Number Of Traffic Lanes Research Articles

The Attitudes of Pedestrians when Using Crosswalks with Distinct Traffic Lanes: A Case Study on Chaeng Watthana Road, Lat Krabang Road, and Kingkaeo Road

One of the most important modes of transportation in cities and suburbs is walking. In large urban areas, walking reduces traffic congestion. However, data indicates that Bangkok is responsible for 1 in 3 pedestrian accidents per year, with an average of 900 such incidents taking place there. Furthermore, based on data collected from 2013 to 2017, car-pedestrian collisions are categorized by the highest severity index due to the average of 55 fatalities per 100 accidents. These statistics show that there are, on average, 740 pedestrian-vehicle incidents annually. The data indicates that to lower the number of pedestrian fatalities, walking mode needs to be enhanced. Consequently, the investigator was interested in determining how crossing facilities and people's attitudes are related. The goal of this research is to examine significant variables that influence how pedestrians feel about crossing the street. A questionnaire was used to collect data, which was separated into two sections: attitude about crossing the road and attitude regarding safety when crossing the road. The study's sample crosswalks are located on Chaeng Watthana Road, Lat Krabang Road, and King Kaew Road. Descriptive statistics and linear regression were employed in the analysis to consider social characteristics, variables related to past road crossing experience, variables regarding attitudes toward using road crossings, and variables regarding crossing facilities. Results from 412 questionnaires show that the number of traffic lanes, vehicle volume and vehicle speed were determined to be the primary factors significantly reducing the attitude of security that one feels when crossing the street. Furthermore, the outcomes held up when descriptive statistics were used for analysis. It was discovered that push-button traffic lights had the biggest influence on attitudes of safety when it came to attitudes regarding crossing facilities.

Method of comparative assessment of urban agglomeration transportation connectivity and ways to improve it in the context of sustainable development goals

Aim. To conduct a comparative assessment of the capacity of bridge and tunnel crossings across the Neva River in St. Petersburg and across the Thames in London, and to present proposals for improving transport connectivity in large cities on the basis of its results.Objectives. To determine the parameters of bridge and tunnel crossings (number, length, number of traffic lanes, traffic light regulation, speed limits, etc.); to calculate the capacity of bridge and tunnel crossings for public and private transport; to compare the results obtained; to present specific proposals and conclusions.Methods. The method of modeling channels and interaction constraints between blocks (subgraphs, clusters, regions, etc.) separated by some obstacle, in this case — a river, is used. The characteristics of such channels are compared, in this case — the capacity of bridges and tunnels. Throughput capacity for motor transport is calculated according to SP 396.1325800.2018 “Streets and roads of settlements. Rules of urban planning design”, for public transport — by multiplying the number of trips by the passenger capacity of vehicles. The cost of construction of pedestrian bridges is calculated according to the standards specified in the order of the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation № 113, with the application of an increasing coefficient.Results. Calculations have shown that the total capacity of bridges over the Neva River in St. Petersburg exceeds the same indicator for London. At the same time, the difference in population and status of the city suggests that the load on London’s transportation infrastructure should be higher. Three possible explanations for this finding are given, one of which is the availability of alternative infrastructure in London to provide transportation connectivity between the banks of the Thames, in particular pedestrian bridges. Four sites for the construction of such bridges in St. Petersburg are suggested. The calculations indicate that the socio-economic effect will allow to recoup the cost of creating the bridges within 50 years, if each bridge will have 17.5 thousand crossings per day. In addition, a new formulation of the definition of transportation connectivity is proposed.Conclusions. The existing bridge infrastructure of St. Petersburg exceeds the London bridge infrastructure in terms of capacity for passenger cars. At the same time, the London transport system serves a much larger agglomeration and therefore seems more efficient to the author of the article. The author sees the reasons for this as the spread of dedicated lanes for public transport in London, insufficient use of the potential of the streetcar in St. Petersburg and the spread of alternative ways of crossing the Thames in London. Of these alternatives, the construction of bicycle-pedestrian bridges seems to be the best for St. Petersburg. Eight additional conclusions, observations and recommendations regarding traffic management and public transport are presented.

