is held down for more than a second, it tells the pedestrian when the walk signal has been activated. Finally, if a traffic signal displays a visual count-down timer, the APS can be set up to speak this information.
The U.S. Access Board has circulated for public comment a document entitled "Proposed Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way," often referred to as "PROWAG." If adopted, these guidelines will require accessible pedestrian signals and pedestrian pushbuttons to be provided whenever new pedestrian signals are installed. Also, whenever a signal controller and software are altered or a signal head is replaced, these guidelines will require that accessible pedestrian signals be installed.
The Challenge for the City of Des Moines
Last year the City of Des Moines received some extra funding which it used to cover the cost of four accessible pedestrian signals, which it installed along what it termed the "elderly corridor." Members of the Des Moines Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa were concerned because they feared that the City of Des Moines had installed these signals at intersections where they were not really needed, thus wasting limited funds. This view was embodied in a position statement developed by the Des Moines Chapter and circulated to the Des Moines City Council. This resulted in meetings between the city's traffic engineers and the Des Moines Chapter.
Based on the almost certain probability that the PROWAG will be adopted as proposed by the Access Board, the City of Des Moines believes that it will ultimately be required to install accessible pedestrian signals whenever it puts in a new traffic signal or replaces an existing one, and this cost will certainly be incorporated into the city's future budget planning. However, what about existing traffic signals? Where and when should accessible pedestrian signals be installed, and, given the concerns raised by the blind community, how can the City of Des Moines make rational decisions about where these devices are to be installed, let alone whether they should be installed at all?
The Process
City traffic officials, members of the Des Moines Chapter of the NFB of Iowa, and the City of Des Moines Access Advisory Board conducted meetings. A committee was created with members from each group, and over a period of six months the committee met and ultimately developed a workable process.
It was clear during these committee meetings that the city's traffic engineers had thoroughly researched the criteria used by other cities to determine how and where they would install accessible pedestrian signals. Some cities had chosen to involve orientation and mobility specialists from agencies for the blind to help them decide when and where to install accessible traffic signals. Some cities seemed to think the proximity of accessible pedestrian signals to agencies for the blind was important. The theory seemed to be that the need for such a signal is increased the closer one gets to a service agency.
The committee agreed unanimously that there was no reason for the City of Des Moines to consult with orientation and mobility specialists--let alone agencies for the blind--to decide where and when to install accessible pedestrian signals. Also the committee was unanimous in its view that accessible pedestrian signals should not be placed near agencies for the blind, especially if those agencies provide independent travel training to the blind. Crucial to any independent travel training program is the development of the skills necessary to cross intersections safely and independently, regardless of whether those intersections have accessible pedestrian signals.
The committee ultimately developed a procedure and a scoring system which approaches the question of APS installation for existing signals in a rational and straightforward fashion. The procedure was approved by the Des Moines Access Advisory Board and the Des Moines Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa and is now in force today. Other U.S. cities that have not yet dealt with the question of where and when to install accessible pedestrian signals would do well to adopt this procedure.
The Final Procedure
For existing signalized intersections in Des Moines, no APS will be installed unless they are specifically requested by an individual who is prepared to support his or her request all the way to the final decision. A person can request the installation of an accessible pedestrian signal by filling out a request form or making the request over the telephone. The city will accumulate requests and act upon them once each year. The intersections for which an APS was requested will be scored, and intersections with the highest scores will be selected by the City of Des Moines for APS installation, subject to budgetary constraints. The city is currently able to install no more than two accessible pedestrian signals per year.
When the City of Des Moines scores a particular intersection, it examines intersection complexity, signal phasing, crosswalk length, approach/crosswalk geometries, whether there is sufficient vehicle traffic at all times to provide an audible cue for safe crossing, and whether there are complex turning provisions (e.g., right turn permitted on a red light). It also looks at the number of individuals who have requested a specific APS and the proximity of existing accessible pedestrian signals.
Historically the entire subject of accessible pedestrian signals has too often been tied to all of the traditional stereotypes and negative emotional baggage about blindness with which we in the National Federation of the Blind are all too familiar. Fortunately, our work with the City of Des Moines to develop this process was a very positive and refreshing experience--one that we hope will be shared by other Federation chapters around the country. I would be pleased to provide more specific information about the Des Moines process to anyone who is interested. I can be reached by email at <curtischong@earthlink.net>.