To make the pedestrian experience safer, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has installed more than 1,000 touchless crosswalk buttons with plans to establish the technology at every intersection with signals along state routes by 2033.

These buttons rely on radar-enabled Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) Technology that is triggered by movement or the PedApp, providing a range of ways for pedestrians of various abilities to safely cross the street. Once activated, the installed unit utilizes audio features with instructions like "Wait" and "Walk sign is on." Beyond visually mirroring the signals on the street signs, the app uses vibrations and text-to-speech technology on smart devices to indicate how long the user has to cross the street.

 

The 1,000 buttons are located across 250 intersections on state-managed streets in Cedar City and Moab, with the technology coming soon to Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and Logan. Utah residents are encouraged to flag intersections with existing traffic signals that should be prioritized for APS installation through an online form made by UDOT. The form even includes an option to be notified has been upgraded with APS technology. An inventory map also exists at the link below with color-coded indications of intersections where the technology has already been installed and where there are plans to upgrade the area. Locations are further separated into newer installations that are app enabled and older installations that do not have the capability to use the PedApp.

According to UDOT, it costs about $7,000 per intersection to install the equipment on all four corners. With the $800,000 dedicated each year to purchase and enable intersections with APS technology, UDOT could upgrade up to 115 intersections a year.

To submit a request for an APS Installation: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfvtRVwMVVTdcDjLGM_AuixgwiRL3wCReUY29cSENzHTlKYcw/viewform

To access the Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) Inventory: https://uplan.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=a66ff3bef0e046dbb898bb5c82faa3eb

To see the UDOT announcement: https://udot.utah.gov/connect/2024/10/15/udot-installs-touchless-crosswalk-buttons-at-nearly-250-intersections/