Can we have this concept, seen via Fast Company, delivered, like yesterday? I think the extra time at crossing signals and the on-demand benches are really attractive, but I'd want to see those benches outside urban settings, too. One of my favorite parks, Huntley Meadows, is a favorite precisely because it has many benches available on its walking trails (and they just happen to be spaced at intervals that are comfortable for me). Where else could I go; what else could I enjoy if these benches and signals were available? If nothing else, we just need to keep people aware of new possibilities that are being developed and the demand for them, and then maybe some of them will pass into wider use.
(Here's the entry for Responsive Street Furniture at the site of designer Ross Atkins. It'll be interesting to see what else he comes up with. There's a Tumblr site to track, too.)