Speed Management via Traffic Signal Progression to Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety on Urban Arterials

Abstract

Pedestrian and bicycle safety is among the top priorities of many departments of transportation (DOTs), and speeding is a major cause of pedestrian injuries and fatalities. This study investigated the impacts of traffic signal progression speed management and progression quality on the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. A cross-sectional study design was used to estimate the random parameter negative binomial models and the safety effects of these measures. The study findings show the pronounced impacts of well-designed progression speed management with good progression quality on reducing the frequency and severity of pedestrian and bicycle crashes. Improving poor progression speed management to good or great progression speed management with signal retiming can reduce pedestrian and bicycle crash frequency by 55% and severe pedestrian and bicycle crashes by 75%. Improving poor progression quality to good progression quality can decrease pedestrian and bicycle crash frequency by 52% and severe pedestrian and bicycle crashes by 72%.