{"id":135,"date":"2020-12-08T20:02:33","date_gmt":"2020-12-08T20:02:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asicbc.ca\/?page_id=135"},"modified":"2021-01-13T15:56:44","modified_gmt":"2021-01-13T15:56:44","slug":"accessible-pedestrian-signals","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/asicbc.ca\/index.php\/resources-from-a-z\/accessibility-position-statements\/accessible-pedestrian-signals\/","title":{"rendered":"Accessible Pedestrian Signals"},"content":{"rendered":"

October 28, 2013<\/p>\n

Issue<\/h2>\n

Across Canada, the operations and features of accessible pedestrian signals (APS) are far from standardized. In order to enhance the safety and independence of Canadians who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted, as well as to ensure consistency that is easily recognized by pedestrians who rely on APS systems across the country, accessible pedestrian signals require agreed upon operating standards. In this position statement, organizations serving and representing Canadians who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted have agreed to a series of recommendations that will promote consistency in the operation and features of APS systems throughout Canada.<\/p>\n

Background<\/h2>\n

Pedestrians who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted cannot always determine when it is legal to cross streets without audible and\/or vibrotactile indications that coincide with the visual traffic signals available to sighted pedestrians.<\/p>\n

Accessible pedestrian signals (APS) provide non-visual indications to pedestrians who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted to assist them to independently cross a street. By indicating when a crossing interval begins, APS allow pedestrians to begin the crossing before turning cars enter the intersection and to complete the crossing with less delay. These non-visual signals can also provide directional guidance that can assist in the crossing of non-perpendicular intersections and multi-lane crossings.<\/p>\n

Accessible pedestrian signals provide audible and vibrotactile indications that confirm when it is legal to make a street crossing not only for pedestrians who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted but also for many other users who may benefit from non-visual prompts, such as children, seniors, and people with cognitive disabilities.<\/p>\n

In the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which the Canadian Government (with the support of all provinces and territories) ratified in March 2010, Article 9 states, in part, that \u201cStates Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure to persons with disabilities access, on an equal basis with others, to the physical environment, to transportation, to information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and to other facilities and services open or provided to the public, both in urban and in rural areas.\u201d Part of what it takes to provide equal access to the physical environment is the installation of accessible pedestrian signals (see the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Over a four-year period, an APS Committee consisting of Canadian consumer representatives, O&M instructors and traffic engineers put together a set of recommendations that were officially submitted to the Transportation Association of Canada and culminated in the release of the \u201cGuidelines for Understanding, Use, and Implementation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals\u201d in May 2008.<\/p>\n

The guidelines, while comprehensive in some areas, leave room for the discretion of deploying agencies that has resulted in a wide variety of APS operations across Canada. For example, many deploying agencies are installing APS with an acoustic locator tone pulsating at 60 tones per minute (once per second) while others employ 30 tones per minute (once every two seconds). Another example of variation has to do with verbal messaging. In some cases, verbal messaging is used to provide strictly way finding information, whereas other APS installations will employ verbal messaging as both a way finding message as well as a WALK indication message. Finally, the multi-generational use of a \u201cbuzzer\u201d tone, \u201cchirp\u201d tone and four-note \u201cCanadian Melody\u201d to indicate an east\/west crossing in one city alone is just one more example of the wide variety of APS operations. These inconsistencies are confusing and ultimately dangerous to pedestrians who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted.<\/p>\n

Chapter 5 of the \u201cGuidelines for Understanding, Use, and Implementation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals\u201d, which addresses APS operational guidelines, is the primary source of information for the recommendations that follow. (The TAC Guidelines may be purchased<\/a> by following this link.) The goal of these recommendations is to promote consistency from one jurisdiction to another. To realize this goal, APS must be installed in accordance with agreed upon standards. The undersigned organizations have agreed to the following recommendations.<\/p>\n

Recommendations<\/h2>\n
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  1. APS installations must favour \u201caccessible pedestrian signals\u201d only (as opposed to audible pedestrian signals).<\/li>\n
  2. Signalized intersections that include pedheads (visual WALK\/DON’T WALK signals)must be equipped with accessible pedestrian signals.<\/li>\n
  3. Accessible Pedestrian Signals must be included in all new traffic control signal installations.<\/li>\n
  4. Accessible Pedestrian Signals must be included when a traffic signal is replaced or rebuilt due to geometric changes to the intersection.<\/li>\n
  5. Pushbutton or acoustic locator tones<\/a> shall be set at a rate of 30 tones per minute or once every two seconds.<\/li>\n
  6. APS sites must be accompanied by orientation guides that include pedestrian information that is accessible to all pedestrians. Whether the text of the orientation sign is incorporated into the pushbutton housing or on an adjacent sign, it must provide the name of the street associated with the pushbutton housing in both uncontracted braille and tactile letter formats. A cardinal locator must also be included in the lower right-hand corner of the orientation guide.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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