Red Hand, White Man: Conflicted Crosswalks Taking Over!

We've been getting more and more tips about broken crosswalk signals showing both the Don't Walk symbol ("Red Hand") and the Walk symbol ("White Man") simultaneously. Today a reader e-mails: "My girlfriend and I have noticed an ongoing problem of the 'Walk/Don't' walk signs actually 'freezing' in place when it gets cold out. Both a bright red hand and a walk sign stay up at the same time, presumably opening the city up to some serious lawsuits should something go awry. We must have seen it about 30 times in the last month, prompting my email."

The malfunction did not seem so prevalent with the old crosswalk signals, which were textual and illuminated with incandescent bulbs. These new signs were fully installed in 2004, and use bright, energy-efficient LED’s.

DOT spokesperson Seth Solomonow sent us this statement: "There are about 100,000 pedestrian signals citywide (roughly about eight pedestrian signals per signalized intersection). Many signals are reaching the end of their expected seven-year life cycle. About 5% were repaired for 'dual phase' issues related to lens problems last year (that is, over a twelve-month period). As with all of our facilities, we have an active program to replace and repair malfunctioning signals. In addition to our own inspections, any individual units that need attention can be reported to 311 for prompt repair."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on January 13, 2009 2:19 PM

Comments [rss]

FinalShaft

Listen. I am the one who won the bid to install those signals.

I've put alot of time into this project, and I don't need no snot nose blog getting into my business. If you don't like my work, then listen to my sign and take a walk into a busy intersection.

JacqueMehoff

where did the city buy the lights from? another pay for play vendor?

ANGRYGOD11

All traffic lights are designed to make it impossible to have all green lights at the same time so cars don't slam into each other in intersections. It's a shame the people who designed pedestrian lights never invited them over for coffee. Basic circuit design should have made this situation impossible for mere pedestrians.

Toby von Meistersinger

I don't think cold is the problem, since I have seen this problem when it was warm as well as bitterly cold. It is probably a case of low bidder quality.

EastRiver

It's the Rise of the Machines!!!

ixvnyc

I just want to know who is this idiot who is more concerned with the city getting hit with lawsuits than with people getting killed because of this?

MMM510

I've been seeing them all over the West Village and Downtown Brooklyn too. Is this a case of somebody's brother in law supplied defective parts? It never happened with the worded signs. And now I've been seeing one or two in Downtown Brooklyn displaying the WRONG sign at the time saying walk when traffic is passing or saying stop when you should walk.

This may be a rather big OOPS.

contrabalance

I can confirm the confused signs all around the W Village. Though it's funny to see so many drunks actually thinking twice about crossing.

hungryghoast

the crosswalk signs have finally caught on to the fact that you're just going to do whatever the fuck you want to anyway.

zodak

lol, hungryghoast ftw

Kevin Walsh

>>>Many signals are reaching the end of their expected seven-year life cycle.

SEVEN YEARS???!!!

Sheesh.

www.forgotten-ny.com

longacre

I was going to say the same thing. The previous ones were ancient but they still worked.

S_R

If the problem is indeed caused by the cold, I'd guess that if the signs use relays for electrical switching, then they're the culprit. Either that, or an IC. Most electrical components work fine in the cold; it's the mechanical items that usually seize up. If these problems started in the extreme heat of summer, it would be a totally different story.

Wza

haha sign of the times....people whining and complaining online.

I miss the old signs though.

IvoryJive

Please if you see something 30 times in a month and feel prompted to write an email to a blog complaining about it, you could do just your civic duty and call 311 and actually get the problem fixed.

fishfryin

there are lights like this all over the east side. i actually assumed they had purposefully made them this way on avenues to alert pedestrians that even when they have the walk sign there is still traffic turning from the streets. guess not

jt10000

This is an infringement on your constitutional rights. It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous.

infomofo

So the correct way to report these is a call to 311, and NOT an e-mail to gothamist? You learn new things every day.

EastRiver

I don't think this is weather related. I saw this happen last summer at St. Marks and Ave. A next to the park.

ed_Extinct

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Inauguration next week. ;P

Stop the White Man!!!

contrabalance

+1!

csk

Pike and Cherry

TheKlaus

I noticed this happening at an intersection on Park Ave on the Upper East side a few months ago. As a matter of fact, I am still standing T the corner because I don't know whether to walk or not. Because I am a complete idiot.