Accessible Pedestrian Signal Features New possibilities for access in the US Janet M. Barlow Accessible Design for the Blind Asheville, North Carolina.

Accessible Pedestrian Signal Features

New possibilities for access in the US

Janet M. BarlowJanet M. Barlow

Accessible Design for the BlindAccessible Design for the Blind

Asheville, North CarolinaAsheville, North Carolina

4/4/2008Accessible Design for the

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Old types of audible signals = loudspeakers mounted on pedestrian signal heads

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Pedhead-mounted APS problems Too loud – mask vehicular sounds that Too loud – mask vehicular sounds that

blind pedestrians want to hearblind pedestrians want to hear Too loud – bother neighborsToo loud – bother neighbors Confusing – users have to know what Confusing – users have to know what

direction they’re facing to figure out direction they’re facing to figure out which street the signal is indicatingwhich street the signal is indicating

Confusing – users not sure if sound is Confusing – users not sure if sound is APS or bird (for cuckoo/chirp signals)APS or bird (for cuckoo/chirp signals)

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Pushbutton-integrated Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS)

NOT NOT

cuckoos and cuckoos and chirps from chirps from pedheads!pedheads!

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Pushbutton-integrated APS

Continuous Continuous pushbutton pushbutton locator tone locator tone with rapid with rapid tick WALK tick WALK indicationindication

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Sounds attached; click on photo to hear sounds

Pushbutton-integrated APS Continuous Continuous

pushbutton pushbutton locator tone locator tone followed with followed with speech walk speech walk indicationindication

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Sounds attached; click on photo to hear sounds

Features Following slides explain each featureFollowing slides explain each feature

Speaker at the pushbuttonSpeaker at the pushbutton Pushbutton locator tonePushbutton locator tone Tactile arrowTactile arrow Audible and vibrotactile walk indicationsAudible and vibrotactile walk indications Locator tone and walk indication volume Locator tone and walk indication volume

adjusts in response to ambient noise adjusts in response to ambient noise levelslevels

Audible beaconing on “request” (by Audible beaconing on “request” (by holding pushbutton for over 1 second)holding pushbutton for over 1 second)

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Speakers at the pushbutton

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Pushbutton Locator Tone Sound comes from the pushbutton Sound comes from the pushbutton Provides information about pushbutton Provides information about pushbutton

presence and locationpresence and location 1 tone per second, each tone less than 1 tone per second, each tone less than

0.15 seconds in duration0.15 seconds in duration Volume set to be heard within 6 – 12 feet, Volume set to be heard within 6 – 12 feet,

or at the building line, whichever is lessor at the building line, whichever is less Different sounds acceptable (click, beep, Different sounds acceptable (click, beep,

etc)etc)

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Tactile arrow

Raised arrow aligned with Raised arrow aligned with direction of travel on the direction of travel on the crosswalk controlled by crosswalk controlled by the pushbuttonthe pushbutton

Arrow may be on the Arrow may be on the pushbutton or on part of pushbutton or on part of the device or sign above the device or sign above the pushbuttonthe pushbutton

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Tactile Arrow – examples

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Recommended WALK indications A rapid tick WALK indication (sound A rapid tick WALK indication (sound

on slide 6) at locations where the on slide 6) at locations where the speakers for APS for two different speakers for APS for two different crosswalks are separated by at least crosswalks are separated by at least 10 feet10 feet

Vibrotactile WALK indication - arrow Vibrotactile WALK indication - arrow (or other surface on pushbutton unit) (or other surface on pushbutton unit) that vibrates during WALKthat vibrates during WALK

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Volume adjustment

Relatively quiet unless audible Relatively quiet unless audible beaconing is calledbeaconing is called

Volume only 2-5dB over ambient Volume only 2-5dB over ambient noise levelnoise level

Audible within 6 - 12 feet of the Audible within 6 - 12 feet of the pushbutton, or the building line, pushbutton, or the building line, whichever is closerwhichever is closer

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Automatic volume adjustment Volume of pushbutton locator tone and Volume of pushbutton locator tone and

audible walk indications adjusts in audible walk indications adjusts in response to ambient soundresponse to ambient sound Louder when traffic is loud or there is Louder when traffic is loud or there is

other noise at the intersectionother noise at the intersection Quiet when traffic or other sounds are Quiet when traffic or other sounds are

quieter (night)quieter (night)

