Crosswalk buttons are a feature of nearly every intersection with stoplights. Children love to push them and it’s second nature for most adults to hit them and wait for the light to change. There are all kinds of theories about whether or not these buttons do anything, as well as stories about specific ways to push these buttons to make the light turn green immediately. Many people can relate to the feeling of rapidly pushing one in frustration while being in a hurry.
But do crosswalk buttons actually make the stoplight change any faster? Or are they there simply to occupy pedestrians while they wait for their turn to cross?
What Does the Crosswalk Button Do?
Before we can answer the question of whether or not the crosswalk button speeds up the light cycle, it’s important to understand what the buttons do in the first place.
According to the City of Missoula, “once a pedestrian push button is pressed, a walk signal will come on with the associated green light for vehicles.” Much like the sensors in the road that tell traffic signals that there’s a car waiting, these buttons indicate that people are waiting to safely cross the road. Some newer ones will also announce what direction they control and whether or not it is safe to cross. This way, visually-impaired pedestrians have an extra level of protection at intersections.
Does Pushing the Button Adjust the Light Cycle?
The short answer is: sometimes. In many cities, pushing the button does adjust the light cycle. The City of Missoula’s website explains that pressing the crosswalk button sends a call for service to the signal controller. Next, the “signal controllers handle these calls for service in sequence, so the walk signal will activate when it is that direction’s turn in the sequence.” This means that while pushing the button does have an effect, it doesn’t immediately change the light. “Just like a vehicle pulling up on a side street, pedestrians have to wait for the signal to cycle around to receive the walk light,” the city’s website explains.
Pushing the button multiple times, or more aggressively, won’t make the signal change any faster, however. The call for service is slotted into sequence, but it’s already being processed as fast as possible. The button doesn’t fully override the signal’s programmed sequence, it simply indicates what needs to come next.
However, this isn’t true for all cities. American University Radio Washington D.C. (WAMU) explains that in Washington D.C., over 80% of the signals are already set to give pedestrians the signal regularly. There’s no need to actually push the button in order to get the signal. Whether or not you push it, the walk light will arrive at the same time.
Source
- How do pedestrian buttons and walk signals work?, City of Missoula.
- You Pushed The Walk Button At An Intersection. So Why Don’t The Cars Stop?, American University Radio Washington D.C., 2019.
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