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Activists call them “beg buttons” — the pedestrian signal lights that never give a walk sign until a person hits the button and waits.

It’s a major irritant for Edmonton’s pedestrian subculture, especially on popular bus routes where people watch their bus pull up, stop and drive off before the long cycle finishes and the walk light turns on.

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In Edmonton, people trying to walk or bike wait up to two minutes to cross in many locations, and as they shiver in the cold, many feel there’s a disconnect between the walkable culture Edmonton says it celebrates and the reality on the ground.

“I’ve counted. Pedestrians are given exactly seven seconds to begin to legally cross the the intersection of 78 Avenue along Calgary Trail,” said Julie Kusiek, who crosses there regularly with her children. After seven seconds, the red hand starts flashing and its a several-minute wait for the next signal.

“I can see the bus stopped at a red (light) two blocks away, and still miss it because the light doesn’t change in time. All because anything less would inconvenience drivers,” said Kathy Drouin-Carey, one of several frustrated transit riders who quickly added their views to a recent Journal Facebook debate.