Incorporating Use Inspired Design in Providing Safe Transportation Infrastructure for RITI Communities

In this project the research team demonstrates the feasibility of extracting pedestrian infrastructure geometries, sight distances and other human scale features relevant for pedestrian safety from LiDAR data collected annually for roads managed and maintained by the Hawaii State Department of Transportation (HDOT). Pedestrian safety is a critical public issue for the State of Hawaii and Hawaiians, with 43 pedestrian fatalities statewide occurring in 2018, of which 27 of these were on Oahu; this number is up from 15 pedestrian fatalities statewide in 2017 (Honolulu Civil Beat 2019). Evaluating pedestrian behaviors, including gap acceptance and sight-distances for crossings, is required for facility design. However, these behaviors depend on human interactions with built environments and pedestrian infrastructures, such as the curb ramps, sidewalk quality, visual obstructions, and other human scale factors. From a policy standpoint, satisfying the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan and investing resources requires HDOT to identify and maintain pedestrian infrastructure in a timely manner. To address this need, the research team investigates the feasibility of LiDAR data for extracting these features and their potential for community engagement and informing policies that provide safe accommodations for all travelers. The research team will complete the following main activities: (1) Processing LiDAR data for building a pedestrian infrastructure inventory for use in explaining observed pedestrian crashes through statistical modeling; and (2) Developing a framework for RITI (rural isolated tribal and indigenous) community engagement through data visualization. At the project conclusion, the team will provide guidelines for using LiDAR data to extract pedestrian infrastructure features unavailable from 3rd party vendors, such as the Roadview Explorer online platform adopted by HDOT, including the accompanying analysis workflow and necessary tools, such as open-source options. Additionally, to support statewide pedestrian safety planning, the team will leverage these visual products to engage RITI (rural isolated tribal and indigenous) communities in educational activities related to roadway safety.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $154994
• Contract Numbers:

  Grant # 69A3551747129

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Center for Safety Equity in Transportation

  University of Alaska Fairbanks
  Fairbanks, AK  United States  99775
• Performing Organizations:

  University of Hawaii, Manoa

  College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  2540 Dole Street, Holmes Hall 383
  Honolulu, HI  United States  96822
• Principal Investigators:

  Chen, Roger

• Start Date: 20210701
• Expected Completion Date: 20220731
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Built environment; Communities; Indigenous peoples; Information processing; Infrastructure; Laser radar; Pedestrian safety; Rural areas; Visualization
• Geographic Terms: Hawaii
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01773225
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Center for Safety Equity in Transportation
• Contract Numbers: Grant # 69A3551747129
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: May 26 2021 11:06PM