Chicago's walk buttons are connected to traffic signals, but in places like New York, 80% of walk buttons are disconnected.
In the Chicago area, the Illinois Department of Transportation and the City of Chicago reconnected walk buttons to the system when they updated traffic-control signals. According to Steve Travia, IDOT's bureau chief of traffic for the Chicago area: "If you are trying to cross the street, push the walk button to tell the traffic signal that you are there. The bottom line is that if you don't push the walk button, the walk signal may never come up."
Pushing the walk button may reduce waiting times. However, some pedestrians might still have to wait as long as 2 1/2 minutes for the walk signal at busy intersections with heavy vehicle traffic. Other factors influence the wait: volume of vehicle traffic detected by sensors, and exactly when the button was pushed in relation to the red-and-green light cycle controlling vehicle traffic.
FULL STORY: Pushing crossers' buttons
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Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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