Dennis Ferrara is a native of Brooklyn who was working for the New York City Department of Transportation as a supervisor electrician when his voice was recorded. His unmistakable New York accent can still be heard at 15 pedestrian signals at crosswalks throughout the city. When people push the buttons on these signals, they hear Ferrara's voice telling them, amongst other guiding words, that the "wawk" sign is on. (via @broadway_optimist)
New York Times (2012):
In Mr. Ferrara's New York, "Avenue" takes on an "h" or three. The "a" in "Jay Street" is drawn out. And at least one "w" is appended to the first syllable of "Broadway."
…Mr. Ferrara, who has lived in Gerritsen Beach almost all his life, has had no professional voice training. Past pursuits have included deli ownership and, occasionally, scuba diving for jewels off Coney Island. He jokes that his vocational school did not have English classes. His qualifications, as it were, include pronouncing "ask" like "ax."
The job came to him by luck and by trade, because he fits the bill and because if he did not do it, someone else would have to.
I wasn't able to embed the video here, but ToddCamNYC recorded two of the Ferrara-voiced signals.
