Pedestrian Overpass Research Articles

Assessing the risk of pedestrian crossing behavior on suburban roads using structural equation model

While pedestrian crashes on suburban roads have received more attention over recent years, the role of pedestrian crossing risk in areas adjacent to pedestrian crossing facilities, such as pedestrian overpasses, has been neglected. Most pedestrians in suburban areas tend to avoid pedestrian overpasses, exhibiting crossing behaviors that increase the likelihood of pedestrian-involving crashes. As a result of the presence of overpasses, drivers may think that there are no pedestrians in the surroundings, so they choose a speed based only on the prevailing traffic and road environment without accounting for potential interactions with pedestrians. Consequently, crashes will occur, with pedestrians typically being the most seriously affected casualties. In this study, using video recordings from a suburban road in Amol-Babol, Iran, the risk of pedestrian crossing behavior in areas near pedestrian overpasses is investigated. The speed selection behavior of drivers in these areas has also been examined using speedometer cameras. To quantify the level of risk for pedestrians when interacting with approaching vehicles during the crossing movements, the post encroachment time (PET) was used as a surrogate safety measure. Based on critical thresholds of PET, three different risk levels were identified using a K-means algorithm: high, medium, and low risk. To identify the elements affecting the risk of pedestrian crossing behavior, structural equation models were estimated for all three risk levels. The results showed that human factors, relating to both drivers and pedestrians, have a dominant impact on pedestrian safety, especially in high and medium risk contexts. Road and vehicle factors were also found to have statistically observable effects on pedestrian safety, but to a milder extent compared to human factors. The findings of this study highlight the need for intervening in several aspects of vehicle-pedestrian interactions with critical importance for pedestrian safety, including road users’ performance and compliance, state of alertness, and interaction with road infrastructure.

Externalities from the confinement of a railway: Analysis of the barrier effect

In this paper, we present a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach to analyse the multiple dimensions of the barrier effect caused by the removal of all at-level pedestrian crossings on a railway in a residential area of Santiago, Chile, as part of a new suburban rail service. A set of interviews with a wide range of stakeholders is followed by a quantitative analysis of time delays and extra discomfort for pedestrians, as we measure both the horizontal and vertical detours on walking distance and time, due to having to cross on pedestrian overpasses and underpasses. We find that (i) the new suburban rail service is a source of social inclusion on a metropolitan scale (accessibility gains) and of social exclusion on a more local scale, due to a barrier effect (ii) the confinement of the railway produces strong negative impacts on pedestrians that need to cross the railway, by increasing walking times and by worsening their perception of security and comfort (iii) underpasses and overpasses increase between twofold and fourfold the time needed to cross the railway on average, relative to the case of at-level crossings, (iv) taking into account the increased physical burden and insecurity perceived on overpasses and underpasses, weighted walking times increase up to ten times relative to at-level crossing, and (v) women, elderly people and pedestrians with heavy luggage are more affected by the increased walking time. Traditional methods employed to analyse large-scale transport projects should assess the negative implications of the barrier effect on local communities, as well as the relief measures designed to reduce local segregation, especially in vulnerable communities. The results of this study are useful to quantify the social value of such relief measures, particularly in highly unequal urban settings.

Evaluating the effectiveness of accessibility features for roadway users with visual impairment: A case study for Nanjing, China

