Modeling of the Tactical Path Selection of Bicyclists at Signalized Intersections

Bicycling is becoming more and more prevalent due to its societal and personal benefits. Consequently, understanding bicyclists’ behavior and considering bicyclists as relevant elements in transport and traffic modelling is essential. To assess operational aspects, bicyclists’ behavior at intersections is particularly important, as intersections have a large impact on overall system performance and safety. In contrast to motorized vehicles, bicyclists typically have multiple (legal and illegal) path options to travel through an intersection. This study presents a discrete choice model to predict the path on which left-turning bicyclists travel through signalized intersections. To accomplish this objective, revealed preference data from busy intersections in Munich, Germany, has been collected through video observations. The exhibited left-turning maneuvers are categorized in three types: bicycle turn, pedestrian turn and vehicular turn. After a careful analysis of the initial set of explanatory variables, unnecessary variables are omitted from the model. For the data analysis, a multinomial logit model is developed in order to identify the influence of the individual factors. A field effect variable is examined, which reflects the influence of the choice of the peer decision-makers. The results of the study reveal that among the selected variables, seconds passed since the beginning of the red phase of the signal is the most influential parameter followed by the approaching speed of the bicyclist. Ultimately, an external validation was performed with an independent dataset from the same intersection, and the result shows 86% accuracy in the model prediction.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANF20 Standing Committee on Bicycle Transportation. Alternate title: Modeling of Tactical Path Selection of Bicyclists at Signalized Intersections
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Amini, Sasan
  • Twaddle, Heather
  • Leonhardt, Axel
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2016-1-10 to 2016-1-14
• Date: 2016

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: TRB 95th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Cyclists; Left turns; Multinomial logits; Revealed preferences; Signalized intersections
• Uncontrolled Terms: Path selection
• Geographic Terms: Munich (Germany)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01589788
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 16-2970
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 3 2016 1:22PM