In a significant move towards enhancing pedestrian safety, a federal judge has mandated the city of Chicago to install over 1,700 accessible pedestrian signals over the next decade.
This initiative is a direct response to a class action lawsuit filed in 2019 by the American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago, alongside individuals with vision-related disabilities.
U.S. District Judge LaShonda Hunt outlined this plan earlier in March, emphasizing the need for the city to retrofit its pedestrian signals to accommodate the visually impaired.
In her ruling, Judge Hunt identified that Chicago had violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act by failing to offer meaningful access to its pedestrian signal network.
The finalized plan, established on May 28, requires city officials to ensure that at least 71 percent of the city’s signalized intersections are equipped with accessible pedestrian signals within the next ten years.
Moreover, the city will have an additional five years to install these signals at all remaining intersections unless it can demonstrate that blind pedestrians already have meaningful access to the pedestrian network.
This comprehensive plan will also set annual benchmarks for the minimum number of crosswalk signals to be installed, establish a process for community requests for specific intersections, and prioritize installations at the areas most hazardous for pedestrians.
To oversee compliance, a court-appointed independent monitor will be responsible for ensuring that the city adheres to the implementation of this order.
Additionally, the city is required to form an Accessible Pedestrian Signal Citizen Advisory Committee.
This committee will include representatives from the Chicago Department of Transportation, members from the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, and individuals from the city’s blind community, who will convene quarterly to review the progress of the installation plan.
As of March, there were only 85 accessible pedestrian signals operational at 2,800 intersections in Chicago.
These signals are specifically designed to assist visually impaired pedestrians by providing a locator tone that guides users to the signal button, and once pressed, announcements indicating when to walk or not to walk play.
There are also vibrating surfaces incorporated to assist in conveying crossing signals.
According to CDOT spokesperson Erica Schroeder, all new signals and those currently under development comply with these accessibility standards.
Schroeder stated, “Our plan for upcoming signal installations is currently underdevelopment.
This prioritization will focus on, but won’t be limited to, intersections with outstanding public requests, locations near public transit, and those with particularly dangerous conditions.”
The city has historically pledged to improve accessibility with pedestrian signals since 2008 but has fallen short of its commitments, prompting the recent legal actions.
A statement from Ray Campbell, president of the Illinois Council of the Blind, noted that more than 65,000 residents in Chicago live with vision difficulties, complicating their ability to navigate the city’s streets.
Judge Elaine E. Bucklo, who ruled in favor of Campbell and the other plaintiffs in 2023, underscored the importance of accessible crossing signals for individuals who cannot rely on conventional visual cues from traditional traffic signals and crosswalks.
This new ruling marks a pivotal step forward in addressing the needs of the blind and visually impaired community and aims to promote a safer and more inclusive urban environment.
image source from：https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/06/04/city-must-add-1700-new-crosswalk-signals-to-help-blind-visually-impaired-people-under-judges-order/
