Pedestrian roundabout improvement strategy in subway stations

Abstract

Intersecting streams of pedestrians are frequently seen in subway stations. When two or more such streams encounter each other in the normal way, there is interference of progress and a reduction in speed. This research explores the impact of roundabout design on intersecting pedestrian streams by conducting a series of experiments on pedestrians in the field. First, the impact of roundabout size on different volumes of pedestrian traffic is examined; second, the effect of adding guiding signs is investigated; and third, a case where a greater number of streams intersect is studied. Results indicate that, although placing a roundabout at pedestrian intersections reduces the total space available and lengthens the average walking distance, the speed of pedestrian streams increases. The experiment reveals that the larger the radius of the roundabout, the more significant is the increase in speed and the smaller is the dispersion of acceleration. In addition, the role of the roundabout becomes more important as pedestrian traffic volume increases. Furthermore, the addition of guiding signs before the roundabout entrance is helpful in terms of regulating the direction of traffic and reducing possible conflict. Finally, the experiments reveal that inserting a roundabout also provides benefits in the case of three intersecting pedestrian streams.