Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS), inform pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired when they have the right-of-way to cross at a signalized intersection.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals use two audible tones with the visual pedestrian signals to designate the direction of the pedestrian right-of-way. For the north/south right-of-way, the ‘cuckoo’ audible tone is sounded, and for the east/west right-of-way, the ‘chirp’ audible tone is sounded.
The APS units are also equipped with vibro-tactile features for pedestrians who are deaf or hard of hearing. Raised arrows on the APS indicate the crossing direction of the unit, which then vibrates in combination with the audible tone to indicate right-of-way for that crossing.
APS units also use a ‘locator tone’ to assist pedestrians in locating the pushbutton. This tone currently varies between units as either a ‘beeping’ or a ‘ticking’ sound.
The City of Regina has 69 intersections equipped with APS. As part of its vision to be an inclusive and accessible community, the City is committed to retrofitting six signalized intersections with APS annually. Any newly signalized intersections with pedestrian access are automatically installed with APS.
To request a location for APS installation, please contact Service Regina by submitting a Service Request. Requested locations are prioritized using criteria, such as intersection configuration and safety, pedestrian and vehicle volumes, and proximity to public transit and various pedestrian destinations.
Regina has 17 Touchless Accessible Pedestrian crosswalks in our community. The touchless signals allow users to activate the pedestrian crossing signals without the need to physically touch a button. They also emit an audible sound to help individuals with visual impairments to cross intersections safely. Users can continue to press the button like a traditional pedestrian signal if they choose.
When a user wishes to cross the street, they simply need to wave their hand one to four inches away from the touchless pushbutton area to activate the signal. A radar sensor within the unit alerts the traffic controller unit that a pedestrian is ready to cross. If a user has a visual impairment, they will hear the audible tone advising when it is safe to cross the street.
To request a location for touchless or APS installation, please contact Service Regina by submitting a Service Request. Requested locations are prioritized using criteria, such as intersection configuration and safety, pedestrian and vehicle volumes, and proximity to public transit and various pedestrian destinations.
Many signalized intersections have a button you may push to activate the WALK/DON’T WALK pedestrian signal.
- If the button is pushed, the WALK signal could stay on longer to allow you the extra time to cross the street.
- If the button is not pushed, more ‘green’ time could be given to motorists. This allows more traffic to travel through the intersection and reduces congestion. If you are at a signalized intersection with a pedestrian push button, you must use it or you will not get a WALK signal allowing you to cross.
For some intersections that have heavy pedestrian volume, pedestrian phase could be provided every phase during off peak hours.
Understanding Pedestrian Signals
Pedestrian signals tell you when it is safe to cross:
- A "WALK" or “WALKING SYMBOL” means you may begin crossing.
- A flashing "DON'T WALK" or flashing “HAND SYMBOL” serves as a warning that it is to late to begin to cross the street. However, if you entered the cross walk before the signal began to flash, you should have enough time to cross the street.
- A solid "DON'T WALK" or solid ‘HAND SYMBOL” indicates that it is unsafe to cross the street. You should wait until the WALK signal appears again before crossing the street.
