Millman: Pedestrian Countdown Signals Coming

By on August 18, 2010 5:20 pm in Election 10, Government, News, Transportation

State Assembly Member Joan Millman announced today that pedestrian countdown signals, which tell pedestrians how much time, in seconds, is left before a light changes, will be installed at crossings on three busy, wide streets adjacent to or near the Heights: Cadman Plaza West, Court Street, and Adams Street. The new signals will be installed in 2011. As quoted in her press release, Ms. Millman said:

Pedestrians, especially senior citizens, people with disabilities and parents with young children, face dangerous conditions at wide intersection crossings. Simply knowing how many seconds remain greatly improves safety at the crossing, as evidenced by the results of DOT’s study. I will continue to urge placement of countdown signals at intersections where they are needed.

Ms. Millman represents the 52nd Assembly District, which includes Brooklyn Heights and nearby neighborhoods. She is up for re-election this year, and faces a challenge in the Democratic primary from Heights resident Doug Biviano.

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  • caitlin

    this is nice!

  • FS

    You’ve gotta be kidding me. You are BRAGGING about wasting money on Countdown Signals? Our State is bankrupted, hospitals are closing, public services are being slashed and you’re blowing money on COUNTDOWN SIGNALS? Keep wasting our ever-dwindling taxpayer money like this and it’ll be the FINAL countdown for our once-great State.

  • Larry Rosen

    We are cuting the police force and staffing on fire trucks and your wasting money on count down clocks. Where did this funds come come your member item slush fund?

  • Charlotte

    I have complained a number of times about the lights being too fast to cross safely at Cadman Plaza West and Tillary St. I was told there was plenty of time to cross. If the timer gives more time to cross, great, if not, the counter is worthless. Best bet – cross when all the lights are red.

  • Obama?

    Can anyone tell us how much this dubious project will cost us? Will it be citywide?

    If there are 7 seconds left on the countdown, will people make a run for it? What if 6 or 5 seconds are left, a mad dash? What about 3 seconds for a jogger to sprint across?

  • Kim G

    I think this is great. It’s worked well in Washington DC making the streets much more pedestrian friendly. I’m unsure of the costs but I would bet they’re not cheap but, if it helps keep the intersections safe then why not

  • nabeguy

    Why does this proposal remind me of the phrase “take a long walk off a short pier”?

  • Arch Stanton

    The countdown clocks look cool but I don’t think they make crossing any safer… If you don’t know how to cross the street you shouldn’t live in NYC… The money could be much better spent on other, more effective traffic management tools…

  • Obama?

    How exactly will this make our streets more safe?

    (The existing crossing signals blink “don’t walk” faster & faster as time runs out, before they display a steady “don’t walk”, so there already is a timing system in place.)

    Moreover, the entire system is antiquated.

  • Eddy de Laurot

    “Moreover, the entire system is antiquated”

    Exactly, the lights at most of the intersections still rely on their own timers… the whole grid needs to be tied into a computer so the lights can then be adjusted according to traffic… like some cities already have.

  • Kim G

    @ Obama?…Assuming that most pedestrians don’t understand simple physics let alone the amount of time it really takes to cross some streets the new signal warnings may help.