The new crosswalk signals at one Langley intersection don’t even require a touch to activate.

The intersection of 96th Avenue and Glover Road in Fort Langley is now equipped with touchless crosswalk signal activators.

The buttons have signs that invite pedestrians to activate them either by touching the buttons, or just by “waving” close to the buttons.

The change is just one part of the upgrade of the intersection, adding signal lights there for the first time.

The intersection has long been a choke point for drivers on 96th Avenue trying to turn left on busy days, and locals had called for a full signal for years.

A crash in 2019 brought more attention to the issue.

An out-of-control SUV sped through the intersection and crashed into the Su Casa spa in September of that year.

READ MORE: Owner of Fort Langley spa destroyed by SUV plans to reopen

READ MORE: FLCA advocates for 96th Avenue crosswalk

By that time, plans had already been drawn up for the signalization of the intersection, but the lights were only turned on this spring.

Fort Langley’s Coun. Eric Woodward welcomed the news of the new signals.

“I think that’s fantastic,” he said, noting the community has been waiting for the signalization for years.

The fact that the signals are touchless is “a sign of the new normal,” under the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

The touchless signals were installed by Interprovincial Traffic. A company representative said it’s the first installation of this technology in the Lower Mainland.

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