Contributing factors to near-miss experiences of motorcyclists in Thailand: A random parameter probit model approach

Road accidents cause a large number of deaths, especially in Thailand. When considered in depth, motorcycles account for the highest percentage of fatalities. According to Heinrich's Safety Triangle Model, a decrease in near misses will reduce the number of road accidents. There is still a lack of studies on risky behaviors contributing to near misses involving motorcycles. This study aims to comprehend the various factors that influence the frequency of near-miss experiences using a questionnaire on near-miss incidents. The contributing factors include road factors (e.g., road surface, number of traffic lanes, speed limit), environmental factors (e.g., driving at night), and driver factors (e.g., using a phone while driving). Of the 2002 respondents, a total of 1547 people have occasionally experienced a near-miss incident. A random parameter probit model (RPOP) was used for analyzing the relationship between the contributing factors and the near-miss frequency, and model statistics clearly confirm that RPOPs that import only significant variables are the most suitable models. The study found 14 factors that affect near-miss frequency, and there are 5 variables that are random parameters. Variables that increase the chance of a near-miss incident include driving at night (both with and without lights), roads with concrete road surfaces, and roads with unclear lane markings. This study provides policy recommendations for relevant agencies that were identified to reduce near-miss motorcycle accidents.

Дослідження математичної моделі стійкості транспортного потоку на ділянках дорожньої мережі міста

The paper presents the results of the research of the mathematical model of the stability of the traffic flow on the sections of the city's street and road network when external factors change. Based on the modeling results, it is proposed to divide all factors affecting the stability of the traffic flow into three groups. The first group of factors characterizes the construction of the vehicle: the length of the vehicle, the weight of the vehicle, the power of the engine. The second group of factors is called time factors, which take into account: the driver's reaction time to a change in the road situation; time for a maneuver that can be used by the car in case of a change in the road situation; the total time of delays while driving along the route. The third group of factors takes into account the peculiarities of the construction of the infrastructure of the road environment. Such factors include: the number of traffic lanes on the roadway; the number of pedestrian crossings and traffic lights. Based on the results of modeling, a rating of factors affecting the amount of traffic flow stability margin is presented. The simulation results proved that, in the first place, the impact on the loss of stability of the traffic flow is the time for the maneuver that the car can use in the event of a change in the road situation and the number of pedestrian crossings and traffic lights on the controlled section of the road. When the listed factors change, the robustness criterion has minimal values. In second place in terms of influence on is a group of factors that take into account the driver's reaction time to a change in the road situation and the number of traffic lanes on the roadway. In third place is a group of factors that take into account the length of the car and the weight of the car. It is proved that the mathematical model of traffic flow stability has limitations regarding its application. The limitations are related to the definition of the initial data for the simulation. It is necessary to determine the flow density on the controlled section of the road network. In addition, statistically determined values are the reaction time of drivers to a change in the road situation and the presence of pedestrian crossings and traffic lights on the controlled section of the road.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE CAPACITY OF THE ROAD NETWORK

Full-scale studies of the movement of vehicles on the street and road network of large cities have been carried out. It is revealed that a large number of realignments are observed during the movement of vehicles, as factors affecting the capacity of the road network. The quantitative characteristics of car rebuilds before relocations are determined. The dependence of the number of vehicle realignments on the number of traffic lanes and the location of the vehicle in a particular lane has been established. The obtained research results should be taken into account when determining the duration of traffic light regulation cycles at intersections.
 Purpose – determination of the number of realignments as factors affecting the capacity of the road network.
 Methodology statistical methods of processing a full-scale experiment were used in the work.
 Results: quantitative characteristics of realignments depending on the number of lanes and the composition of traffic flows are obtained.
 Practical implications it is advisable to apply the obtained results in the regulation of road traffic by technical means of traffic management.

