Crosswalk buttons
Crosswalk buttons, at least in in major city intersections, have not worked since the mid-1960s.
As cities grew and Americans roads began to accommodate millions of cars, most crosswalk and traffic sign systems became automated. Some streets even have specialized sensors to detect passing cars. Traffic lights are automated and work via algorithms to keep traffic moving effectively.
People being able to cross the street whenever they want would strain traffic systems and could catastrophically disrupt traffic flow. The buttons are there but don’t actually do anything but make you feel better about waiting.