IntroductionRoadway users with visual impairment face significant challenges for commuting and other travel. This study aims to quantify the factors that affect the overall effectiveness of accessibility features from the perspective of roadway users with visual impairment. Sample and MethodsParticipants for this study were mainly either employees of ‘blind massage shops’ or students at the Nanjing School for the Blind. Data for 388 samples (not including 30 respondents selected for the pilot study) were collected through one-to-one interviews conducted in April 2018, among which 336 samples were validated for this study. An ordered logistic model was applied for the analysis. ResultsThe accessibility features targeted for this study, i.e., tactile paving, curb ramps, pedestrian overpasses and underpasses, accessible pedestrian signals, and intelligent voice reminders at bus stops, are positively correlated with the overall effectiveness of travel-related accessibility features for visually impaired individuals. Tactile paving that is occupied by parked vehicles, discontinuous tactile paving, and the absence of alignment cues at intersections are negatively correlated with the overall effectiveness of these accessibility features. DiscussionConclusions from this study can be adopted as guidance for the planning, construction, and maintenance of accessibility features for roadway users with visual impairment. The quality and effectiveness of each accessibility feature individually is positively correlated with their combined overall effectiveness, based on the perceptions from this study’s participants. The top two challenges associated with tactile paving are vehicles parked on tactile paving and discontinuity of the tactile pavement, both of which should be addressed to achieve better accessibility for visually impaired individuals. Alignment cues should be installed at medians and islands to better serve the visually impaired community. Implications for PractitionersRegulations should be strengthened and enforced to prohibit vehicles from parking on tactile paving. Tactile paving also should be checked for breaks in continuity and any discontinuous tactile paving should be repaired promptly. Alignment cues should be installed in urban areas to improve the safety of street crossings for visually impaired pedestrians.

High-resolution distributions of traffic particles and personal inhalation dose estimation at different pedestrian overpasses

While overpasses are conducive to pedestrians’ safe passage across roads, heavy road traffic can also lead to high exhaust emissions and introduce remarkable but uncertain air pollution to overpasses due to complex street environments. To clarify the pollution distribution and personal exposure dose, we collected fine-scale samples of submicron particle (PM1.0) and black carbon (BC) concentrations synchronously at two “I-shaped” overpasses with different street environments. Then, we statistically analysed the spatiotemporal particle patterns at the two overpasses and finally evaluated the pollutant inhalation doses of different pedestrians passing through the overpasses. The measurements indicated that the average particle level was higher in the open overpass crossing heavy ground traffic, and particle hotspots were distributed mostly in the upper sections of the two overpasses, while BC hotspots sometimes occurred at the entrances of the overpass stairways. Contrary to BC, PM1.0 was always high in the morning, and its fluctuations were more affected by suddenly intensified background pollution. Under a low background pollution scenario, the traffic volume and wind speed were the largest factors affecting both pollutants at the two overpasses. The inhalation exposure estimation showed that the inhaled pollutant doses of pedestrians climbing stairs were greater than those of pedestrians walking on the upper sections of the overpasses, and the maximum increment can reach 22%. Among the different groups, the inhalation dose was highest for mid-aged men but lowest for elderly women. These results highlight the importance of optimizing overpasses based on location environments and pedestrian activity levels to maximize the reduction in personal inhaled pollutant dose.

Assessment of Pedestrian Mobility on Road Networks in the City of Kigali

Purpose: The aim of this study is to analyze and assess the pedestrians’ mobility issues that are affecting their free movement and safety in the City of Kigali by outlining the major challenges in the City and providing alternative solutions and measures for improving the mobility and safety of Pedestrians.
 Methodology: This study was designed based on qualitative method with application of structured and unobtrusive. Referring to the paper findings about the mobility challenges of pedestrians within the City of Kigali, it is noted that the mobility of the pedestrians and their safety is still low and typical problems including road crossing viewed as the second challenges about pedestrians mobility, walking along the road networks due to lack of footpaths, lacking of enough road signs, lacking of information about pedestrian behavior on road networks, and improper functioning of existing traffic signals as the first challenge.
 Findings: The study found that the majority of road networks in the City of Kigali did not provide walkways, traffics signals designs and availability is very poor and some of them not functioning, zebra crossing facilities were not provided adequately, pedestrians shelter on bus stop are almost absent and ignored, vehicles travelling speed is still high and does not allow pedestrians to move freely and the mobility of disables people has been forgotten and there is a need of introducing the pedestrian overpass bridges in clouded zones of Nyabugogo, Kicukiro Sonatube and Remera Giporoso areas of the City of Kigali.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: maintaining pedestrian’s safety by using the traffic lights to warn the drivers to be aware of the pedestrians’ safety and to think of how the implementation of the pedestrian overpass can be introduced in the City where more a great number of pedestrians crossing the road reduced to be killed in the accident.

