Midblock Pedestrian Crossings Research Articles

Vehicle-Pedestrian near miss analysis at signalized mid-block crossings

IntroductionThis study aims to identify the factors related to pedestrian and roadway characteristics that affect vehicle–pedestrian Post Encroachment Time (PET) and Relative Time to Collision (RTTC) under traffic control systems at mid-block pedestrian crossings. MethodologyA total of 112 h of video data were collected using multiple cameras from Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) sites. To extract vehicle and pedestrian trajectories and construct an accurate dataset, where each observation corresponds to a specific timeframe, with a recorded speeds of both vehicles and pedestrians, a self-developed cutting-edge Computer Vision (CV) technology was deployed. A bivariate regression approach is employed to capture the relationship between near misses and various factors. Results and ConclusionsThe findings reveal that both pedestrian and roadway characteristics significantly influence PET and RTTC. Pedestrian characteristics, such as gender, clothing color, distraction, waiting time, and crossing speed, significantly affect both PET and RTTC. The presence of children as pedestrians, eye contact with drivers, and pedestrian signal compliance rate has a significant influence on PET. Among roadway characteristics, the presence of a median, hourly traffic flow, and land use diversity of the crossing area were found to be significant determinants of both PET and RTTC. The results indicate that there is no difference in the influence of RRFB and PHB on PET values, but there is a significant difference in the influence of RRFB and PHB on RTTC values. PHB increases RTTC relative to RRFB. Finally, this study enriches existing literature by incorporating unique factors that impact pedestrian safety. Practical ApplicationsThe findings underscore the importance of data-driven approach to pedestrian safety, encouraging transportation agencies to implement targeted and effective safety strategies. In the future, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in traffic management and safety systems could greatly benefit from incorporating these findings.

Effect of the share of autonomous vehicles in road traffic on traffic conditions and fuel consumption in the vicinity of mid-block pedestrian crossings

Pojawienie się pojazdów autonomicznych (AV) w ruchu drogowym jest powszechnie przedstawiane jako szansa na poprawę bezpieczeństwa i warunków ruchu poprzez wykluczenie człowieka z procesu decyzyjnego, w tym zastąpienie go komunikacją pojazdów z pojazdami i z infrastrukturą. AV muszą uwzględniać między innymi interakcje z niechronionymi uczestnikami ruchu (m.in. pieszymi i rowerzystami), co jest problematyczne ze względu na konieczność przewidywania ich zachowań i odpowiedniego reagowania na nie. W artykule przedstawiono wyniki analiz mikrosymulacyjnych ruchu AV w rejonie wydzielonego przejścia dla pieszych. Założenie stopniowego wzrostu udziału AV wskazuje, że przejścia dla pieszych są miejscem, w którym płynność ruchu może się wówczas znacząco pogorszyć. Wyniki przeprowadzonych analiz oraz studiów literatury wskazują, że AV będą musiały gwałtowniej lub wcześniej hamować oraz częściej zatrzymywać się niż pojazdy konwencjonalne. W artykule przedstawiono również wpływ różnych poziomów udziału AV w ruchu na zużycie paliwa, mające pośredni wpływ na środowisko.

USER PERCEPTIONS BASED LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR UNCONTROLLED MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS USING TRAFFIC SURVEYS AND ITS REGRESSION ANALYSIS

