May 28, 2019 - The City of Fort Wayne has installed auditory crosswalks at three downtown locations that will assist athletes and guests who will visit Fort Wayne this summer for the 2019 International Blind Sports Federation Qualifying Competition. The crosswalks will also benefit visually impaired residents and visitors who are downtown on a regular basis.
Auditory crosswalks are operational at the intersections of Washington Boulevard and Harrison Street; Calhoun Street and Washington Boulevard; and Jefferson Boulevard and Harrison Street.
Mayor Tom Henry’s Administration and the City of Fort Wayne’s Public Works Division partnered with Turnstone and Visit Fort Wayne to install the auditory crosswalks downtown.
For the first time, the United States will host the International Blind Sports Federation Qualifying Competition and it will be in Fort Wayne June 28-July 9. The highlighted sports will be goalball and judo. Nearly 600 delegates from over 40 countries are registered to participate in the unique Paralympic competitions. The top performers will qualify for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. The competition will be the largest international event to ever be held in Fort Wayne.
The auditory crosswalk work is part of a larger project to modernize pedestrian infrastructure in the City through an ongoing Americans with Disabilities Act transition plan.