Modelling the pedestrian crossing choice in urban streets (case study of Qazvin city)

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable road users in traffic accidents. This study analyses the effective factors in choosing the type of crossing by pedestrians. The required data were collected through interviews based on the pedestrian behaviour scale questionnaire and video images of crossing pedestrians in Qazvin city. The observed variables such as individual characteristics, crossing choices, traffic volume and the role of latent variables of pedestrian behaviours are considered on crossing choices. Latent behavioural variables were identified through exploratory factor analysis and were divided into positive and negative habits. In addition, structural equation model, traditional binary logit and hybrid discrete choice model were used in this paper. The results show that men are less likely to use a pedestrian overpass compared to women. In addition, young people in the age group of 18–30 and 30–45 are more eager to use overpasses compared to older ones. Furthermore, negative behavioural habits such as distraction and inattention, error and violation resulted in choosing a riskier alternative compared with level crossing. Furthermore, positive behavioural habits such as daily walking had a positive effect on choosing a safer crossing alternative (pedestrian overpasses). The findings are useful in developing policy measures to build safe and efficient facilities.

Quality Control of Pedestrian Overpass in South Square of Zibo Railway Station

Quality Control of Pedestrian Overpass in South Square of Zibo Railway Station

Usage of pedestrian overpass in Akure, Nigeria

BackgroundThis study addressed the safety challenge, motivation, and utilization factors regarding the usage of the pedestrian overpass by different people of dissimilar ages alongside Oba Adeshida road at Oja-Oba (Oba market) in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. It addressed the following objectives: determined the value of the pedestrian overpass as used by people of different ages; examined the reasons for using the pedestrian overpass in Akure; and examined the performance level of a pedestrian overpass in Akure.MethodsIn total, 384 users (who used the bridge) were purposively sampled for questionnaire administration, but 324 users participated in the questionnaire, which included multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Also, personal observation was employed for queue analysis. The “Semantic Differential Scale” and single-server queue system for the single queue were employed for data analysis.ConclusionsIn Akure, there was low or no usage of the pedestrian overpass when the road median was made use of metal and low concrete; but when the road median was made use of high concrete barrier, there was high usage of the pedestrian overpass. It also revealed that the engineering design of the pedestrian overpass is low compared to the contemporary design solutions in addressing the urban societal needs. The pedestrian overpass was used frequently and every day because it provides access to the car park, market, and central mosque. The performance of the pedestrian overpass in Akure is 105% which indicates that the pedestrian overpass is over-utilized by a pedestrian. It is recommended that there is a need to construct another pedestrian overpass to enhance the efficiency of the structure. The existing and future pedestrian overpass should be redesigned to constitute interesting aesthetics and architectural solutions that could harmonize with the environment and enhance flow of the disabled persons.

腐食損傷した横断歩道橋に対する SHM の適用に向けた基礎的検討

腐食損傷した横断歩道橋に対する SHM の適用に向けた基礎的検討

서울로 7017의 이미지와 경관구조 특성의 분석

In order to understand the landscape characteristics of pedestrian overpasses, visual preferences and psychological variables were identified, and the characteristics of landscape changes were analyzed based on landscape models to derive implications. As a result of the analysis, the preference was high when the natural elements occupied most of the landscape, indicating that the landscape, including the natural elements, was important. In addition, out of the four factor groups analyzed, specificity has the greatest influence on preference, indicating that this result was due to the characteristics of the high-priced walking route. In addition, an analysis of the relationship between landscape elements showed a high preference in photos of trees planted in elevated areas, but when trees planted in elevated areas were analyzed as buildings, the preference was low, indicating that natural elements were important in urban high-priced streets. This study is meaningful as basic data on landscape elements that should be considered in the construction by utilizing landscape identification models that can identify the relationship between landscape elements as well as landscape images.