The exponential growth of urban populations has led to a substantial increase in traffic on urban roads, prompting extensive research into optimizing road networks for vehicular traffic. However, there has been a noticeable lack of attention given to the safety and well-being of pedestrians. One particularly perilous scenario for pedestrians occurs at mid-block crossing locations where well-designed crosswalks are absent. In such areas, pedestrians are forced to identify safe crossing points, often with limited safety measures in place. Ensuring the safety, convenience, comfort, and minimal delay for pedestrians in these situations is imperative. To address this gap, a comprehensive evaluation of the quality of service at mid-block crosswalks is necessary. This research study focused on assessing the quality of service at non-signalized mid-block pedestrian crossings from the perspective of consumers. The analysis employed regression techniques and gathered data from four distinct mid-block crossing locations in different areas of Visakhapatnam. Data collection involved video image surveillance to obtain data on pedestrian quantities, volume-based characteristics, walking speeds, capacity, and gap sizes, complemented by questionnaires to capture real-time experiences and opinions of pedestrians. The questionnaire encompassed various variables affecting crossing quality, including demographic information and pedestrian perceptions of safety and comfort. Pedestrians rated these attributes on a scale of one to six, with their scores serving as variables for subsequent analysis. This approach seeks to ensure that pedestrians have the safest, most comfortable, and efficient means to cross the street while minimizing potential delays. Keywords:Pedestrian safety,Mid-block crossing,Quality of service,Urban road traffic,Crosswalk design, Consumer perspective,Data collection, ,Questionnaires,Perception,Safety measures,Comfort, Demographic information,,Efficiency,Delay mitigation,Regression analysis,Vehicular traffic optimization,Urbanization impact.

Investigating surrogate safety measures at midblock pedestrian crossings using multivariate models with roadside camera data

This study aims to evaluate and compare Surrogate Safety Measures (SSMs) at five midblock Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) and two midblock Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHB) sites in Florida using extensive video data collected over the study period of July to November 2021. Computer vision and data processing resulted in four pedestrian SSMs, namely spatial gap, temporal gap, relative time to collision (RTTC) and Post Encroachment Time (PET). An initial investigation of the SSMs using Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests revealed significant differences in the SSM values across different treatment types and hours of the day. Additionally, univariate regression of spatial gap, and multivariate regression of temporal gap, RTTC and PET revealed significant differences of SSMs across RRFB and PHB sites. The study considered both linear and non-linear (gamma, inverse Gaussian and lognormal) regression models. After considering various traffic and operational parameters, the data were aggregated for each pedestrian-vehicle interaction on each lane to create a total of 395 observations. The SSMs included average spatial gap, temporal gap, RTTC and PET for each interaction of pedestrian and vehicle on each lane. The results indicated that non-linear models performed better than the linear models. Moreover, the presence of the PHB, weekday, signal activation, lane count, pedestrian speed, vehicle speed, land use mix, morning period and pedestrian starting position from the sidewalk have been found to be significant determinants of the SSMs. Results also suggest temporal SSMs increase at the PHB sites compared to the RRFB sites, indicating an improvement of traffic safety at PHB sites. However, the spatial gap decreased for PHB sites compared to the RRFB sites, which suggests that pedestrians tend to start to cross the RRFB sites when they perceive vehicles to be further away than at the PHB sites.

Improving the Performance of Traffic Signal Control at Mid-block Pedestrian Crossings

Improving the Performance of Traffic Signal Control at Mid-block Pedestrian Crossings

Pedestrian crossing light violation in Costa Rica: exploring factors affecting mid-block crossing behavior

It is necessary to analyze pedestrian behavior at crossings to improve their safety and mobility. Mid-block pedestrian crossings are structures that facilitate the mobility of pedestrians, safeguarding them from vehicular traffic; however, illegal crossing by pedestrians is an everyday occurrence and represents a risk to their safety. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between different human and road factors and the decision to illegally cross signalized mid-block crossings. Several human factors such as age, gender, waiting time in traffic light, use of the pushbutton and individual or group crossing, as well as road characteristics such as the length of traffic light phase, length of crossing, and vehicular volume were analyzed. To collect information about these variables this study recorded a one-hour video in six selected crosswalks within the Montes de Oca County in Costa Rica. A total of 1,707 crossings were recorded, 10.6% of which corresponded to instances of illegal crossing. After applying a logit model, this research found that traffic volume, pedestrian red-light time, waiting time, vehicle illegal crossing and group crossings reduced the probability of violations by pedestrians. On the other hand, minimum traffic light time and crossing length increased the possibility of pedestrian illegal crossings. This study concluded that the traffic light cycle is an important variable that must be rigorously analyzed to ensure pedestrian's compliance with traffic lights, which will improve the safety of the pedestrian mid-block crossings.

