Walking is perhaps the best way to experience Albany's historic beauty and charm, in addition to being carbon-neutral and free. But at an increasing number of city intersections, pedestrians are given short shrift.

Imagine this: You arrive, on foot, at the corner of a busy downtown intersection a half-second after the cars traveling parallel to you get a green light. Dutifully, you press the button. But the light doesn't change, even though you should — by all indications — have the right to safely cross. Now you must wait for those cars' green light to cycle to red, then wait for perpendicular traffic to similarly cycle through to green, then, yellow, then red. Only after the entire cycle begins again can you legally cross.

This scenario is the reality at newly designed intersections like Madison and New Scotland or Lark and Washington, where pedestrians must contend with "beg buttons." At these intersections, those who wish to cross must press a button to beg for a pedestrian signal, even if the signal is already changing for cars traveling in the same direction. As a result, those who wish to cross legally must often wait through an entire light cycle even though it is obviously safe to cross. Naturally, the overwhelming majority of frustrated Albanians — not content to wait 2 or 3 minutes at every corner — cross anyway. In a system designed to prioritize cars and thwart pedestrians, otherwise law-abiding citizens begin to rationalize jaywalking. After all, auto drivers are never asked to roll down their windows, press a button, and wait 2 to 3 minutes at every corner.

Beg buttons are designed to prioritize car traffic. This is deeply counterproductive in a city attempting to revitalize its downtown core. Walking is a popular, practical and desirable way to get around town. It is also key to Albany's continued growth and vibrancy. According to a recent Urban Land Institute survey, 50 percent of people rank walkability as one of their top concerns when deciding where to live, while the Brookings Institute found that a whopping 63 percent of millennials would prefer to live in an area where they don't need to drive a car every day. Dense and walkable neighborhoods also generate much more revenue in property taxes per acre than expensive and hard-to-maintain suburban sprawl.

Beg buttons may make sense in an outlying area where the traffic light would remain green but for the "beg" from a side-street motorist or pedestrian, but they have no place in a busy downtown or in intersections where the light changes on a regular basis.

Albany's pedestrian signals should activate whenever the vehicle signals activate. The pedestrian signals should be reprogrammed to operate as if there was no button. The greatest pedestrian cities in the world do not force pedestrians to beg for a legal crossing at every corner and wait for several minutes. Albany should follow their lead and put pedestrians on an equal playing field with motorists.

This ultra-low-cost policy change would go a long way to promote walkability in Albany, making streets safer for pedestrians and motorists alike. As downtown Albany stands ready to welcome thousands of new apartment units in the next several years, we must be prepared for an increase in the number of pedestrians. The city has rightfully promoted its walkable downtown and transit-friendly outer corridors as key to its low-carbon, sustainable future. It is critically important that Albany protect all of its road users by bidding farewell to beg buttons. Doing so will benefit pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike.