Audible signals aid NYC pedestrians

At West 23rd Street and Seventh Avenue -- one of New York City's deadliest intersections for pedestrians -- taxicabs zoomed, cars honked and trucks rumbled in a fast-moving traffic pattern.

But new sounds were added to the din Wednesday that city officials said will make crossing the streets safer, especially for the elderly and hearing-impaired.

A persistent chirping now acts as a locator beacon at the intersection in the Chelsea section of Manhattan, guiding pedestrians to crosswalk signal buttons at each of the four street corners. Once the button is pressed, a male voice repeatedly instructs, "Wait," until the light changes. Then, a rattling sound similar to that of a machine gun indicates it is safe to cross.

"Audible signals are literally sound investments that will help improve the safety and quality of life for the most vulnerable New Yorkers who use our streets," city transportation department Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan said in a statement.

She and other officials unveiled the signals, which cost $500 each, at a news conference Wednesday at the intersection, which saw 21 pedestrians injured and one killed in traffic accidents between 2005 and 2009.

The audible signals now operate at 21 intersections in the city, and 25 additional crossings are set to be outfitted in the next year, a transportation department spokesman said. Through its Safe Streets for Seniors program, the department also has sought to reduce crossing distances, create dedicated turn lanes and take other measures to limit pedestrian-vehicle crashes.

Gregory Davis, 53, of Astoria, Queens, who is legally blind since birth, said he usually depends on his sensing stick and habit of listening for traffic to slow to safely cross streets.

As he crossed West 23rd Street Wednesday, moving smoothly with the flow of pedestrians, he said audible signals should be installed at as many intersections as possible.

"We should probably have many more. It'd help," Davis said. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

City Council member James Vacca (D-Bronx) also hopes to roll out more devices. Beyond making intersections safer, audible signals can improve quality of life, he said.

"Fear associated with difficulty crossing streets can lead to social isolation," said Vacca, chairman of the City Council transportation committee. "The blind can become afraid to leave their houses or become dependent on other people to help them. Audible signals can mean independence and freedom."Vacca has a personal stake in the project. His father, who died in 2006, was blind. "There was nothing like this in his lifetime," Vacca said. "He lived in the dark."

Karen Gourgey, of Baruch College and the Pedestrians for Accessible and Safe Streets, said at the news conference that West 23rd Street and Seventh Avenue now serves as a "model intersection."