The City of Lethbridge has partnered with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) to test out something new at a few downtown crosswalks.
Speakers have been installed at intersections along 4th Avenue at 7th and 8th Streets and at Stafford Drive as well.
Road Infrastructure Manager, Richard Brummund says people who are visually impaired will be able to activate the signal with a special key fob or by using a smart phone app. “Really, what they’re offering is a wireless mobility technology that allows the visually impaired to actually activate the crosswalk.”
The voice command on the speakers, when activated, will give folks a location as to where they are and also initiates the chirping sound so people know it’s safe to cross.
The CNIB approached the City earlier this year. The organization has also partnered up with a small company called Key2Access, which aims to create inclusive communities.
Brummund says the trial will take place over the next year to see if it’s something the City wants to keep doing.