Traffic Signal Design and Operations Strategies for Non-Motorized Users

Research on pedestrian safety at intersections has focused on lack of driver yielding, pedestrian noncompliance, and pedestrian visibility. This has resulted in the emergence of countermeasures such as countdown pedestrian signals, enhanced beacons, leading pedestrian intervals, and exclusive pedestrian phasing. Although limited, bicycle safety research has focused on improving the safety of bicyclists in the traffic stream, focusing on design treatments rather than intersection operations with little research available on signal timing. Despite the availability of safety measures, due to slow technology transfer and assimilation or misapplication, current national trends show an increase in fatalities and injuries for these non-motorized users. As the number of bicyclists and pedestrians increases, safety and operations at intersections remain a serious concern. Consequently, more comprehensive guidance related signal design and operations strategies is needed. The objectives of this research are to (1) identify and evaluate a broad range of current international and national practices for signal design and operations strategies for non-motorized users including vulnerable road users with disabilities; (2) identify gaps in the state of practice on signalized intersections with multimodal specific infrastructure and intersections with varied geometric designs (e.g., signalized path crossings, diverging diamond interchanges, continuous flow intersections, etc.); (3) develop guidance for traffic signal design and operations strategies that will address the needs of non-motorized users and increase their respective multimodal connectivity; (4) develop a means to convey how to best incorporate findings to a wide range of stakeholders including those with visual impairments and other disabilities; (5) recommend germane language for inclusion in future updates to guidance documents (e.g., the AASHTO design manual, the Traffic Signal Timing Manual and specifications); and (6) identify opportunities for future research.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4357
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to a Performing Organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Proposed
• Funding: $500000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 03-133

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Crichton-Sumners, C

• Start Date: 20180626
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cyclists; Evaluation and assessment; Geometric design; Multimodal transportation; Pedestrian safety; Pedestrians; Persons with disabilities; Signalized intersections; State of the practice; Traffic signal timing; Vulnerable road users
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01647423
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 03-133
• Files: TRB, RiP
• Created Date: Sep 27 2017 3:02PM