Vintage New York City Pedestrian Push Button

What I have here is a vintage pedestrian push button that saw service in the city of New York. It dates back to 1969, and it was removed from service last year. Throughout the years, many New Yorkers have learned to ignore the countless pedestrian push buttons that exist at many street corners there. These simply don't work at all, for that they have been either long disconnected from service or they are simply inoperable (lack electrical continuity). In any case, most New Yorkers strongly believe that these pedestrian push buttons did not work since the get-go, however, most don't realize that they actually did.

Back in the 1960s, the city of New York had installed these pedestrian push buttons at many signalized intersections, and, that said, many were semi-actuated (with the pedestrian push buttons). The cross street was actuated, so a pedestrian had to push a nearby button to receive a "WALK" indication. That sign (how to cross the street) didn't lie, mind you. Although, over the years, traffic volume in New York City had significantly increased (by the late 1970s), which led to the discontinuation of pedestrian push buttons for a short period of time. Most were simply disconnected from service in the mid 1980s, and many signalized intersections throughout New York City were pre-timed (as many are today).

Since most pedestrian push buttons don't work at all today, there are some, however, that still work, actually. Also, one may think that the pedestrian push button is something totally from the past (completely obsolete in other words), but it is not. The city continues to install brand new pedestrian push buttons at certain signalized intersections that are semi-actuated (where the conditions are ideal, which is in regards to traffic volume).

Vintage pedestrian push buttons from New York City are slowly dwindling, since the city has recently began to remove numerous buttons from service in recent years. It is a piece of N.Y.C. traffic control memorabilia.