Sioux Falls Rolls Out Talking Cones For Safer Sidewalks

If you’ve been strolling through downtown Sioux Falls lately and have started hearing mysterious little voices, don’t panic, you’re not losing your mind. Those chatty whispers aren’t in your head; they’re coming from the construction cones.

The city has rolled out a new Audible Message Device initiative, and these “talking cones” are part of a program designed to make construction zones safer, especially for visually impaired pedestrians.

According to Dakota News Now, these cones are strategically placed around busy construction areas and are programmed to deliver helpful messages like sidewalk closures, detour directions, and other construction updates. Think of them as Siri’s orange, traffic-directing cousin.

Get our free mobile app

City engineer Brad Ludens told Dakota News Now, “We’ve used them on the sidewalk work that we did along Minnesota Avenue and 41st Street earlier this year, as well as some of the park locations.”

So how does a cone know when to start talking?

Well, it’s not magic, though it might seem like it. Each device is equipped with a sensor that detects when someone is nearby. Once triggered, it plays a recorded message alerting pedestrians to potential hazards and offering directions to safe detour routes.

The talking cones are part of the city’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, helping ensure everyone can navigate safely through the city’s many construction zones.

READ MORE:  Why Does Sioux Falls Have Some of the Worst Hair in America?

And it doesn’t look like they’ll be quieting down anytime soon. The city plans to keep using these chatty cones wherever large crowds gather near major construction areas within the city.

So next time you’re walking downtown and a cone says hello, it's probably best that you don’t ignore it; the cone might just be trying to save you from stepping into wet cement, or some ginormous pot hole!

Source: Dakota News Now