Crossing an intersection has now become easier and safer for pedestrians with Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT) new radar-enabled crosswalk buttons. The accessible pedestrian signal (APS) technology can be activated by nodding or waving without the need for pushing a button. It also triggers an audible function that says “wait” or “walk sign is on.” UDOT is one of the first in the nation to implement widespread use of this technology.

“We call them ‘talkable buttons,’” said Mike Blanchette, UDOT traffic engineer. “There is a speaker built in that gives real time feedback on the status of the walk signal.”

Pedestrians can also activate the button with the PedApp. According to UDOT, the app provides live supplemental information at crosswalks such as the amount of walking time remaining or the street name.

APS also gives cues on pedestrian direction, eastbound, etc., said Blanchette. “It has a pulsing, ticking sound to help them to orient themselves to begin crossing and points them straight toward the sounds.”

A UDOT employee uses the PedApp to trigger the signal. The app also provides additional information about the crosswalks. Photo courtesy of UDOT.

It started out to help pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired or have hearing loss or other disabilities, he said. “It could help them know when to cross. It would take the visual information and transfer that to help them navigate more safely and comfortably and tell them when to walk or not to walk and when the countdown is active.”

Downtown Salt Lake currently has signals that beep when it is time to cross. “That’s older technology,” he said. “It’s essentially the same but it’s been improved upon. The audible signal might say ‘wait to cross.’ It’s got more features.”

The APS has doppler radar which gives the ability to set the distance from the signal, Blanchette said. “There was someone in a Provo rehabilitation center who contacted us in 2023. He doesn’t have movement of his limbs so he couldn’t push the button. We put the doppler out front and extended the range to 20 inches so he could just create motion like nodding his head. We can also dial it back so that it’s not quite as sensitive, it's more intentional.” 

“I’m glad UDOT added the touchless crosswalk buttons,” said Kris Johnson, the wheelchair-bound man in Provo. “It’s made crossing the street much safer for me and several other residents at the care center.”

It also has a lock out feature for weather, he said. “It helps disable it if there’s rain or snow so it doesn’t trigger it.”

During COVID people didn’t want to touch the button, said Blanchette. “This benefits both worlds, pedestrians can activate it without touching the button. It gives the option to touch the button or wave with the radar.”

It’s another way to improve safety, he said. “It’s not just for the disabled. Research done at Portland State University shows that the audible cue helps able-body pedestrians start walking four seconds earlier from the curb when it’s time to walk. It wakes up a pedestrian that might not be paying attention.”

UDOT has installed over 1,000 buttons at nearly 250 intersections with plans to install APS technology at every signalized intersection on state routes by 2023, said Blanchette. “A lot of our funding comes from the legislature but we get some federal dollars for the new technology. We have about $800,000 to use a year.”

Blanchette said when UDOT redoes an intersection they will install the new signal. “Currently we aren’t using a targeted approach unless someone has a special request. We’d like the public with an intersection near them that they want to get the APS in to contact us. We want it to start benefiting those who need it.”

For more information on how to get the PedApp go to https://polara.com/pedapp. To make an online request for an APS visit udot.utah.gov. λ