If you’ve ever been stuck at a crossing, actually called a ‘Zebra Crossing’ in England, you know how frustrating it can be. It feels like you’ll never fall over, no matter how many times you press the button. Because of this, and because the US government often cares more about cars than people, many people believe that the light itself is just an illusion, created by city officials, to give you the illusion of having some control. Well, those buttons work, but maybe not in the way you’d expect.
For example, at many intersections, you can press a button, and eventually it will lead to a “go” signal. This happens because the act of pressing a button sends a request to turn on the pedestrian light to the traffic signal system. So instead of getting a quick light change, the whole cycle runs until the leading light gets its turn. But some systems don’t require a pedestrian to hit the button. That’s because the full circuit with the go signal is pre-programmed to run automatically without requiring physical command.
It’s this unmistakable friction that makes it seem like the buttons are doing nothing at all. Also, pedestrians are often not given the assurance that the button has been pressed, as the systems are not designed that way. As the process takes place inside, everyone waiting for the signal to change is left wondering if the button works at all. The problem is that you can’t really tell one way or the other.
Transition to intelligent crosswalk control systems
Traffic systems around the world can vary from one location to the next. This can make it nearly impossible to predict how each system will behave at each intersection. What happens when you press the button depends on the type of crossing, or even the time of day. Some systems use sensors to detect pedestrians and adjust the timing of the signal without using any buttons at all.
But despite the many traffic control systems in use, a mixed system has been introduced in some American cities. The High Intensity Activated crossWalK (HAWK) system is activated for pedestrians, but it works differently than a conventional setup. That’s because instead of being integrated into the normal traffic signal circuit, it uses a pedestrian-activated beacon that directly controls the driver’s movements.
HAWK uses a special sequence of flashing yellow lights, each phase instructing the driver what to do. A solid red section means that pedestrians are free to cross, and a bright red last light allows drivers to move forward only after coming to a complete stop and making sure the road is clear. HAWK is currently in use in several states, including California, and Arizona. However, the HAWK proved to be more complicated, as Massachusetts drivers were so confused by the new system in 2025, they were actually running red lights.