Module B1 - Slide 24

ModuleB1_Slide24

In the absence of an accessible pedestrian signal (and even when there is an APS, pedestrians who are blind listen for the surge of traffic on the street parallel to the crosswalk to determine when the signal changes. The graphic on the screen illustrates the appropriate traffic to listen to, with the complicated signal phasing now. A four leg intersection is shown, with a pedestrian on the southeast corner facing north, and a pedestrian on the northwest corner, facing east. The pedestrian on the southeast corner should begin crossing when cars in the nearest lane to his left (northbound) begin moving. He/she has to listen for the lane of traffic going straight through the intersection because a car turning right could begin at any time during the signal cycle to make a right turn on red, which is not a good time to begin crossing for that pedestrian. The pedestrian on the northwest corner should be listening for the traffic coming through the intersection toward him/her because traffic starting up going to the same direction could be moving with a protected left turn arrow across the crosswalk. With lots of lanes, and turning cars and possible combinations of permissive and protected turns, a person may wait several cycles before getting a good clear cue that the signal has just changed and it’s a reasonable time to cross.