Pedestrian Safety and Transit Corridors

This research examines the relationship between pedestrian accident locations on state-owned facilities (highways and urban arterials) and the presence of riders loading and alighting from bus transit. Many state facilities are important metropolitan transit corridors with large numbers of bus stops users, resulting in increased exposure of pedestrians to traffic and in increased numbers of collisions. The research also examines the association between pedestrian collisions and other travel generators (concentrations of retail activity and housing) as well as environmental conditions (wide roadways, high traffic volumes, and high speed limits).Based on a retrospective sampling approach and logistic regression models, the study shows that bus stop usage is associated with pedestrian collisions along state facilities. Less strong, but significant associations exist between retail location and size, traffic volume, and number of traffic lanes, and locations with high levels of pedestrian-vehicle collisions. The findings suggest that facilities with high numbers of bus riders need to accommodate people walking safely along and across the roadway. They support the development of state DOT programs for multimodal facilities, which integrate travel modes in major regional facilities within local suburban communities and pay specific attention to the role of transit in shaping the demand for nonmotorized travel on the facilities.

ПРОБЛЕМАТИКА ЕКСПЛУАТАЦІЙНОЇ ДОВГОВІЧНОСТІ ТЕХНІЧНИХ ЗАСОБІВ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ ДОРОЖНЬОГО РУХУ

Introduction. The efficiency of road transport functioning greatly depends on the technical level and condition of roads. Modern roads must ensure traffic safety. Also, it has to be considered that the transport and operational level of a modern road is determined not only by the combination of geometric elements of the route, the number of traffic lanes, the condition of the roadway and roadsides, but also the engineering equipment of the road. Mostly, traffic safety requirements are met dut to a wide and skillful use of engineering equipment. Modern standards include, among other things, technical means of traffic control of the roads. Problem statement. The impact of various factors on the durability of polymeric materials Purpose. Solving the issues of operational durability of technical means of traffic control. Materials and methods. Theoretical and empirical methods of scientific researches are used to analyze the impact of various factors on the durability of polymeric materials. Results. The analysis of foreign researches concerning the impact of various factors, and especially ultraviolet radiation on durability of polymeric materials is performed. Conclusions. When conducting tests on artificial aging in order to predict changes in the properties of polymeric materials, it is necessary first of all to select and justify the simulated external factors and their maximum values. When determining the allowable amplification of the selected external factor as compared to its influence under operating conditions, it is necessary to be guided by the following: at the maximum value of the external aging factor in artificial conditions, the physical and chemical aging processes must be identical to those occurring in real operating conditions. Since, taking into account this condition, we will be able to obtain the most qualitative and accurate indicators.

Factors Affecting Red-Light Running of Pedestrians at Signalized Intersections

Hundreds of pedestrians have died and many have been injured in the past decades as a result of Red Light Running (RLR) infractions. According to the United States Department of Transportation, 846 pedestrians have died and 143,000 have been injured in 2019 due to RLR violations. The majority of previous studies have focused on pedestrian behavior at an intersection, whereas only a few have looked into pedestrian RLR violations. The main objectives of this research are to find the pedestrians’ RLR rate in Sri Lanka and to find ways to reduce the RLR rate of pedestrians at the signalized crossing. Video observation surveys were conducted to collect data at three signalized intersections within Kandy city limits during weekdays for two hours per site. Pedestrian demographic variables such as gender and age; crossing characteristics such as crossing type, direction, crossing speed etc; and site characteristics such as crossing length, pedestrian green time, etc. were recorded. Chi-square and binary logistic regression tests were done. Results showed that out of 178 females, 130 had compliance with signal phases and out of 386 males, only 215 had compliance with RLR of a pedestrian. Furthermore, other independent variables such as age, crossing type, direction etc. were also associated with compliance RLR of pedestrians under Chi-square results. Based on the results of binary logistic regression, the variables such as gender, crossing type, number of traffic lanes, and pedestrian speed are significant when decreasing the log of probability -0.658, -3.040, -1.022 and -2.556 of compliance for RLR respectively. Variables that crosswalk utilization are also significant when increasing the log of probability of RLR 1.406 of compliance for RLR. The results would help develop safer pedestrian infrastructures and engineering countermeasures as well as assist the researchers and practitioners in better understanding pedestrian crossing behavior at signalized intersections. KEYWORDS:Pedestrian’s violation,Road safety, Signalized crosswalk, Red-light running.