Utjecaj gradnje uzdignutih pješačkih prijelaza na uvjete prometovanja gradskim prometnicama

One of solutions that is often used in recent times in street networks is vertical shift in pavement level at mid-block pedestrian crossings. This measure is aimed at reducing vehicle speed and increasing the motorist yield rate. Research results about the influence of raised mid-block pedestrian crossings on pedestrian and driver behaviour are presented through analysis of traffic flow parameters. The research was conducted at a mid-block signalised pedestrian crossing prior to and after rehabilitation of that crossing.

EFFECT OF ALIROCUMAB ON FIRST AND TOTAL REVASCULARIZATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH RECENT ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME IN THE ODYSSEY OUTCOMES TRIAL

Background On urban roads, road users interact in a highly complex environment. Few previous multivariable studies investigated the association between the built urban environment (including the road, roadside and human activity) and crashes. Roadside design and amenities and facilities that impact road user movements were rarely considered. This research aimed to identify characteristics of the built urban environment associated with the frequency of pedestrian-vehicle casualty crashes (PVC) on shopping strips in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Methods The study had a cross-sectional design. Strip shopping arterial road segments in Melbourne, Australia, were identified (n = 142). Data were collected for a broad range of potential risk factors relating to the road, roadside and human activity. Analysis using Poisson regression identified factors associated with PVC frequency. Diagnostic tests were conducted to assess model fit. Results From 2005 to 2009 there were 519 (median = 5.4/km) PVC on the 142 midblock road segments. Aspects of the built environment associated with increased PVC frequency were: road width, unsignalised intersections, medians or traffic islands, midblock pedestrian crossings, roadside development height, off-street parking facilities, establishments with a late night liquor license, railway stations and tertiary education institutions. Lane width and parking clearways were associated with significant reductions in PVC. Speed limits were associated with PVC in a non-linear fashion. There was no association between traffic volume or estimated pedestrian activity and PVC. Conclusions A range of risk factors were related to PVC on strip shopping road segments including traditionally studied characteristics like road design and less commonly studied aspects such as the roadside and facilities and amenities on the road segment. This study can contribute to the design of PVC countermeasures and better risk assessment tools for urban road segments.

A Study of Effectiveness of Midblock Pedestrian Crossings: Analyzing a Selection of High-Visibility Warning Signs

The purpose of this paper is to examine a selection of different high-visibility pedestrian warning signs at midblock crossings and summarize the most effective options, where effectiveness is measured by pedestrian safety. Four locations are observed. Effectiveness is measured by the vehicle yield percentage, the pedestrian conflicts, and pedestrian wait time. The findings largely concur with previous literature, concluding that speed and road width are important factors in determining a driver’s likeliness to yield. This paper also hypothesizes that signage on both sides of the roadway and overhead signage also makes a positive visibility impact.

A Study of Effectiveness of Midblock Pedestrian Crossings

The purpose of this paper is to examine a selection of different high-visibility pedestrian warning signs at midblock crossings and summarize the most effective options, where effectiveness is measured by pedestrian safety. Four locations are observed. Effectiveness is measured by the vehicle yield percentage, the pedestrian conflicts, and pedestrian wait time. The findings largely concur with previous literature, concluding that speed and road width are important factors in determining a driver's likeliness to yield. This paper also hypothesizes that signage on both sides of the roadway and overhead signage also makes a positive visibility impact.