Structural modal identification based on mobile phone sensor

Mobile phones can be used as potential useful tool in structural modal identification. Using the acceleration data collected by mobile phone sensors under ambient excitation, a method for structural modal identification based on variational mode decomposition (VMD) is proposed. Firstly, the feasibility and applicability of mobile phone sensors for vibration data measuring is verified by a shaking table test of a steel frame structure. Then, the mobile phone is used as an accelerometer to record the vibration acceleration of a pedestrian overpass under ambient excitation. In this test, vibration acceleration is effectively decomposed by VMD, and the major components of the vibration signal is obtained through the division and screening of frequency domain. Finally, the modal parameters of the pedestrian overpass are identified, and the results show the identification method based on VMD is effective and feasible.

Trends in the development of composite reinforced concrete structures of pedestrian aboveground overpasses

Pedestrian bridges are an important part of the urban infrastructure that ensures the safety and comfort of pedestrians. They have a number of distinctive features compared to road bridges. Also, the pedestrian load itself has a significant dynamic component, which can lead to the occurrence of resonant phenomena. Composite reinforced concrete bridges are widely used among the road bridges. This is due to the possibility of including the roadway structure in the act, which increases the load-bearing capacity and reliability of the structure. The same advantages are typical for pedestrian aboveground overpasses. However, pedestrian bridges have a number of features that affect the operation of the composite reinforced concrete structure. It is well-known that the difference between bending structures in civil construction and bending structures in bridge and road construction is the ratio of the rigidness of the concrete and steel parts. The load on pedestrian aboveground overpasses is similar to the temporary load in civil buildings, adjusted for a large dynamic component. But at the same time, the spans of pedestrian aboveground overpasses are similar to the spans of road bridges. In this article, the prospects for the development of composite reinforced concrete structures of pedestrian overpasses are reviewed.

I Swallowed a Moon Made of Iron

418 Feminist Studies 47, no. 2. © 2021 by Feminist Studies, Inc. I Swallowed a Moon Made of Iron Xu Lizhi Translated by Petrus Liu and Lisa Rofel I swallowed a moon; it is made of iron They call it a screw I swallowed this industry’s wastewater A purchase order for unemployment Those youth shorter than the machines die young I swallowed being constantly on the move I swallowed being forced to wander without a home I swallowed the pedestrian overpass I swallowed a life full of limescale I can’t swallow any more All that I have swallowed comes surging Out of my throat Spreading, over the land of my country A poem of disgrace ...

Lane-by-Lane Traffic Monitoring Using 24.1 GHz FMCW Radar System

In this article, we propose a method to monitor traffic on the road using a 24.1 GHz radar system. In our work, we design our own traffic monitoring radar system from radar hardware, such as antenna systems and the transceiver, to radar software, such as detection and tracking algorithms. The radar we developed uses frequency-modulated continuous waveforms with a center frequency of 24.1 GHz, and its range resolution is tens of centimeters, which is enough to distinguish vehicles in multiple lanes. In addition, we can effectively distinguish vehicles by estimating their angles using an array antenna system. To evaluate the performance of our radar, we install it on the pedestrian overpass facing the road. From actual measurement results, our radar system can reliably estimate the distance to the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle, and the angle of the vehicle for a total of four lanes up to 300 m in real time. The traffic monitoring system using a radar sensor can compensate for the disadvantages of the camera-based road monitoring method.

Assessment of pedestrian mobility on road networks in the City Of Kigali

This paper analyzed and assessed the pedestrians’ mobility issues that are affecting their free movement and safety in the City of Kigali by outlining the major challenges in the City and providing alternative solutions and measures for improving the mobility and safety of pedestrians. The methodology of the paper was designed based on qualitative method with application of structured and unobtrusive. Referring to the paper findings about the mobility challenges of pedestrians within the City of Kigali, it is noted that the mobility of the pedestrians and their safety is still low and typical problems including road crossing viewed as the second challenges about pedestrians mobility, walking along very close to the road networks due to insufficient footpaths, lacking of enough road signs, lacking of information about pedestrian behavior on road networks, and improper functioning of existing traffic signals as the first challenge. The paper found that the majority of road networks in the City of Kigali did not provide walkways, traffics signals designs and availability is very poor and some of them not functioning, zebra crossing facilities were not provided adequately, pedestrians shelter on bus stop are almost absent and ignored, vehicles travelling speed is still high and does not allow pedestrians to move freely, and the mobility of physically challenged people has been forgotten and there is a need of introducing the pedestrian overpass bridges in clouded zones of the city center, Nyabugogo, Kicukiro and Remera-Giporoso areas of the City of Kigali.
 Keywords: Mobility, Pedestrian Safety, Road Networks, Traffic Signals, Pedestrians.