Modeling the accident prediction for at-grade highway-rail crossings

Abstract Since accidents at highway-rail at-grade crossings (HRGCs) are often catastrophic, safety prediction and evaluation at such locations are of great importance. In this paper, at-grade crossing inventory data and historical accident data were obtained from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA’s) Office of Safety online databases. The HRGC railroad and highway characteristics were selected as the influencing variables. Considering HRGC accidents are over-dispersed count data with excessive zeros, six count data models, including the Poisson model, negative binomial model (NB), zero-inflated Poisson model (ZIP), zero-inflated negative binomial model (ZINB), hurdle Poisson (HP) model, and hurdle negative binomial model (HNB) were investigated and developed for accident prediction. The ZINB model outperformed the other five models in terms of the goodness-of-fit, zero inflations, and statistical significance of factors. The most significant contributing factors in the ZINB model included the maximum timetabled speed of train, exposure-related variables such as total through trains, highway traffic volume, rural or urban area, and the type of control devices at HRGCs, followed by the minimum speed of train, highway paved or not, and the number of traffic lanes. This study could assist decision-makers with more robust safety evaluation at highway-rail at-grade crossings.

Solid safety barriers as a highway traffic noise reduction strategy

Placing solid safety barriers (concrete crash barriers) along a highway, instead of steel guard rail, can help reduce traffic generated noise at nearby sensitive sites. The effectiveness of these barriers on traffic noise levels is dependent on the height of the barrier, the number of traffic lanes, vehicle mix, and the elevation of the receiver relative to the barrier. The effect of solid safety barriers for sites at a variety of distances from a highway has been investigated for both city streets and freeways of various widths using the U.S. Federal Highway Administration Traffic Noise Model (TNM). TNM predicted noise level reductions, attributable to solid safety barriers, were developed for research scenarios in locations with both hard soil and lawn ground types. Results show a readily perceptible and sometimes substantial noise reduction at sites within a few hundred feet of the roadway.

A systematic approach for microscopic models based on cellular automata for road traffic

The transportation infrastructure is one of the most important resources for a country's economic and social well-being. The effectiveness of a country's street network will decide whether it develops further or stagnates. With the increasing number of vehicles on the road and the effects of urbanization, traffic roads are being subjected to a variety of requests and uses for which they were not designed, sized, or predicted. Because of the critical relevance of traffic roads, research must begin to lessen the effects of traffic jams in the streets, determine the appropriate number of traffic lanes, and integrate real-time traffic information into GPS systems. The goal of modeling a traffic-road system is to either build new traffic systems or gain a better knowledge of existing traffic systems so that they can be optimized. The accuracy, performance, stochastic and dynamic behavior of the model produced will be evaluated using a simulation of a genuine traffic system. This paper provides microscopic models based on cellular automation to replicate the behavior of various automobiles on a set of urban streets in Cluj Napoca city downtown. This model includes streets with multiple traffic lanes, various types of vehicles such as automobiles, buses, and trams, intersections with multiple possible upcoming streets controlled by traffic lights, bus stops inside and outside the traffic lane, tram stops inside the traffic lane, pedestrian crosswalks, and parking areas alongside and transversely with the right traffic lane of a street. TCA (Traffic Cellular Automata) is a proposed model that produces adequate findings in urban traffic theory. The results were obtained in both free-flow and traffic-jam conditions.

The Impact of Uncertainty on Pedestrians’ Decision to Start Roadway Crossing during the Clearance Phase

