I am writing you to express my strong support of audible pedestrian signals and detectable warning strips. I am legally blind, and I am a university student in Boston. There are many streets here in Boston, as well as in many other cities and towns with which I am acquainted, where the presence of audible pedestrian signals would greatly enhance the level of mobility independence and security we blind people strive for. I know pedestrian signals are effective tools in assuring safer travel and in converting the visual cues available to everyone in an audible format because I use the audible signals at the few intersections where they exist today. I also strongly support detectable warning strips because they are beneficial to both cane and dog travelers. Specifically in Boston, there are numerous areas where the T tracks run over the streets at road level, and you are not aware that you are walking over them until you feel them under your feet. This can be a dangerous situation because a person cannot necessarily hear a train's approach in the midst of heavy vehicular traffic. Our subway pits in stations can also be deadly if a person were to fall in them because of the precarious position of the third rail and the absence of escape routes. I hope you will extend your support for audible pedestrian signals and detectable warning strips as well.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Barrow

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