Detecting differential ground displacements of civil structures in fast-subsiding metropolises with interferometric SAR and band-pass filtering

Ground displacements due to changes in soil conditions represent a threat to the stability of civil structures in many urban areas, worldwide. In fast-subsiding areas, regional subsidence (wavelength ~ 1,000’s m) can be dominantly high and, consequently, mask other signals at local scales (wavelength ~ 10–100’s m). Still, engineering and construction applications require a comprehensive knowledge of local-scale signals, which can threaten the stability of buildings and infrastructure. Here we present a new technique based on band-pass filters for uncovering local-scale signals hidden by regional subsidence as detected by interferometric SAR measurements. We apply our technique to a velocity field calculated from 21 high-resolution COSMO-SkyMed scenes acquired over Mexico City and obtain components of long (> 478 m), intermediate (42–478 m) and short (< 42 m) spatial wavelengths. Our results reveal that long-wavelength velocities exceed − 400 mm/year, whereas intermediate- and short-wavelength velocities are in the order of ± 15 mm/year. We show that intermediate-wavelength velocities are useful for retrieving signals such as uplift along elevated viaducts of Metro lines 4 and B, as well as differential displacements in Pantitlán station’s pedestrian overpass system and across sharp geotechnical boundaries in the piedmont of Sierra de Santa Catarina—where surface faulting occurs.

Pedestrian overpass utilization modeling based on mobility friction, safety and security, and connectivity using machine learning techniques

The identification, understanding, and treatment of predictors that drive the use of pedestrian overpass or Foot Over Bridge (FOB) are very much essential for city planners and policymakers. There is paucity of studies that uses modern soft computing techniques to understand the factors driving the use of FOBs. The aim of the work presented here was to identify the important predictors that determine usability of FOBs. The study utilized both questionnaire survey (perception in terms of satisfaction/dissatisfaction) and field data collected across fourteen locations in six different Indian cities. The goal was to identify the essential features that drive the usability of FOBs under four different contexts, i.e., mobility friction, safety and security, and vertical connectivity and horizontal connectivity. Three soft computing algorithms such as generalized linear model (GLM), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting machine (GBM) were trained to predict the future usability of pedestrians. The modelling approach involved data collection from 14 FOB locations, preprocessing involving data input in spreadsheets, removing missing values and normalization for model training. The next stage involved splitting the data into training and testing set, followed by model training and hyper-parameter optimization using tenfold cross-validation. Finally, the developed models were evaluated for test dataset for generalization. The study results revealed that GBM algorithm showed highest classification accuracy on test dataset over the other two techniques at various scenarios. GBM helped in identifying the essential parameters that drive the usability of FOBs under the four different contexts. Sensitivity analysis supported the fact that gender and age had significant impact on the choice of pedestrians under different contexts. Further, the respondents’ feedbacks regarding existing problems were used to validate the findings. The safety and security, walk environment, frequency of daily use, comfort, location type, length of travel, stairway dimensions and reduced walkable width affected the choice of using the FOBs. Therefore, provision of CCTV cameras and security personnel, removal of obstruction, provision of proper lighting and all-weather shade, and regular maintenance of the facilities will significantly improve the pedestrians’ choice to use the FOBs. The identification of important variables not only provides better insight of factors that affects the choice of pedestrians using the elevated facilities but also provides a valuable source of information to researchers, planners and policymakers to construct a better-planned pedestrian friendly infrastructure.