Clearance phase at signalized crosswalks is an important parameter of pedestrians’ safety because it helps them to complete the crossing before the green signal for vehicles. However, there is the issue of pedestrian decision as to whether to cross if they arrive at the crosswalk during the clearance phase, which represents a violation in many countries. Due to the proof that pedestrian violations multiply the risk of traffic accidents, in this study, the tendency of pedestrians to commit violations during the clearance time has been researched. With the aim of proposing the design of the pedestrian traffic lights, which could decrease the frequency of pedestrian violations, the comparison of pedestrians behaviour at crosswalks with and without a countdown timer during the clearance time was made, based on the data collected in the video recording. Chi square independency test showed that there is a statistically significant difference in the behaviour of pedestrians during the clearance time, depending on the existence of the timer, as well as the fact that pedestrians behave in a safer manner if there is no clearance time shown on the timer. The total delay rate on the roadway during the red signal, which was the consequence of starting the crossing during the clearance time or subsequent violations, was 1.3 times higher at the crosswalks with the countdown timer. This research was unique because for the first time, two-phase pedestrian crossings on the roadway with the median refuge island in the sense of clearance time were analysed, in spite of the previous proof that pedestrians are more likely to commit violations during the red signal in that kind of roadway. Another novelty in the research was pedestrians following till the end of crossing, due to the possibility of subsequent violations. With the means of binary logistic regression, different factors which affect pedestrians’ behaviour during the clearance time have been determined and they differ depending on the existence of the timer. At the pedestrian crosswalks with the timer, contributing factors have been determined, such as gender, the number of waiting pedestrians, distractions, arrival time, and age. If there is no timer, the contributing factors are the following: the number of crossing pedestrians, distractions, group, position of pedestrians in relation to the vehicle, the number of traffic lanes, and age. Based on the obtained results, a new design of the pedestrian traffic lights was proposed.

Failure modeling of water distribution pipelines using meta-learning algorithms

Population growth and urbanization worldwide entail the need for continuous renewal plans for urban water distribution networks. Hence, understanding the long-term performance and predicting the service life of water pipelines are essential for facilitating early replacement, avoiding economic losses, and ensuring safe transportation of drinking water from treatment plants to consumers. However, developing a suitable model that can be used for cases where data are insufficient or incomplete remains challenging. Herein, a new advanced meta-learning paradigm based on deep neural networks is introduced. The developed model is used to predict the risk index of pipe failure. The effects of different factors that are considered essential for the deterioration modeling of water pipelines are first examined. The factors include seasonal climatic variation, chlorine content, traffic conditions, pipe material, and the spatial characteristics of water pipes. The results suggest that these factors contribute to estimating the likelihood of failure in water distribution pipelines. The presence of chlorine residual and the number of traffic lanes are the most critical factors, followed by road type, spatial characteristics, month index, traffic type, precipitation, temperature, number of breaks, and pipe depth. The proposed approach can accommodate limited, high-dimensional, and partially observed data and can be applied to any water distribution system.

A probabilistic framework for life-cycle cost analysis of bridge decks constructed with different reinforcement alternatives

Reinforced concrete bridge decks with conventional reinforcement may experience deterioration due to deicing salts or marine environmental conditions. Routine maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair activities are implemented to maintain an acceptable performance level. In addition to the significant financial resources required to conduct these activities, traffic congestions at work zones can lead to an increase in delays and crash risk for road network users, as well as other environmental and social impacts. These user costs arising from traffic congestions can be significantly higher than the cost of maintenance, rehabilitation, and repair activities. Despite the higher initial unit cost, bridge decks constructed with corrosion resistant reinforcement can provide a longer service life and require less maintenance activities. Accordingly, from a life-cycle cost perspective, corrosion resistant reinforcement could be a better alternative compared to conventional reinforcement for bridge decks. This paper presents a probabilistic framework to estimate the life-cycle cost associated with bridge decks constructed with different reinforcement alternatives. The framework accounts for reinforcement deterioration to evaluate the maintenance activity timeline considering influential corrosion-related parameters (e.g., reinforcement type, concrete cover, and bridge location, among others). Key attributes affecting traffic delays, including traffic volume, number of lanes, and vehicular queuing, are also included in the framework. Monte Carlo simulation is used to predict the corrosion-induced cracking time, service life of the bridge deck, and the life-cycle cost under uncertainty. A bridge located in Pennsylvania is used as an illustrative example to demonstrate the application of the proposed framework. The results show that the concrete cover, chloride exposure condition, average daily traffic, and number of traffic lanes have a significant effect on the life-cycle cost of reinforced concrete bridge decks; especially for those constructed with conventional reinforcement. The presented framework can be beneficial in selecting the optimum bridge deck reinforcement type from a life-cycle cost perspective.

