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Crosswalk system gets green light

By CASEY CORA
Published October 29, 2006

City pedestrians will be the first in the nation to experience a new lighted crosswalk safety system.

The goal of the new amber lights are to clearly, and brightly, tell people when they should or shouldn't cross the street.

Crosswalks in the city have a compliance rate of less than 15 percent, said Michael Frederick, the neighborhood transportation manager. The new system boasts a rate of more than 90 percent, he said.

"No other device in the country gets that kind of compliance rate," he said. "Except for a red light."

Four of the signals have been installed throughout the city. Sixteen more are planned. The signal's unveiling coincides with Pedestrian Safety Awareness Day on Monday.

Here's how they work:

- Pedestrians will press a button, activating amber lights on each side of the crosswalk, about as bright or intense as those on a police cruiser.

- Once the button is pressed, a woman's voice will give instructions to the waiting pedestrians.

- In the evening, lights will illuminate both the crosswalk as well as the pedestrians.

Casey Cora can be reached at 580-1542 or at ccora@sptimes.com.

[Last modified October 29, 2006, 07:58:02]