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This message is to register my support of detectable warnings and accessible pedestrian signals. It is my sincere hope that you, the members of the U.S. Access Board, along with the members of the Public Rights Of Way Accessibility Committee will take into account the high importance of detectable warnings and accessible pedestrian signals, as this important concept plays an important part in protecting the lives of countless numbers of blind and visually-impaired people, throughout the United States. The normally-sighted public has traffic signals to tell them when it is save to cross streets. I know of no reason, whatsoever, why blind and visually-impaired citizens shouldn't have the same protection.

When a normally-sighted pedestrian walks across an intersection, he/she has the advantage of taking advantage of a traffic signal to cross that intersection, safely. As I'm sure you are aware that, in recent years, technology has made available such devices as audible traffic signals to allow blind and visually-impaired pedestrians to cross intersections in the same manner as their normally-sighted counterparts. Most unfortunately, as much as this technology benefits blind pedestrians, there are some segments of the blind and visually-impaired community who would like people to believe that audible traffic signals are unnecessary. Furthermore, these people claim that the audible traffic signals deprive blind people of their dignity. I will, briefly, comment on both of these two points. First, as far as the thought that the audible traffic signals are unnecessary is concerned, the very fact that there are traffic signals which allow normally-sighted pedestrians safe passage through an intersection should dictate that, since the technology is available, the same protection, audible traffic signals, should be afforded to blind and visually-impaired pedestrians. Secondly: The theory that audible traffic signals deprive blind and visually-impaired pedestrians of their dignity is totally false, as it is a mistery to me how any safety feature which could help save lives is going to deprive anyone, blind or otherwise, of their dignity.

The truth is simple. Audible traffic signals do work. I have used them, in Albany, New York, where I live. As a member of our local blind community, I have found our audible signals to be very helpful. Furthermore, if blind people choose not to utilize the audible traffic signals, that is entirely up to them, however, the fact that some blind people are not in favor of the audible traffic signals does not make it wrong for those blind pedestrians who choose to use them.

In closing, I strongly urge the PROC in conjunction with the U.S. Access Board to do everything in its power to ensure that detectable warnings and accessible pedestrian signals be included in all communities, in order that all blind and visually-impaired pedestrians may feel secure as they cross intersections with their normally-sighted counterparts.