Pedestrians’ Crossing Dilemma during the First Seconds of the Red-Light Phase

Most safety concerns for pedestrian trips arise during road crossing, due to the interaction of pedestrians with motorized vehicles. This present paper attempts to explore the factors that have significant impact on pedestrians’ crossing behavior, and to identify the group of pedestrians that appear to be the most prone to crossing a road during the first five seconds of the red phase. In this context, observations were conducted in twelve signalized crossings in one-way roads, in the city of Thessaloniki, Greece. The collected data (600 observations of crossing pedestrians) were analyzed statistically; more specifically, the observations were analyzed through descriptive statistics, and a classification tree was developed for predicting pedestrians’ decisions. The results indicate that pedestrians’ crossing behavior is most of all affected by the behavior of other pedestrians in the signalized crossing. Also, the number of traffic lanes has an impact on pedestrians’ decision to cross the road during the first five seconds of the red-light phase.

Analysing the main and interaction effects of commercial vehicle mix and roadway attributes on crash rates using a Bayesian random-parameter Tobit model

In previous research, the effects of commercial vehicle proportions (CVP) on overall crash propensity have been found to be significant, but the results have been varied in terms of the effect direction. In addition, the mediating or moderating effects of roadway attributes on the CVP-vs-safety relationships, have not been investigated. In addressing this gap in the literature, this study integrates databases on crashes, traffic, and inventory for Hong Kong road segments spanning 2014–2017. The classes of commercial vehicles considered are public buses, taxi, and light-, medium- and heavy-goods vehicles. Random-parameter Tobit models were estimated using the crash rates. The results suggest that the CVP of each class show credible effects on the crash rates, for the various crash severity levels. The results also suggest that the interaction between CVP and roadway attributes is credible enough to mediate the effect of CVP on crash rates, and the magnitude and direction of such mediation varies across the vehicle classes, crash severity levels, and roadway attribute type in four ways. First, the increasing effect of taxi proportion on slight-injury crash rate is magnified at road segments with high intersection density. Second, the increasing effect of light-goods vehicle proportion on slight-injury crash rate is magnified at road segments with on-street parking. Third, the association between the medium- and heavy-goods vehicle proportion and killed/severe injury (KSI) crash rate, is moderated by the roadway width (number of traffic lanes). Finally, a higher proportion of medium- and heavy-goods vehicles generally contributes to increased KSI crash rate at road segments with high intersection density. Overall, the findings of this research are expected not only to help guide commercial vehicle enforcement strategy, licensing policy, and lane control measures, but also to review existing urban roadway designs to enhance safety.

Reliability performance of bridges designed according to TMH7 NA load model

The current code of practice for the design of highway bridges in South Africa is called Technical Methods for Highways 7 (TMH7). It was first published in 1981 and is largely based on the loading provisions of the BS5400. The purpose of this study is to carry out an investigation into the reliability performance of new highway bridges designed according to TMH7. Past studies have identified deficiencies in the traffic load model. A case study considering isolated traffic load effects and sagging moment on a simply supported bridge indicates that NA loading generally performs well for spans ranging from 15 to 50 metres. However, a poor reliability performance is seen for short-span narrow bridges, especially for 5 m and 10 m spans where the number of traffic lanes is equal to the number of notional lanes for NA loading. To study the reliability performance of a critical element, flexural behaviour of a 20 m twin-spine simply supported deck is then investigated. The results agree with the first case study. It is, however, recommended to verify the presented findings by investigation based on data from other heavy-freight routes and to account for continuous structures and shear load effects.