Control Strategy for Vehicular and Pedestrian Midblock Crossing Movements

Abstract On major corridors where mid-block pedestrian crossing exists, traffic flows are frequently interrupted by pedestrian crossing movements. The pedestrian crossings operated by manual control may cause vehicular movements experience unexpected stops and excess travel delay. Specifically in developing countries, the signal timing and pedestrian crossing operations are intuitively judged by individual police patrols or crossing guards. The objectives of this study are (i) to examine the decision mechanism of the crossing guards; (ii) to develop the simulation models that replicate the crossing guard control at midblock pedestrian crossings and evaluate their operational performances; and (iii) to determine the most reasonable and viable control strategy that balances the mobility of vehicular and pedestrian flows. This study proposes a fuzzy logic control strategy to analyse the optimal traffic signal setting for pedestrian crossing signals along an urban corridor. The fuzzy logic signal control is used to characterize subjective and imprecise decision made by police patrols. It is applicable to deal with a complex traffic condition. The study tests the proposed scheme with the real-world congested corridor in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Traffic data were collected from the field during the peak period; and the opinions of the judgment rules were gathered from the police patrols. The study used a microscopic traffic simulation to evaluate the measures of effectiveness of the proposed control strategy and compare its performance with the conventional pedestrian crossing signal including fixed-time and demand-actuated signal operation. The expected results of this study are (i) an alternative approach to control traffic signals for both vehicular and pedestrian flows; and (ii) a simulation-based environment that can evaluate vehicular and pedestrian performance measures.

Study of pedestrian hybrid beacon's effectiveness for motorists at midblock pedestrian crossings

Abstract Pedestrian signals, particularly at signalized, midblock crossings, delay drivers, which is termed “unnecessary delay” in this study. A pedestrian hybrid beacon was proven to be effective in decreasing this unnecessary delay to the drivers at midblock pedestrian crossings when compared to standard signalized midblock crossings. Two pedestrian hybrid beacons were installed at midblock pedestrian crossings in Lawrence, Kansas. A study was conducted at these two locations to determine the effectiveness of the pedestrian hybrid beacon in decreasing the unnecessary delay to drivers by comparing them with a signalized midblock on Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, Kansas. In addition to the delay measurements for drivers at pedestrian hybrid beacon and signalized treatment at midblock pedestrian crossings, other parameters such as driver compliance rate, pedestrian compliance rate, and other driver and pedestrian characteristics were also studied. Video cameras were used at these test locations and the effectiveness of the pedestrian hybrid beacon was analyzed from the video. A more than 90% reduction in delays was observed for the drivers at the pedestrian hybrid beacon at midblock crossings compared to the signalized crossing. Further, a better driver compliance rate was also recorded at the pedestrian hybrid beacon. Information about reductions in unnecessary delay to drivers and improvements to driver and pedestrian compliance rates from the use of pedestrian hybrid beacons would be useful to engineers, decision makers, and researchers to determine an optimum treatment at desired pedestrian crossings.

Effect of Beacon Activation and Traffic Volume on Driver Yielding Behavior at Rapid Flashing Beacons

Several methods have been used to emphasize the presence of a pedestrian crossing, including one that supplements signage with beacons or embedded LEDs. Rapidly flashing beacons constitute one type of treatment used at midblock pedestrian crossings to bring drivers’ attention to a crossing pedestrian. This study evaluated the effect of the activation of the beacon and traffic volumes on driver yielding behavior when a crossing pedestrian was present. Rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) and circular rapid-flashing beacons (CRFBs) were installed at 12 sites in four cities. At approximately half of the study sites, RRFBs were initially installed and later replaced with CRFBs. At the other study sites, CRFBs were initially installed and later replaced with RRFBs. The same flash pattern was used for both beacon shapes. Driver yielding rates were compared between pedestrian crossings when a beacon was activated and when it was not. The results of the analysis showed that when a beacon, whether rectangular or circular, was activated, a driver was 3.68 times more likely to yield to pedestrians than when the beacon was not activated. The results of an analysis of the relationship between traffic volume and driver yielding indicated that driver yielding behavior was not influenced by traffic volume at the study sites.

Pedestrian temporal and spatial gap acceptance at mid-block street crossing in developing world

