Do crosswalk buttons work?
– Steve, Jasoncam video chat room Steve’s not the only pedestrian who’s wondered if the buttons are nothing more than a placebo. According to the New York Times, in 2004, nearly 80 percent (2,500) of New York City’s crosswalk buttons didn’t work. The city disconnected the buttons when they put the traffic lights on a locked, computerized timing system. In the Twin Cities, the Public Works Directors of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Maple Grove all maintain that their “push to cross” buttons are operational. But in general, they don’t work the way most people expect. “There’s a controller in the signal cabinet,” said Gerry Butcher, Public Works Director of Maple Grove. “If you do push the button, it will give you more time for going across the street.” Many people expect that pushing the button will make the light change quicker, and that is not generally the case. “If there’s no pedestrian, the signal may cycle faster and switch off. When the pedestrian pushes the button,” said Butcher. “Th
