Evaluation of Pedestrian and Driver Behaviors at Countdown Pedestrian Signals in Peoria, Illinois

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of countdown pedestrian signals on both pedestrian and motorist behaviors at 13 intersections in Peoria, Illinois. The variables tested in this study included the proportion of pedestrians who started crossing the street during the “Walk,” flashing “Don't Walk,” and steady “Don't Walk” intervals, as well as vehicular positions in the intersection with respect to the traffic signal indication (late in the yellow signal indication and after the red signal indication). A before-and-after study was used at three intersections at which the pedestrian countdown signals were installed. Additionally, five test intersections with countdown pedestrian signals were compared with five control intersections with traditional pedestrian signals. The traffic volumes, geometry, and adjacent land use at the control sites were similar to those at the test sites; however, the control sites did not have the countdown feature. The results of the study indicate that countdown pedestrian signals are effective in enhancing pedestrian safety. No evidence of increased risk-taking behavior of motorists while they were traversing the intersections with countdown pedestrian signals was observed.