IntroductionMost of the midblock pedestrian crossings on urban roads in India are uncontrolled; wherein the high degree of discretion in pedestrians' behavior while crossing the traffic stream, has made the situation complex to analyze. Vehicles do not yield to pedestrians, even though the traffic laws give priority to pedestrians over motorized vehicles at unsignalized pedestrian crossings. Therefore, a pedestrian has to decide if an available gap is safe or not for crossing. MethodThis paper aims to investigate pedestrian temporal and spatial gap acceptance for midblock street crossings. Field data were collected using video camera at two midblock pedestrian crossings. The data extraction in laboratory resulted in 1107 pedestrian gaps. Available gaps, pedestrians' decision, traffic volume, etc. were extracted from the videos. While crossing a road with multiple lanes, rolling gap acceptance behavior was observed. Using binary logit analysis, six utility models were developed, three each for temporal and spatial gaps. Results and conclusionsThe 50th percentile temporal and spatial gaps ranged from 4.1 to 4.8s and 67 to 79m respectively, whereas the 85th percentile temporal and spatial gaps ranged from 5 to 5.8s and 82 to 95m respectively. These gap values were smaller than that reported in the studies in developed countries. The speed of conflicting vehicle was found to be significant in spatial gap but not in temporal gap acceptance. The gap acceptance decision was also found to be affected by the type of conflicting vehicles. Practical applicationsThe insights from this study can be used for the safety and performance evaluation of uncontrolled midblock street crossings in developing countries.

Evaluating Driver and Pedestrian Behaviors at Enhanced, Multilane, Midblock Pedestrian Crossings

This study examined driver and pedestrian behaviors at two enhanced midblock pedestrian crossings in Portland, Oregon. One crossing was at a five-lane arterial with a posted speed of 35 mph and featured eight rectangular rapid flash beacon (RRFB) assemblies and a narrow median refuge. The other crossing was at a suburban arterial with a posted speed of 40 mph, four travel lanes, and a two-way left-turn lane. The crossing was enhanced with four RRFB assemblies and a median island with a Z-crossing, or Danish offset, designed to encourage pedestrians to face oncoming traffic before they completed the second stage of their crossing. Approximately 62 h of video was collected at the two locations. A total of 351 pedestrian crossings were analyzed for driver compliance (yielding) rates, pedestrian activation rates, pedestrian delay, and conflict avoidance maneuvers. The suburban arterial crossing was also evaluated to determine its effectiveness at diverting pedestrians to cross at the crossing instead of away from the crosswalk, as well as pedestrian compliance with the Z-crossing. The study found that average driver yield rates at both sites were slightly greater than 90% when the RRFB was activated, consistent with previous studies. RRFB actuation rates ranged from 83% to more than 90%. The results also showed that approximately 52% of all crossings at the marked crosswalk at the second location were made by diverted pedestrians and that the enhanced crossing captured about 82% of all crossings near the crosswalk. Finally, approximately 52% of the pedestrians who used the crosswalk followed the Z-crossing pattern through the median.

Influence of Midblock Pedestrian Crossings on Urban Street Capacity

The design of pedestrian crossings is a complex problem that must consider various factors. The basic criterion for determining the choice of a particular type of pedestrian crossing is traffic safety. To improve traffic safety, typical zebra crossings are being reconstructed, usually with implementation of refuge median islands or traffic signals. However, traffic engineers cannot properly take into account the influence of a type of pedestrian crossing on capacity and traffic progression as negative consequences for both pedestrians and vehicles. A study was conducted on the influence of various types of midblock pedestrian crossings on road capacity. Zebra crossings, crossings with refuge median islands, and signalized crosswalks were analyzed. For the evaluation, a simulation model was built in VISSIM and calibrated with research results on driver and pedestrian behavior. Empirical research confirmed the strong influence of regulations and pedestrian crossing types on the behavior of drivers. The results show that willingness to give right of way on urban streets influences capacity reduction and delays. Taking as a basic criterion overall delay for both vehicles and pedestrians, volume limits for implementation of a pedestrian crossing with a median island or traffic signals are proposed.

Illegal mid-block pedestrian crossings in China: gap acceptance, conflict and crossing path analysis

China has experienced unprecedented economic growth and changes in urban form in the past decades. Increased urbanisation and motorisation puts pedestrians and automobiles at greater conflict. Because of China's long urban blocks (superblocks), many conflicts occur mid-block at informal or illegal crossings. This study focuses on factors influencing mid-block crossing and gap acceptance. We remotely observed illegal mid-block crossing of a six-lane urban arterial in Kunming, China, tracking 522 accepted gaps and 152 rejected gaps in a two-stage crossing (roadside to median and median to roadside). We fit a probit discrete outcome model to the data to estimate environmental determinants of gap acceptance (and rejection) behaviour, including gap size, vehicle speed, time waiting and gap lane position. We also estimate a conflict model, focusing on parameters that influence the probability of vehicle speed changes or lane deviations.

