Common Problems Arising in the Installation of Accessible Pedestrian Signals

Issue 2: Location relative to the crosswalk

An APS that is mounted outside the crosswalk area may provide misleading information about the crossing location. Pedestrians who are blind may stand beside the pushbutton while waiting to cross, particularly if they use the vibrotactile indication.

Figure 5: APS is located about 8 feet from the crosswalk and curb ramp landing.

In the situation pictured in Figure 5, pedestrians who begin their crossing beside the pushbutton would be outside the crosswalk lines and may not be anticipated by turning drivers. 

If the pedestrian who is blind also encounters the median island and stops, there is no APS or pushbutton on the median to call a WALK to complete the second half of the crossing. Since the APS is not close to the crosswalk and curb ramp, the volume of the audible walk indication and pushbutton locator tone must also be louder in order to be heard from the crossing location. 

Remedy: One solution is to move the pole closer to the crosswalk lines, so the device is in reach of the landing of the curb ramp and adjacent to the crosswalk. This will assist pedestrians who are blind in finding the APS pushbutton and in beginning crossing from within the crosswalk area.

In existing streetscapes, without a median, it may also be possible to widen the crosswalk (and adjust the stop line accordingly) to eliminate the offset. 

Vehicular signal poles are rarely in optimal position for mounting APS pushbuttons. A better choice is to provide an individual stub pole or pedestrian signal pole at the top of every curb ramp. Where the sidewalk is separated from the curb, use a returned curb rather than a flare at the ramp (good for wayfinding, if properly aligned) and locate the stub pole within the border adjacent to the landing at the top of the ramp. For recommended pedestrian pushbutton locations at a variety of ramp types, see Chapter 6 in Special Report: Accessible Public Rights-of-Way, Planning and Designing for Alterations, which was developed by a subcommittee of the Public Rights-of-Way Access Advisory Committee (PROWAAC).