Julie Hunter

October 22, 2002

Dear Access Board:

I am writing to express my concern about the proposed requirement that audible traffic signals be installed wherever there exists a walk-don't walk signal. As you know, blind pedestrians use the sound of the traffic to know when it is safe to cross an intersection. Audible signals make it more difficult to hear the traffic. A person cannot rely on a light change to be sure that there is not a car running the red light. A person needs to be able to clearly hear the environment. Locater tones to find the button are also distracting, and doubly so when combined with the crossing noises. I urge you to consider only silent, i.e. tactile vibrating signals, when it is necessary to have an assistive device. I believe that crossing assistance should be limited to intersections which are complex in nature and where the signalization is unusual. It is unnecessary and far too expensive to mandate conversion of every intersection that has a walk-don't walk signal. The blind are perfectly able to cross simple intersections safely by using the sound of the traffic. Thank you for considering my opinion.

Julie Hunter
Sighted parent of a blind adult.