As a visually impaired teacher for the vision impaired, my concerns for pedestrian safety extend beyond my own needs. I have happily served students who are blind for Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia for a few years. Prior to this, I taught Orientation and Mobility in Colorado. It was during my time in Colorado that I began to appreciate audible pedestrian signals when one was installed a few blocks from my home at a difficult intersection. The nursing home next to the intersection asked for the audible signal so their residents could cross the street independently to get to a grocery store and other shopping. It was a blessing! Many of these people were losing some vision and just needed a little extra help to cross the street.

I am an excellent traveler, but do encounter situations where drivers making turns do not yield to the pedestrian, which they were not looking for. With the audible signal, drivers are alerted that a person with a vision impairment is crossing the street, which promotes safety.

The school system I work for serves over 250 students who are blind, all with differing abilities and travel skills. Although a small number of these students can cross the a standard street without a signal, many cannot. It is the majority I worry about when I hear that pedestrian signals are being debated. Some people who are blind say that these audible signals distort the sounds made by parallel traffic and inhibit one from crossing the street in a straight line. Although this may be true, I feel the signals are vital at street crossings where one cannot use parallel traffic as an indicator to cross the street.

Furthermore, many people who are blind are unable to cross the street with parallel traffic due to their own skill level. I think a compromise should be made. A push button should be placed at intersections where one is needed. If someone wants the signal, press the button, if they don't, than don't press the button!

Sincerely,

Kimberly Avila M.A., COMS
Teacher for the Vision Impaired
Fairfax County Public Schools