Signal Timing Optimization Models for Two-Stage Midblock Pedestrian Crossing

Finding an optimal signal timing plan is one of the most critical operational issues for signalized two-stage midblock crossings, which are increasingly being installed in highly populated areas in developing countries, such as China. In this paper, three signalization control types (simultaneous, progressive, and separate signalization) for two-stage midblock pedestrian crossings are proposed. Both vehicular traffic and pedestrian movements are considered in a unified framework by solving two problems: the optimization of cycle length and the optimization of offsets. The cycle length optimization problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming problem to minimize the cycle length with constraints of the maximum acceptable degree of saturation of vehicle movements, the minimum clearance time, the pedestrian green time, and the maximum number of pedestrians waiting on a central refuge island. The optimization problem of the offset of the two-stage pedestrian signal is also formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming problem to provide the maximum green bandwidth for two successive pedestrian crossings. A VISSIM simulation and a case study in Shanghai, China, were carried out to validate the proposed models. The proposed models are promising in determining the signalization control type and optimizing the signal timings of two-stage midblock pedestrian crossings. Analysis of the sensitivity of the performance of the system was also conducted to assist traffic engineers with selecting appropriate signalization control types and acceptable degrees of saturation. The results from this study offer a basis for traffic practitioners, researchers, and authorities to design and assess signal plans for two-stage midblock pedestrian crossings.

Methodology for Evaluating the Safety of Midblock Pedestrian Crossings

Spatial and temporal characteristics of midblock pedestrian crashes (MBPCs) were evaluated toward a better understanding of where and when the MBPCs occur. Existing databases related to traffic crashes were used. Other data used include traffic and geometric characteristics of the roadways under consideration as well as analyses of pedestrian and driver behaviors. General statistical analysis methods were used to evaluate various hypotheses. The statistical Z-test was used to evaluate the age and gender distribution, light condition, fatalities, and alcohol- or drug-use–related characteristics involved in MBPCs. The results correlated these factors with the potential for the occurrence of MBPCs. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used as a nonparametric test to compare the safety of midblock crossings with the safety of crossings at intersections. The methodology was tested and validated using midblock locations in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The results indicate that there is a significantly lower potential for conflict if pedestrians cross at an intersection instead of crossing at a midblock location. Although this methodology was applied to data from the Las Vegas metropolitan area, it is applicable to evaluating the safety of MBPC anywhere else, provided that appropriate data are available.

User Preference for Fluorescent Strong Yellow-Green Pedestrian Crossing Signs

Strong yellow-green (SYG) is one of the unassigned colors listed in the FHWA’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Fluorescent SYG is promising because it appears to be more conspicuous in low-light conditions than conventional yellow signing materials. FHWA has conducted an extensive evaluation of SYG used for signs that warn drivers of nonmotorized hazards. North Carolina State University conducted one of the largest evaluations of SYG signs. The evaluation consisted of three parts: a traffic conflict study, a laboratory study, and a survey of pedestrians and drivers. The survey assessed driver perceptions of SYG warning signs at midblock pedestrian crossings. The researchers conducted the survey at four locations, which differed in pedestrian activities and saturation of pedestrian crossing signs. The study found that respondents thought that the SYG signs were more conspicuous, induced greater alertness in road users, and had a stronger association with caution. The respondents indicated that the aesthetic impact of the signs on the surroundings was no worse than that of standard yellow signs, and they generally recommended the use of SYG signs even when they were informed that the costs may be higher. The researchers also found that increases in travel frequency through the area in which the SYG signs were installed and increases in driving through that area in poor light conditions increased a respondent’s chances for noticing the SYG signs. Women and drivers between the ages of 36 and 45 generally gave SYG signs higher ratings than did other drivers. The results of this survey are described.