Audible pedestrian traffic signals: Part 2. Analysis of sounds emitted

This project evaluated audible pedestrian traffic signals from three perspectives: 1) the patterns of use and the impact of these signals on pedestrian travel; 2) the physical characteristics of the sound emitted by these devices; and 3) the detection of their emitted sounds in the presence of various traffic noise levels. This paper, the second of three companion articles (2,3), examines the sounds emitted by the Nagoya/Traconex audible traffic signal, the unit most commonly found in the western United States and almost exclusively in California. The sounds emitted by the north-south and east-west Traconex audible signals were analyzed for their loudness, directionality, frequency spectrum, and temporal characteristics using standard engineering tools including an anechoic chamber, sound level meters, spectrum analyzers, and signal analyzers.