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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <atom:link href="https://trid.trb.org/Record/RSS?s=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" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
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    <language>en-us</language>
    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
      <url>https://trid.trb.org/Images/PageHeader-wTitle.jpg</url>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title>Footpath interactions between delivery and non-delivery bicyclists and pedestrians</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2509175</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The urban traffic mix has changed with the proliferation of food delivery riders. When cyclists do not feel safe on the road, they often choose the footpath although this increases the risk of crashes and near-misses with pedestrians. Pedestrians often feel unsafe when sharing footpaths with cyclists, despite the low objective risk of collision. An observational study conducted in Brisbane identified that more than half of the bicycle riders observed in busy urban restaurant precincts rode on the footpath. Delivery riders rode on the footpath more often than non-delivery cyclists but behaved similarly towards pedestrians. Very few riders opted to use their bell or call out when passing pedestrians. A better understanding of how pedestrians respond to audible warnings is needed to guide policy responses such as mandating warnings or educational campaigns.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 13 Feb 2025 09:05:45 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2509175</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Acoustic Situation Awareness and Its Effects on Pedestrian Safety within a Virtual Environment</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2491080</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To evaluate the dangers of personal listening devices (PLD) and behavior while navigating crosswalks, 1274 pedestrians were naturalistically observed followed by a survey of 135 pedestrians, and two focus groups. Thereafter, an immersive 1:1 street crossing virtual reality (VR) testbed – based campus crossing environments – was used to investigate the effect of PLD distraction on crossing performance and auditory situation awareness. Pedestrians traversed a simulated crosswalk while listening to music through air (AC) and bone (BC) conduction PLDs while detecting and localizing a bi-directional ambulance alert signal. Results show that: (1) societal distractions such as crossing in groups or talking within a group while crossing led to riskier behavior compared to technological distractors; (2) there is a consensus on hand gestures for pedestrian-driver communication; (3) the presence of a bus near the crosswalk and its idling engine significantly increased the time to cross and detect the alert signal; and (4) BC-PLDs playing non-lyrical music led to faster detection while listening to music at a low volume led to faster street crossings and faster detection. In conclusion, findings can serve as guidelines to develop external human-machine interfaces (eHMIs) for automated vehicles and appropriate countermeasures for reducing pedestrian distractions at campus crosswalks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:52:40 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2491080</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Three pedestrian phasing with audible pedestrian signals configurations: Experience of blind or visually impaired persons in Quebec City (Canada)</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2450553</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Audible pedestrian signals are strategically placed in some intersections to enhance safety, independence and accessibility for blind or visually impaired persons. This study appraised the sense and level of safety of blind or visually impaired persons with respect to three types of pedestrian phasing with audible pedestrian signals configurations that exist in Quebec City, Canada. These include: 1) exclusive phasing with non-directional audible pedestrian signals; 2) exclusive phasing with directional audible pedestrian signals; and 3) concurrent phasing with directional audible pedestrian signals. Experiments with 18 participants were conducted at six crossing corridors that were carefully selected by members of an advisory committee that included diverse stakeholders. In addition to the three possible pedestrian phasing with audible pedestrian signals configurations, situations involving short and long crossing distances were included. Each corridor was crossed three times by each participant. For each crossing, participants' trajectories were objectively determined using a satellite positioning system which uses a relative positioning mode. Participants’ sense of safety was also questioned after each crossing using a visual analog scale. The results obtained do not allow for the identification of an ideal configuration or even a configuration to avoid based on the level of safety. However, findings suggest that the exclusive phasing with directional audible pedestrian signals configuration is perceived to be the safest option by the participants. This study may have practical implications on the design of intersections (e.g., selection of a type of pedestrian phasing with audible pedestrian signal) and the training of blind or visually impaired pedestrians.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Nov 2024 13:38:21 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2450553</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Piloting Sinusoidal Audio Tactile Line Marking (ATLM) in Australia</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2431470</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Audio-Tactile Line-Marking (ATLM) is a road safety treatment proven to reduce the frequency of lane and roadway departure collisions by reducing the likelihood of crashes associated with fatigue and inattention. Drivers are alerted by the sound and vibration within the vehicle cabin caused when their vehicle strikes the uneven surface of the ATLM). The sounds produced however, brings about supplementary concerns, as the exterior noise carries and may disturb sensitive receivers located nearby. Sinusoidal ATLM, an alternative design and type of ATLM adopted internationally, has been reported to produce reduced exterior noise but maintain adequate internal cabin noise and vibration to alert drivers. This study pilots the installation of Sinusoidal ATLM in Australia and assess the external and internal noise associated through experiments by professional sound engineers.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:48:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2431470</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Audible Indications for Accessible Pedestrian Signals</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2381696</link>
      <description><![CDATA[To cross streets safely, pedestrians with vision disabilities (including those with hearing disabilities) must quickly and accurately determine the onset of the walk indication. They must also be able to recognize and determine, by sound, the trajectories of vehicles that may intrude into their path of travel to allow them to take appropriate action, such as delaying the onset of crossing or pausing while crossing.

In recent years, state departments of transportation have made great efforts to enhance accessibility for pedestrians with vision disabilities. These efforts often contemplate implementing various features of Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS), such as changing the default walk indication from a percussive tone to a speech message and incorporating audible countdowns during the pedestrian change interval. However, these features are not fully aligned with the requirements outlined in the current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

While the existing MUTCD standards do specify percussive tones for the walk interval, and the return of the locator tone during the clearance interval to prevent auditory masking of vehicle sounds and reduce cognitive load, groups representing vision-impaired individuals have suggested that speech messages and audible countdowns could provide more descriptive auditory cues. These enhancements may improve safety by increasing accessibility, confidence, and independence for APS users.