An audit tool for longitudinal assessment of the health-related characteristics of urban neighborhoods: implementation methods and reliability results

BackgroundImproving the neighborhood environment may help address chronic disease and mortality. To identify neighborhood features that are predictors of health, objective assessments of the environment are used. Multiple studies have reported on cross-sectional assessments of health-related neighborhood features using direct observation. As study designs expand to better understand causation and predictors of change, there is a need to test whether direct observation methods are adequate for longitudinal assessment. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report on the reliability of repeated measurements of the neighborhood environment, and their stability, over time.MethodsThe Pittsburgh Hill/Homewood Research on Neighborhood Change and Health (PHRESH) study conducted longitudinal assessments in two low-income, African American neighborhoods at three waves (years 2012, 2015, 2017). The PHRESH audit tool is a modification of earlier validated tools, with an emphasis on environment features relevant for physical activity, sleep, and obesogenic behaviors. Trained data-collector pairs conducted direct observations of a 25% sample of street segments in each neighborhood. At each wave, we audited a sub-sample of street segments twice and assessed reliability using percentage inter-observer agreement and krippendorf’s alpha statistics. Stability of these items was assessed as exhibiting moderate or high agreement at every time point.ResultsAcross waves, a majority (81%) of the items consistently demonstrated moderate to high agreement except for items such as public/communal space, amount of shade, sidewalk features, number of traffic lanes, garden/flower bed/planter, art/statue/monument, amount of trash, and physical disorder. The list of items with poor agreement includes features that are easy to miss (e.g. flower bed/planter), hard to assess from outside (e.g. public/communal space), or may change quickly (e.g. amount of trash).ConclusionIn this paper, we have described implementation methods, reliability results and lessons learned to inform future studies of change. We found the use of consistent methods allowed us to conduct reliable, replicable longitudinal assessments of the environment. Items that did not exhibit stability are less useful for detecting real change over time. Overall, the PHRESH direct observation tool is an effective and practical instrument to detect change in the neighborhood environment.

Interactions between tram passengers and road vehicles at tram stops - a pilot study

Modern urban and metropolitan areas face numerous problems associated with transport activity, such as pollution, congestion, noise or traffic incidents. One of the solutions to cope with these issues may be encouraging people to use means of public transport instead of private cars. However, that requires the fulfillment of demands that present, as well as potential, passengers have. One of the most important passengers' demands is safety of all operations of public transport. In case of tram transport one aspect of safety is associated with the process of boarding the tram and alighting from it at stops separated from tram tracks by roadway, which forces passengers to enter the road. It is hazardous for all passengers and poses an additional risk for disabled passengers. In this paper an analysis of interactions between tram passengers and drivers of road vehicles at such tram stops, during the boarding and alighting from the tram was performed. For that purpose also a classification of tram stops stations was conducted, with the number of traffic lanes that passengers have to pass through being the main criterion. Also, the review of literature on this subject was conducted. For the research during the pilot study the tram network in Metropolis GZM in southern Poland was chosen and all tram stops stations on the network were inspected in order to obtain characteristics necessary for classification. Research during this pilot study allowed to identify conflict interactions that take place at tram stops. Examples of such interactions have been presented in the paper. Paper also contains conclusions and propositions of changes that may be implemented at tram stops that may lead to increase of the level of safety of passengers who try to board the tram or alight from the tram.

Factors affecting bus bunching at the stop level: A geographically weighted regression approach

Abstract Efficient operation of bus networks is vital for urban centers. Unfortunately, factors such as uneven passenger loads and congestion hinder the adherence to posted schedules, leading to reliability issues. Most notably, bus bunching has been identified as a significant reliability problem, impacting both users and operators. Bus bunching is treated as a route-level problem in the relevant literature, while spatial patterns in explanatory factors are overlooked. Diverging from the typically performed route-level analysis, this study exploits Automatic Vehicle Location data to investigate factors affecting bus bunching at the network level, while taking into account their spatial variability. For this purpose, a Geographically Weighted Regression Model is applied to model bus bunching, using bus stop and network attributes as explanatory variables. Results for approximately 360 bus stops in Athens, Greece underline the superiority of the proposed model to Ordinary Least Squares Regression and corroborate the presence of spatial variability in the factors affecting bus bunching. Indeed, the number of traffic lanes at the stop level is positively associated with bunching in heavy traffic segments, whereas a higher number of lanes is negatively linked to bunching in less congested regions. Further, the number of bunching occurrences generally increases with the number of routes serving each stop, as well as with the distance from subway stops in the outer parts of the city. Such findings highlight the need to consider spatial structures in relevant models and can help improve their reliability and accuracy.