[m-s-y]

I doubt very much this is related to any local Jewish population. Most traffic buttons are placebos these days; the pedestrian signals automatically signal alongside the traffic lights.

The exception would be low-pedestrian-volume areas with lights and crossings reserved specifically for pedestrians.

[spyspy]

You're probably correct, but having lived in northern Brooklyn for almost a decade, I wouldn't be surprised if those communities had a hand in that type of infrastructure. They already have their own police force.