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APS Location is critical Provide information to the user through Provide information to the user through

proximity to the departure pointproximity to the departure point Impose less of a cognitive load on Impose less of a cognitive load on

pedestrians who are visually impairedpedestrians who are visually impaired ‘‘I have pushed the button on my right’I have pushed the button on my right’ ‘‘The WALK indication is coming from The WALK indication is coming from

my right’my right’ ‘‘That sound is for my crosswalk’That sound is for my crosswalk’

Signal can be quieter due to proximitySignal can be quieter due to proximity

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Installation recommendations

Beside the landing Beside the landing of the curb rampof the curb ramp

Separated by more Separated by more than 10 feet from than 10 feet from other APS on cornerother APS on corner

MUTCD says within MUTCD says within 5 feet of crosswalk 5 feet of crosswalk line and within 10 line and within 10 feet of the curbfeet of the curb

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Installation Example

Near Near departure departure pointpoint

Poles Poles separated by separated by more than 10 more than 10 feetfeet

Low sound Low sound intensitiesintensities

Vibrotactile Vibrotactile availableavailable

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Pushbutton within five feet of crosswalk line extended

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< 5 feet

Pushbutton within 10 feet of the curb

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< 10 feet

Installation example - APS separated by 10 feet (3m)

Reachable from level landing, within 10 ft Reachable from level landing, within 10 ft of curb, within 5 feet of crosswalk linesof curb, within 5 feet of crosswalk lines

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Installation example - APS aligned with crosswalk lines

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IF it’s impossible to install two poles 10 feet apart (in alterations, not new construction)

Two APS may be placed on same pole, Two APS may be placed on same pole, or closer than 10 feet, BUT additional or closer than 10 feet, BUT additional features are requiredfeatures are required

Use speech message WALK indication, Use speech message WALK indication, and, to clarify message,and, to clarify message, Pushbutton information messagePushbutton information message Tactile arrowTactile arrow

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Pushbutton information message

Pushbutton Pushbutton message to provide message to provide intersection intersection informationinformation

Plays when Plays when pushbutton is pushbutton is pressed for 1 pressed for 1 second or moresecond or more

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Click on photo to hear message

Pushbutton information message and speech walk message example

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Audible beaconing

Sound from the opposite side of the street Sound from the opposite side of the street is used to provide directional guidance is used to provide directional guidance during street crossingduring street crossing

Provided after pedestrian holds the Provided after pedestrian holds the pushbutton in for over one second to call pushbutton in for over one second to call the audible beaconingthe audible beaconing

Walk tone and the subsequent locator tone Walk tone and the subsequent locator tone increased in volume during the next signal increased in volume during the next signal cyclecycle

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Additional possible feature: Crosswalk Map

Tactile map of crosswalkTactile map of crosswalk Symbols (from bottom Symbols (from bottom

of picture) for: of picture) for: down curb,down curb, bike lanebike lane 2 lanes of cars 2 lanes of cars

from leftfrom left IslandIsland rail linerail line 2 lanes of cars 2 lanes of cars

from rightfrom right up curbup curb

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Thanks to: Lukas Franck of The Seeing Eye, and Lukas Franck of The Seeing Eye, and

Billie Louise Bentzen of Accessible Design Billie Louise Bentzen of Accessible Design for the Blind for photos and assistance in for the Blind for photos and assistance in developmentdevelopment

John McGaffey from Polara Engineering, John McGaffey from Polara Engineering, Roger Peterson from Prismatek, Doug Roger Peterson from Prismatek, Doug Gubbe from Novax, for photos and soundsGubbe from Novax, for photos and sounds

Doug Barlow for technical helpDoug Barlow for technical help Lois Thibault, US Access Board, for Lois Thibault, US Access Board, for

feedback and suggestionsfeedback and suggestions

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For more information, contact:

Janet M. Barlow Janet M. Barlow

Accessible Design for the BlindAccessible Design for the Blind

3 Manila Street3 Manila Street

Asheville, NC 28806Asheville, NC 28806

770-317-0611770-317-0611

[email protected]@accessforblind.org