CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Transportation is working toward improving pedestrian safety by upgrading its existing traffic signals.

What You Need To Know

  • NCDOT reports 269 pedestrians were killed in crashes across North Carolina in 2022, a 2.7% increase from 2021
  • NCDOT is adding a “leading pedestrian interval” to its existing traffic signals
  • They’re already being used in parts of Charlotte and Raleigh, but NCDOT is working to add the feature at crosswalks statewide

The department is adding a leading pedestrian interval to thousands of crosswalks across the state.

Signals with a leading pedestrian interval give people a head start of three to seven seconds with the “walk” sign to cross the road before drivers in the parallel lane get a green light.

“I think it’s a great first step in the right direction,” Gerry Kingsley said. “I think a lot more needs to be done.”

Kingsley is an advocate for walkability in Charlotte. He serves on the steering committee for the Charlotte Regional Transportation Coalition, which is a group of organizations that promote bicycle and pedestrian safety.

“We have such a large number of fatalities and serious injuries with car traffic and with pedestrians,” Kingsley said.

In 2022, NCDOT reports 269 pedestrians were killed in crashes across North Carolina. That’s a 2.7% increase from the year prior.

Kingsley finds the trend alarming, but admits he’s had some close calls while crossing the road and driving behind the wheel.

“A number of times you’re in an intersection where a car is making a left or a right, and they’re looking in the opposite direction or their shoulder to see if there’s a car coming,” Kingsley said. “And frankly, they’re not quite looking whether there’s a pedestrian in the sidewalk or in the crosswalk.”

Kingsley said in some of those instances a leading pedestrian interval would’ve helped.

“It allows you to establish yourself in the intersection before the cars are able to make their right or their left turn,” Kingsley said.

Leading pedestrian interval signals are already being used in parts of Charlotte and Raleigh, but NCDOT is working to add the feature at crosswalks statewide.

“It’s a safety enhancement, and it can be done at a low cost by reprogramming the existing equipment at our traffic signals,” Nick Zinser, NCDOT’s western region signals engineer, said in a release.

Kingsley says he also wants to see more street designs that prioritize pedestrian safety, such as reducing speed limits and putting more intersections in place with “no right on red” signs.

“I would like to see no more traffic deaths or serious injuries,” Kingsley said. “That’s a big ask, but I think we can achieve it.”

North Carolina has more than 3,500 intersections with pedestrian crosswalk signals.

Since making the change, NCDOT says about 20% of those crosswalks already have a leading pedestrian interval for improved safety.