WINNIPEG -- The City of Winnipeg announced on Thursday that it has added audible signals to all of the signalized intersections around the city.

Audible pedestrian signals help to keep people safe by communicating information about pedestrian timing using audible cues.

Depending on the signalized intersections, people will hear one of four tones:

  1. “Coo coo” can be heard when the walk light is on. It is typically for north-south pedestrian crossing directions;
  2. “Chirp chirp” can be heard when the walk light is on. This is typically for east-west pedestrian crossing directions;
  3. “Tick tick” is the pushbutton locator tone that gives an audible signal that a pushbutton is required to request the walk signal; and
  4. ‘Tock’ is the confirmation the pushbutton has been activated and a request for the walk signal has been made.

“This is one of the causes that drove me to become a city councillor actually,” said Coun. Ross Eadie.

“I first ran in 1998. It’s these kind of issues that one wants to become a politician to ensure happens for the people of Winnipeg.”

The city originally planned to finish the installation of these audible signals by the end of 2021, but it prioritized the initiative and it completed the project more than a year early. In total, the city installed audible cues at 670 signalized intersections.

“The city is also installing countdown signals at all signalized intersections, which indicate how much time is left to safely cross the street,” said Coun. Matt Allard, Chairperson of the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works.