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  Acknowledged DPW Pine Customer Service (Verified Official)

  Thank you for reporting this issue. The Department of Public Works will now begin its investigation into the matter.

  03/15/2019 · Flag Flagged
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  Traffic Signal Engineer (Verified Official)

  This signal was built in the 70's. To do a modern ADA accessible button would probably require the steel strain pole and concrete foundation to be removed and replaced, with the whole corner lowered to meet the sidewalk elevation, with a slight drainage slope. This may present issues with the adjacent property owner. All underground concrete and conduits at the intersection have problems and ought to be redone. It is not a quick fix. Going to reclassify as long-term capital. By the way, what is meant by "beg button?" Never heard of "beg signal heads," or "beg loop detectors," or any other signal component with the word "beg" in front of it. Why "beg button?"

  03/15/2019 · Flag Flagged
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  Traffic Signal Engineer (Verified Official)

  This issue was recategorized from Traffic Signal Problems to Transportation and Parking Improvement Request.

  03/15/2019 · Flag Flagged
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  RJ Lalumiere (Registered User)

  It is called a "beg button" because people walking have to push it to _request permission_ to cross the street since the pedestrian signal heads typically do not just come on each cycle.

  https://gizmodo.com/why-should-pedestrians-press-beg-buttons-to-cross-the-1515091907

  03/15/2019 · Flag Flagged
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  Traffic Signal Engineer (Verified Official)

  Okay. "Beg" implies doing something demeaning, asking for special consideration, something not to be done under ordinary circumstances. In this case it appears to be a pejorative term, that offense is taken by having to push a button to get a certain action.

  Transporting oneself from A to B requires many actions. Getting up, taking steps, watching for and dodging obstacles, etc. Most doors don't open automatically as you approach. Latches have to be grabbed and twisted slightly before the door will open. These could be called "beg handles."

  Consider an elevator. To eliminate the need to push a button, it could be cycled constantly up and down, doors opening and closing on every floor. Other than the energy wasted for constant motion, this is similar to and shows how a traffic signal would operate without detection and the disadvantages. Which is why both usually operate on-demand.

  Deriving intent is the key to accurate detection. Passive pedestrian detection, using radar or video, besides being hugely expensive, can be difficult to set up. Like cars, there are places pedestrians would have to stand to show intent to cross in a particular direction. These might be called "beg zones." Or, as has been done since at least the 1960's, a button could be pressed, communicating a clear intent to cross in a certain direction.

  Pressing a button is not the same as asking permission. That places the machine as superior, instead of being built by us and for us for our convenience.

  Like an elevator, a signal cycling over and over again just to eliminate the need for a button press is very inefficient. It guarantees the high probability of a wait, whereas a simple button press can often cause a signal to change immediately if there is no opposing demand.

  03/18/2019 · Flag Flagged
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  RJ Lalumiere (Registered User)

  Hello Traffic Signal Engineer!

  Can you please tell me if the current mode of operation here includes an automatic pedestrian signal phase in the light cycle or does one have to use the pedestrian pushbutton to initiate a walk phase?

  08/14/2021 · Flag Flagged
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  Traffic Signal Engineer (Verified Official)

  "Why not just put a new pole next to the sidewalk?" My new boss asked me this shortly after this SCF first came up. Wish it was that easy. To do a "proper" button requires digging in front of the large steel strain pole to install a foundation for the new pole, which undermines the big pole. Concrete from that old project, in other places, is on the brittle side. Not something I want to disturb if I can help it. Yes, from that side of the street you have to press the button to get a pedestrian phase. Yes, the picture shows how awkward that can be. Yes, it is far away from being close to ADA, which was not around when that was installed. So what do we do in the meantime? If we touch it, we become obligated to have it meet ADA. Meeting ADA requires undermining the dirt around the pole by probably 24 inches, compromising the pole's integrity. Solution? Temporary wood pole to support the span. Which needs down guys and room (right of way?) to land them. Remove, jackhammer old foundation. Build new foundation to adequate depth and strength to support the pole and load at a lower elevation. Install new smaller foundation adjacent to sidewalk at same time. Might require a new, taller, strain pole to keep the signals high enough. Steel strain poles are several months away in lead time. If push came to shove and forced to address this immediately, would recommend removing the pedestrian signals and buttons, grind out the crosswalk markings until we can do all of the above. A medium capital improvement project. Not easy, not cheap. How many people cross here versus the time and money to fix it? Good question, have only seen it used once or twice myself. One of the least used crosswalks (informally) I know of. Stop people over and over again when nobody is crossing, wasting time, causing needless pollution from idling? Maybe worth batting around in an NPA or other public forum to discuss keeping it (crosswalk & signals) or removing it.

  08/18/2021 · Flag Flagged
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  Burlington, VT (Verified Official)

  You are receiving this message because you have previously (or perhaps just now) submitted a request on SeeClickFix. We're excited to let you know that we are now implementing a comprehensive asset management program which is a mostly "behind the scenes" effort. This will enable more efficient, more effective and more fiscally sound infrastructure management. Nothing changes for you and we'll continue to use SeeClickFix, but we have had to automate a process to connect our open SCF requests with our asset management program. There may be the occasional bug to work out, but rest assured that your issue is still in queue and assigned to the right City staffer. Once this initial round of automation is through in about a week, we'll revert back to our standard messages on SeeClickFix.

  10/26/2021 · Flag Flagged

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