Several major city intersections, some which are located in UW-Madison's campus, are now equipped with traffic lights featuring a vocal signaling system.
University - walk sign is on to cross University,"" one such system says at the intersection of University Avenue and Park Street.
David Dryer, the city's traffic engineer and parking manager, said the new vocal systems are all ""accessible pedestrian signals.""
""They are supposed to assist the visually impaired to find where the button [on the traffic light] is,"" he said. ""Once activated, it audibly tells them when it's safe to begin crossing.""
The University and Park signal is one of 13 similar vocal signaling systems installed throughout Madison between mid-December and earlier this month.
""With our more modern intersections and cars, streets are a little quieter than they used to be,"" Dryer said. ""It's more difficult for visually impaired who depend upon hearing when the traffic is moving to differentiate when it's okay for them to start crossing the street.""
According to Dryer, local groups' requests contributed to the development and implementation of the new lights.
""All of the locations have been requested by a visually impaired person,"" said Brian Smith, a city traffic engineer. ""We're not just putting them up at all new locations, we're putting them up on a case-by-case basis.""
Cathy Trueba, director of UW-Madison's McBurney Center, said a student pushed for the implementation of vocal traffic lights at least a year ago, adding that she has received positive feedback for earlier accessible pedestrian signals.
Smith said pre-existing models on campus include a clicker or buzzer, such as the one at the intersection of Mills Street and University Avenue.
UW-Madison freshman Jenny Vang, who lives in Chadbourne Residential Hall directly next to the Park and University intersection, said she could hear the signals from her dorm room, which has created a bit of a distraction.
""I only hear it when I sleep because it's quiet at night, but they are doing it for a good reason, so I am sure everyone would understand,"" she said.
City officials said they are working with volume controls because of complaints they've received in recent weeks.
""We're still going to have to go back out and do adjustments here and there to get some of the noise levels to be proper to make everyone happy,"" Smith said.
