RALEIGH, N.C. — The NC Department of Transportation is programming new pedestrian signals and upgrading existing ones with a new feature.
The feature is called "leading pedestrian interval" or LPI.
It will give pedestrians a head start of three to seven seconds to enter the marked crosswalk before drivers in the parallel direction get a green light. This interval allows pedestrians to better establish themselves in the crosswalk to drivers who must yield to them before making a left or right turn, NCDOT said.
"This change makes pedestrians more visible for drivers," NCDOT's Western Region Signals Engineer, Nick Zinser said. "It's a safety enhancement, and it can be done at a low cost by reprogramming the existing equipment at our traffic signals."
LPI use is already common in the downtowns of the state's largest cities of Charlotte and Raleigh, but NCDOT is working to add this feature at all signalized pedestrian crossings statewide.
The state has over 3,500 intersections that have signalized pedestrian crossings. Since making this policy change earlier this year, the department estimates that 20% of those intersections now have a leading pedestrian interval for improved safety, according to NCDOT.
MORE WAYS TO GET WFMY NEWS 2
Download the WFMY News 2 APP from your Apple or Google Play store.
ADD THE WFMY+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or search for WFMY.
Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account.
