Iowa City and Coralville City Councils have rejected a proposal from a University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics employee to create automated signals at intersections instead of crosswalk buttons to help eliminate the spread of COVID-19.

Research Dietician at the UI College of Public Health and UIHC Dru Mueller said pedestrians and bicyclists having to physically touch crosswalk buttons at intersections brings about health and safety concerns with COVID-19.

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Mueller said she is an avid jogger and bicyclist. When she encounters larger intersections with crosswalks that require her to physically press the walk button, such as when crossing I-80 at Dubuque Street and Foster Road, it makes her uncomfortable, she said.

“I think that would make it easier for bicyclists and pedestrians and runners to use the intersections,” Mueller said. “In addition to making it safer and not having to worry about pressing a button when you can’t wash your hands, that it would also just make it easier to cross some of these big intersections that can be scary to cross.

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“I can understand they have concerns that traffic will be slowed down,” Mueller said. “But I also think that they could think about which intersections might make a big difference, for pedestrians and bicyclists, and consider changing those. They don’t have to change all the intersections.”

Mueller said she is disappointed that the cities are not considering individual intersections in regard to her recommendation.

“I just feel like they’re prioritizing car traffic automatically over pedestrian and bicycle traffic,” Mueller said.