CROSSWALK COUNTDOWN ON WAY.

Byline: KERRY CAVANAUGH Staff Writer

Hoping to ease crosswalk anxiety after an elderly Valley woman was ticketed for not making it across the street in time, Los Angeles officials have accelerated plans to install countdown signals and pedestrian education placards at 4,300 intersections citywide.

Within five years, the city's Department of Transportation will replace the traditional flashing-hand signals with others that count down the seconds pedestrians have to cross the street.

In addition, the DOT will add placards explaining when to start, when to stop and when to hurry up.

City officials did not have a cost estimate available Thursday, but traffic police said they hope the new system will cut down on pedestrian accidents and tickets.

``It's very helpful. It gives people a general idea of how long they have to cross the street,'' said Sgt. Mike Zaboski with the LAPD's Valley Traffic Division.

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel directed the DOT to assess the city's crosswalk system after 82-year-old Mayvis Coyle was given a $114 ticket for crossing against a ``don't walk'' signal.

Coyle maintained she started with a white ``walk'' signal but couldn't make it across wide Foothill Boulevard in time.

The Los Angeles Police Department maintains that Coyle stepped into the intersection when the red ``don't walk'' hand was blinking.

Coyle said she intended to fight the ticket, but the traffic court did not receive payment of her fine or her declaration to challenge the ticket in time, according to the City Attorney's Office.

Jim Coyle said Thursday he was surprised to hear the news because his mother went to her second home in Colorado and had sent her challenge by certified mail.

The City Attorney's Office, which is not handling the case but recently inquired on the status of the much-followed saga, said the court now will work to collect the $114 fine from Coyle.

In response to Coyle's case, the DOT reviewed the Foothill intersection where Coyle was cited and found the crossing time was appropriate, although the department added two seconds to the white hand ``walk'' time so it's now seven seconds before the hand blinks red.

``We gave them more opportunity to legally step off the curb,'' said Sean Skehan, DOT principal transportation engineer.

In general, pedestrians have between 5 and 36 seconds to cross streets. Crossing times are based on the width of the street and how long a person traveling four feet per second would need to cross.

The DOT can extend crossing time in areas around senior centers or residential areas where pedestrians might need more time.

With the slower speed, 99 percent of walkers can cross before the traffic light turns, Skehan said.

Unfortunately, sometimes people are unsure of the rules and misjudge when they can cross under the current system. They turn back when the red hand blinks. Or they don't press the crosswalk button.

``If you don't press the button that goes with the green light, you might not have enough time to get across,'' Skehan said.

With the new signals and placards, DOT hopes walkers will have a better understanding of the rules of the crosswalk.

kerry.cavanaugh(at)dailynews.com

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