Pedestrian-controlled traffic lights piloted in Kunming

Pedestrian-controlled traffic lights are now being tested on Xuefu Road in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, reports the Kunming-based City Times.

A pedestrian trying the new traffic light on Xuefu Road in Kunming, Yunnan Province. [Photo: times.clzg.cn]

The main gate of Yunnan Open University has made traffic extremely heavy on Xuefu Road. Apart from the many cars passing through the road, high-rise apartment blocks nearby have also created more and more pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

During the day, the traffic lights remain in their general setting: 60-second green light for vehicles and 25 seconds for pedestrians. The setting is said to have been calculated based on traffic volumes in the area.

However, from 11:00pm to 5:00am, when the number of cars on the street is relatively low, pedestrians can manually switch the light, making it much safer to cross at night.

The report in City Times argues there are many other places in Kunming that need similar pedestrian-controlled traffic lights.

The lights themselves have been developed and installed by Shenzhen Fama Technology Company.

Local traffic authorities are going to monitor how the system works before taking any further steps.