Toronto to install 250 "countdown" signals for pedestrians
November 21, 2006
Toronto, Ontario - The City of Toronto is installing "countdown" signals at more than 250 intersections to assist pedestrians in crossing the street. The devices provide a numeric countdown display that indicates the number of seconds remaining until the current "walk" signal changes to a "don't walk" signal. The signals have been shown in other jurisdictions to reduce pedestrian injuries.
Transportation Services has installed the first two at Dundas St. W. and Bay St., and at Front St. W. and John St. The rest of the 250 intersections will be equipped over the next two months. To reduce costs, the new display units will be installed where the city is already replacing incandescent pedestrian displays with LED. Eventually all pedestrian signals will be replaced, with about 1,500 converted over the next four to five years, and the remaining 500 completed when the current LED displays need to be replaced.
I'll be the first to comment on this, mainly because citys like Brampton and Mississagua have had these countdown signels for years.... getting closer to something like 15...? I really have to say Toronto is behind the curve on getting these.
No kidding, when Hamilton has them before Toronto, that tells you something.
This is an improvement over Toronto 's "whistle alarms" that are found downtown at some of the larger intersections (Think University & Queen) though I hope a numeric countdown allows enough time for pedestrians to get across...
Hell, the current system only lets me cross in two stages at the largest intersections <_<
NefCanuck
Nef... I think the 'whistle alarm' is for blind people...
That's great that these are being installed more and more. People are either paranoid or gutsy, so this should help everyone out. :lol:
That whistle is to call the seeing eye dogs across the street.
:lol:
lets hope they put one at yonge and bloor :blink:
yeah we got them here in Vaughan and they had them in Bramton.
Once staff sergant asked me how i feel about them, I told him they are the best thing
"they give you the count down before u can start racing" something like the tree at the track.
you should of seen his face :)
pff this is a waste, the old people dont pay attention to the signs anyways, they just cross whenever they feel. You always see them stuck on the island looking for the next empty spot to cross.
D-Dub,Nov 21 2006, 02: Wrote:pff this is a waste, the old people dont pay attention to the signs anyways, they just cross whenever they feel. You always see them stuck on the island looking for the next empty spot to cross.
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That might be true for some of 'em but there are those of us that can't move all that fast y'know... Not to say I'm old, mind, just a wee bit beaten up (When the car is in better condition and health than
I am :rolleyes: )
NefCanuck
I guess they, just like the rest of traffic control devices, are great for the folks that pay attention to them and to the laws... and useless for those who flat-out ignore them.
NefCanuck,Nov 21 2006, 04:08 PM Wrote:D-Dub,Nov 21 2006, 02: Wrote:pff this is a waste, the old people dont pay attention to the signs anyways, they just cross whenever they feel. You always see them stuck on the island looking for the next empty spot to cross.
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That might be true for some of 'em but there are those of us that can't move all that fast y'know... Not to say I'm old, mind, just a wee bit beaten up (When the car is in better condition and health than I am :rolleyes: )
NefCanuck
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Yeah understandable, but do you follow the signs we have right now?. If you do then you dont really need a count down. Im not making fun of you its just I know if the hand is flashing and I havent entered the crosswalk, then that means I should wait for the next chance to cross.............who knows soon the're gonna make us wear helmets and fine us if we dont.
D-Dub,Nov 21 2006, 07: Wrote:Yeah understandable, but do you follow the signs we have right now?. If you do then you dont really need a count down. Im not making fun of you its just I know if the hand is flashing and I havent entered the crosswalk, then that means I should wait for the next chance to cross.............who knows soon the're gonna make us wear helmets and fine us if we dont.
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I do obey them, but that's only because I can't make a dive outta the way if I screw up :D
Sadly some people need to be protected from themselves like that
-sigh-
NefCanuck
Not only are they for racing. I use them to let me know in advance of a yellow light. When you're rolling down the road weighing 37,000kgs a little extra notice of a yellow light is handy.
bluetoy,Nov 22 2006, 08:17 AM Wrote:Not only are they for racing. I use them to let me know in advance of a yellow light. When you're rolling down the road weighing 37,000kgs a little extra notice of a yellow light is handy.
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I would love it if the lights meant that people would have no reason to block an intersection on a red, but I doubt that'll be the case.
Geezzz... Lennoxville Quebec had a countdown in '97 when I went to university there... Then again, drunken Bishop's students need ALL the warning they can get... :lol:
Ryan
The reason that Toronto hasn't changed them all is because when they bought the EXISTING signals, they did a case study on how long they'll last, and aim for that time period before replacing them. Because when Toronto buys equipment it buys 25x the amount everyone else does.
You would be amazed at the price of these things -- traffic light equipment is BIG dollars. I've installed Federal Signal traffic lights at the plant, the RAG fixture alone is like $300 each. So an intersection in Toronto can have 8 fixtures ($2400) plus 8 walk/don't walks ($4000).
Not including the poles ($500-$1500 ea) and installation.
So you can see why a municipality as big as TO would wait until it's time to replace them before they upgrade. The taxpayers would be screaming blue murder.
Meh and Yonge n Dundas, no body pays attention to the crossing signals anyways. Wonder if that intersection will get them, or even Yonge n Queen is pretty bad too.