At others, pedestrians push the demand button to activate the audible signals. In 1994, former Toronto Councillor Kay Gardner received a letter from a Toronto resident requesting audible pedestrian signals at the intersection of Lawrence Avenue West and Chatsworth Drive to assist a blind pedestrian in crossing to a high school on the south-west corner. Since then the City has installed audible pedestrian signals at 28 intersections, and in 1999, the City plans to equip an additional eight intersections. Audible pedestrian signals allow blind people to be more dependant on public transit rather than relying on less environmentally friendly modes of transportation. Audible pedestrian signals allow blind people to be more mobile and improve their ability to travel to work and become productive members of society.
Current plans are to implement audible pedestrian signals at about eight intersections per year.
Audible pedestrian signals could be installed to assist the blind and visually impaired in any other major urban centre.