Extended button press
Description
Extended button press is an option that actuates additional accessibility features. To activate the features, the pushbutton must be pushed and held for more than one second.
Other names for this feature in manufacturers' literature include:
- BAT — Button actuated timer
- Extended push
Additional Information
Possible features called by the extended button press include:
- a speech pushbutton information message;
- audible beaconing; and,
- increased crossing time.
Any or all of these features would be called by pressing and holding the same button that is used by all pedestrians.
Recent research (see Appendix C) has standardized the length of the button press at one second or longer. Some devices have previously been installed with a three-second press, but one second has been found to be adequate.
When to use
Extended button press should be used whenever there are optional additional features provided at a crossing that should be available on 'request'.
References
MUTCD Section 4E.13, P2 requires that a pushbutton press of one second or less only activate the pedestrian timing and associated accessible walk indication. A pushbutton press of one second or more actuates the pedestrian timing, associated accessible walk indication, and any additional feature(s).
How used by pedestrians who are blind or who have low vision
Use will depend on the feature(s) called by the extended button press. See the section on audible beaconing, and pushbutton information message for further discussion of the use of those features. The intent is to allow individuals who are blind to have some choice in the use of the accessible features and to provide the optional features upon request by a person who is blind.
As the extended button press feature is more commonly installed, it would be expected that pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired might hold the button longer at unfamiliar intersections in order to determine what features are installed and decide how they want to cross the street.
The extended button press allows for installation of additional features which could be annoying or irritating to neighbors, that are activated only occasionally rather than every time the button is pressed. For example, individuals who are unfamiliar with an intersection can get intersection street name information (the pushbutton information message), but the message is not played every time the button is pressed. In addition, pedestrians can decide if they want all the possible accessible features at an intersection. For example, pedestrians may want to use audible beaconing only at certain times and with certain traffic patterns.
[ back to top ]