Saturday, February 3, 2007

Seaford has a countdown walker signal

This photo shows the pedestrian countdown signal recently installed at NY 27 (Sunrise Highway) and Jackson Avenue, Seaford, by the New York State Department of Transportation. It functions only if the pedestrian presses the "Walk" button. Walkers crossing Sunrise Highway are allowed about 40 seconds: about 9 seconds with the steady white pedestrian icon, followed by a flashing palm and (above it, as shown in the photo) the seconds counted down from 28 to zero. At that point all signals are red for three or four seconds. Then cars turning left from Sunrise Highway are given their opportunity. Then the east-west herd on NY 27 roars into top speed. Sunrise Highway traffic has the green signal for about ninety seconds.
New York State Law requires drivers to stop and yield if a pedestrian is anywhere in the crosswalk. Drivers turning the corner are breaking the law if they cut ahead of a walker.

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