Fatal pedestrian crashes on interstates and other freeways in the United States

Introduction: More than 800 pedestrians die annually in crashes on interstates and other freeways in the United States, but few studies have examined their characteristics. Method: Data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System on pedestrians fatally injured during 2015–2017 were analyzed. Chi-square tests compared characteristics of pedestrians killed on interstates and other freeways with those that died on other roads, and across crash types among freeway deaths. Land use characteristics of locations where pedestrians were killed while crossing freeways in a large state (California) were identified using Google Earth. Results: A larger proportion of pedestrians killed on freeways died on dark and unlit roads (48% vs. 32%), were male (78% vs. 68%), or were ages 20–44 (55% vs. 32%) compared with pedestrians killed on other roads. Crossing (42%) was the most common crash type among pedestrian deaths on freeways, followed by disabled-vehicle-related crashes (18%). Pedestrians who died while crossing more often had blood alcohol concentrations ≥ 0.08 g/dL (40%) than those in disabled-vehicle-related (22%) or other crashes (34%). Deaths in crossing crashes were more likely than other freeway deaths to occur on urban roads (81%), at speed limits ≤50 mph (13%), or between 18:00 and 23:59 (49%), and 58% of crossing crashes analyzed for land use were located between residential and other (e.g., commercial, recreational) uses. Over a third (37%) of deaths in disabled-vehicle-related crashes occurred at speed limits ≥70 mph. Conclusions: A surprising proportion of pedestrian deaths occur on controlled-access roads not designed for walking. Countermeasures for these crashes need to be implemented to see meaningful reductions in pedestrian fatalities overall. Practical applications: Improving roadway and vehicle lighting, requiring reflective warning devices for marking disabled vehicles, constructing pedestrian overpasses and underpasses in areas frequently crossed, and promoting alternative means of traveling between residential and commercial areas could help.

Detection and correction of synchronization-induced errors in operational modal analysis

Operational modal analysis (OMA) methods are frequently applied for obtaining information on structural dynamic parameters, such as natural frequencies and mode shapes. While synchronization between acceleration response data sets used in OMA is not a prerequisite for estimating natural frequencies, synchronization discrepancies may lead to non-negligible errors in the estimation of mode shapes. Synchronization discrepancies are predominantly associated with wireless structural health monitoring systems, where each wireless sensor node functions as a separate data acquisition unit (DAQ), and clock synchronization is therefore not intrinsic. However, synchronization discrepancies may also occur in cable-based systems, particularly when more than one DAQ is used. In this paper, a synchronization method for detecting and correcting synchronization-induced errors in OMA is proposed. Unlike existing approaches on removing synchronization-induced errors at the output stage, the method proposed herein yields synchronized structural response data at an intermediate stage of OMA. Specifically, time lags between acceleration response data sets are detected based on estimates of the mode shapes obtained either from preliminary structural analysis or from engineering judgment assuming classical damping. The applicability of the proposed method is verified through simulations of a multi-degree-of-freedom oscillator and validated through ambient vibration field tests on a pedestrian overpass bridge.

Serviceability analysis of a cable-supported footbridge subjected to human-induced loads

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to obtain the response time history curves of vertical and lateral acceleration in the span of the main beam under different loads through the finite element time-history analysis method, so as to realize the Serviceability Analysis of a Cable-Supported Footbridge Subjected to Human-Induced Loads, taking the long-span cable-supported footbridge over Dongtan River as an example. Design/methodology/approach The finite element method is used for analysis of the footbridge. Findings It is found that under the condition of low-density pedestrians walking freely, the response of human vertical vibration acceleration and the load conditions of pedestrian overpasses cannot meet the requirements of normal use. Therefore, the vertical acceleration of the footbridge should be designed to reduce vibration. Under these two loading conditions, the lateral acceleration response meets the requirements of normal use. Originality/value On the basis of summarizing the research at home and abroad, the analysis of human-induced vibration is mainly considered from two aspects: frequency regulation and dynamic response control. The walking load models mainly include Fourier series model, self-excitation model, impulse model, stochastic model and more; the crowd load models are divided into groups: low-density crowd walking freely, high-density crowd flowing and more. Therefore, it is very important to calculate the structural vibration response in the design of long-span cable-supported footbridges under pedestrian excitation to meet comfort requirements.