arterial corridors 2nd phase: focus on pedestrian safety

Final reportPDFTech ReportNITCN-RR-760Transportation corridorsPedestrian safetyTraffic speedCrosswalksTraffic signalsYieldingComplianceVehicle trajectoriesPedestriansArterial highwaysStopping distancesUnited StatesOregonPortland State University. National Institute for Transportation and CommunitiesFigliozzi, Miguel A.Tipagornwong, ChawalitPortland State UniversityPortland State University. National Institute for Transportation and CommunitiesUS Transportation CollectionTransportation corridors are complex systems. Tradeoffs, particularly in terms of traffic mobility, transit performance, accessibility and pedestrianinteractions, are not well understood. When the focus is on motorized vehicle mobility and throughput, high traffic or vehicle speeds are desirablebecause at high speeds more vehicles can flow per unit of time and roadway section. However, high traffic/vehicles speeds are not desirable forpedestrians who have to cross urban arterials. In particular, pedestrians can be highly vulnerable at unsignalized, marked crosswalks wherepedestrians have the right of way but where drivers\ue2\u20ac\u2122 yield rates are significantly lower than at signalized intersections. Pedestrians are the mostvulnerable road users, and safe and comfortable crosswalks are essential to ensure that pedestrian travel becomes an appealing alternative.Since pedestrians are particularly vulnerable when drivers do not yield at crosswalks, the focus of this research is to understand the factors that areassociated with low yield rates or crosswalk law non-compliance. In this context, the goal of this research is to study the traffic speed and vehicletrajectory factors that affect crosswalk law compliance and stopping distance from the crosswalk. The results of this research provide new insightsinto the relationships between traffic conditions, vehicle trajectory and compliance rates. Results indicate that vehicle origin, vehicle type,stopping at upstream traffic lights, and changes in vehicle speed and headways are key factors to predict pedestrian crosswalk law compliance andstopping behavior; changes in vehicle speed and headways have the highest explanatory power