Test countdown traffic signals

Councilman John Liu has seen the new age traffic signals in other cities - and he wants them here. Councilman Liu, Chairperson of the Transportation Committee, and other elected officials recently proposed a pilot program to start installing pedestrian countdown traffic signal technology in select areas in New York City.
“Traffic signals are an important part of the daily lives of New Yorkers. The standard ‘Walk/Don’t Walk’ traffic signals have been in place for many years,” Councilman Liu said. “Today, these more sophisticated, yet easy-to-understand pedestrian countdown traffic signals are prevalent in other major cities, and would be invaluable for the safety of our seniors and those with disabilities.”
“When I first saw the countdown devices in London, I thought it would benefit people crossing Queens Boulevard,” added Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, a member of the Senate Transportation and Finance Committees.
“Our streets are not as safe for pedestrians as they should be. With almost half of our city’s motor vehicle accident fatalities taking the lives of pedestrians, New York has the highest number of pedestrian deaths in the country. A countdown signal pilot program is a relatively low cost way to begin making our streets safer for the millions of residents and tourists who walk here everyday.”
The proposal to install pedestrian traffic countdown signals followed a live demonstration by industry representatives on hand to answer questions at the intersection of Kissena Boulevard and Elder Avenue in Flushing. This traffic signal technology is designed to improve pedestrian safety with a numerical display of the time remaining before and after the traffic light changes. The devices cost between $200 and $350 apiece.
Quixote Traffic Corporation, based in California; Dialight (New Jersey) and Northeast Signal of New York, countdown traffic signal manufacturers, were all on hand for the presentation.
A pilot program is under development by the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT). “As the Commissioner explained to the City Council in March, DOT will be piloting pedestrian countdown signals, the first of which will be installed on Coney Island Avenue and Kings Highway in Brooklyn this summer,” said Kay Sarlin, the DOT spokesperson.