The crosswalk lights remain green to allow
traffic to proceed.
Once a pedestrian pushes the walk button, however, the lights will turn
yellow, then red to stop traffic and allow pedestrians to cross.
Phasakorn Channgam
Forty-two traffic lights have been installed at the
previously generally ignored “zebra crossings” marked on Pattaya’s major
thoroughfares. City officials hope drivers, faced with a red light, will
then actually stop to allow pedestrians to cross safely.
The system went online November 1, and the jury is still
out as to whether they actually work. One thing is for certain, with the
large number of them sprinkled throughout the main thoroughfares, traffic
has certainly slowed.
The signals remain green for motorists until a pedestrian
pushes a button to change it to yellow, then red. International “walk” and
“do not walk” signals are installed. Timing at crossings will differ in an
attempt to ensure the new lights don’t create traffic jams.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome said each crossing will have a
15-second delay from the time the pedestrian pushes the button for the light
to change. In the future, the lights will be coordinated by a citywide
computerized traffic management system to minimize bottlenecks.
While pedestrians may rejoice at the idea of no longer
playing chicken with cars just to cross the road, the mayor acknowledged the
transition will not be smooth. “There will still be problems with drivers
continuing to ignore the pedestrian crossings and with pedestrians realizing
they need to push a button to cross.”
