[nabs-l] accessible pedestrian signals APS

[bookwormahb at earthlink.net]

Hi all,

I am on the ACB list and as usual with controversial topics, they are taking the Accessible pedestrian signal and accessible currency
topics and really trashing the NFB and they don’t know the real positions and facts.  
They think NFB opposes both.
I may not tell them as they will not listen, but what are the positions?  Nfb is not opposed to APS fully.

What is the national position? Any late resolutions?  Also, what do you think and when have you found them helpful or not helpful?
Personally, I’d like the APS at intersections where you have to press the walk button as a pedestrian.  We cannot see the walk signal to know when our time starts; you have to press the button in order to tell the computer that you are a pedestrian and need a walk phase to cross the street.  I think these are called actuated signals.  These streets favor drivers, not pedestrians; the busier streets get more traffic time.  That change of the signal is activated by a computer.

At fixed time streets, those streets with a set time to cross, without a button are easier IMO and you got sufficient traffic cues to hear to cross.  
I also think some streets are more complex now a days with more turn lanes and islands, and a accessible signal would be great.  Some signals even talk to you and count down the time left in the walk interval.

So I guess I see APS as a benefit  when you have insufficient traffic cues to cross the street.  I’ve tried to learn how to cross T streets, and those are confusing too; maybe the APS would help there too.  No parallel traffic on T-shaped streets.

Look forward to your thoughts; I know NFB modified their position on APS, so I’m not sure what it is now.  I certainly don’t want them everywhere, but in several cases with complex traffic patterns I can see their use.

Ashley