The City Hall of Jundiaí, through the Mobility and Transport Management Unit (UGMT) and in partnership with the Municipal Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, has started the installation of audible traffic lights, aiming to provide better mobility quality for visually impaired people in the municipality. The first equipment is already in operation in front of the Luiz Braille Institute of Jundiaí, on Dr. Sebastião Mendes da Silva Ave., in Anhangabaú.
Other sets of traffic lights of this type will be installed on Sebastião Mendes Pereira street (at Av. Jundiaí) and Petronilha Antunes street (at the corner of Abílio Figueiredo street, in front of the Post Office) and on União dos Ferroviários avenues (at Abolição street, by Poupatempo), União dos Ferroviários (in front of the railway station), and Av. dos Imigrantes Italianos (near number 434).
Ivanilde Oliveira de Jesus, president of the Municipal Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, recalled that the installation of these devices is a demand of the organization and the Luiz Braille Institute. “Auditory traffic lights provide autonomy and greater safety for the visually impaired. They also make Jundiaí a more inclusive city,” she pointed out.
For Wlamir Lopes, director of the UGMT Traffic Department, the new equipment aligns with the smart city project. “This technology brings more mobility and autonomy, making life easier for people with visual impairments when crossing the street. Jundiaí will be an increasingly accessible city for everyone,” added Wlamir.
More safety
The new traffic light for the visually impaired features an electronic device with an audible signal that alerts when it is time to cross, providing greater safety for individuals with visual impairments, low vision, and also the elderly. The equipment also includes Braille identification.
On the sidewalk, before the person crosses, the equipment (a yellow box attached to the pedestrian traffic light pole) will emit “beep-beep” sounds indicating that the street is safe for the pedestrian to cross.
The device emits a slower beep when the pedestrian signal is green. A faster beep, on the other hand, indicates that the crossing time is running out. Silence at the traffic light indicates that the person must wait to cross the street.
SOURCE:
Jundiaí Journal