Research is needed to provide empirical evidence on whether these proposed changes enhance the safety and accessibility of APS for pedestrians with vision disabilities.

The objective of the project is to determine the most effective types of indications for APS to enhance the safety and accessibility of pedestrians with vision disabilities using research on human factors through a combination of laboratory and field experiments.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2024 21:26:19 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2381696</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Train horns use at level crossings: a driving simulation study to examine their effectiveness in alerting motorist drivers</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/2367069</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Train horns are primarily used as a critical warning tool to encourage safety-compliant behaviours from road users. Comparable to United Kingdom regulations in Australia, train horns should not be blasted without a valid reason and are required when a dangerous situation is anticipated. However, focus groups with Australian train drivers revealed that train drivers viewed the train horn as an essential communication mechanism to interact with other road users. The principal objective of this research is to understand how train horns are perceived by motorist drivers and how they affect the driver’s behaviour around crossings in terms of safety by considering a range of relevant factors including level crossing type, train horn loudness, environmental noise and lighting condition (day/night).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 15 Apr 2024 14:21:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/2367069</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>A Comparative Study on Pedestrian Crossing Behavior Before and After Implementation of Control Measures at Mid-Block</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1755625</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Walking is considered as the basic mode of travel for short trips. Short trips are defined as the  closer distance travelled by pedestrians may be at home or at the workplace. However, emphasis on  safety, comfort, and road geometrical features for pedestrians was not substantial during the road  design. Similarly, pedestrians are proven to be vulnerable while crossing the road at mid-block  sections as the available vehicular gap is minimum. This article aims in analyzing the changes in  pedestrian’s road crossing behavior at a mid-block location before and after implementation of  control measures (pedestrian signal, zebra crossing, police assistance, etc.). The various  parameters such as age, gender, crossing speed, waiting time, crossing duration, etc. were  considered for observing the changes in road crossing behavior of pedestrians. From the analysis,  it has been found that the female pedestrian crossing percentage had increased by 12% after the  implementation of control measures. Further, the percentage of pedestrians with angular crossing  were increased, the average waiting time and crossing time for both one- step and two-step crossing  were reduced after the implementation of safety control measures. Besides, pedestrian crossing  speed was improved from 1.2 m/s to 1.49 m/sand the critical gap from 15s to 10s after the  implementation of safety control measures for pedestrians. The factors such as vehicular speeds,  crossing duration, waiting time, crossing speed, pedestrian platoon were found to be significantly  influencing in the prediction of pedestrian gap acceptance. Furthermore, the results of this  article justify the need for the implementation of pedestrian safety measures and also help traffic  administrators for reducing pedestrian conflicts and increasing pedestrian comfort.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 20 Jan 2021 13:56:58 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1755625</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Shorten pedestrians’ perceived waiting time: The effect of tempo and pitch in audible pedestrian signals at red phase</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1575906</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Long waiting time at red light leads to negative experiences and red-light running behaviors. To shorten pedestrians’ experienced waiting time, this study explores how the tempo and pitch in audible pedestrian signals influence time estimation. In a simulated task of waiting at the red light, the authors compared pedestrians’ estimation of waiting time for three durations (30 s, 45 s, 60 s) while the tempo (40 bpm, 60 bpm, 120 bpm, bpm as the number of beats per minute) and pitch (175 Hz, 350 Hz, 700 Hz) of the tone were manipulated. The results show that pedestrians’ estimations of waiting time decreased with decreasing tempo in the audible signal, but did not differ significantly across different pitches. To verify the effect of tempo on time estimation in real crossing scenario, the authors interviewed 217 pedestrians randomly selected at six sites on their waiting time at different tempos. The tempo can still predict pedestrians’ time estimation. The findings have implications for auditory signal design of traffic lights.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2019 09:41:09 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1575906</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Walking Between the Lines: Nonvisual Cues for Maintaining Headings During Street Crossings</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1475070</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This article reports on a study of five cues that could be useful to help blind pedestrians maintain accurate headings and direction as they cross a street.  The study used a simulated crosswalk and tested audible beacons associated with accessible pedestrian signals (APS), remote infrared audible signage (RIAS), tactile guidestrips of raised bars that are oriented in the intended direction of travel, a variation on the guidestrip, and an underfoot bar tile.  Each of the five cues were assessed over distances equivalent to crossing one lane, three lanes, and six lanes of traffic.  The participants were 19 adults who were blind or who had light perception only; all were experienced cane users. In addition to objective data on crossing time and excursion outside the crosswalk, the study gathered subjective data from the participants about which cue(s) they preferred. The study results showed that three of the cues worked well over a distance equivalent to the width of a six-lane road: a beaconing APS with far-side features, a tactile guidestrip, and tactile edgestrips.  These three were also rated more highly by the participants than were the other two for usefulness in providing information on both their alignment and their heading. The authors remind readers that these additional strategies may only be necessary at some crossings but may prove indispensable when other approaches (such as listening for traffic) are not appropriate.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 19 Jul 2017 15:44:04 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1475070</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Beaconing Signalization Substantially Reduces Blind Pedestrians’ Veer on Snow-Covered Pavement</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1437434</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Veering outside of crosswalks is a common problem experienced by individuals who are blind. One technology found to be effective for reducing this veer when other guidance cues are absent is audible beaconing. However, veering in general and veering from crosswalks in particular have been studied primarily on smooth, flat walking surfaces such as clear pavement. This experiment compared veering on clear pavement with veering on snow-covered pavement, with and without audible beaconing. Eleven blind participants traveling with long canes attempted to walk a straight path for 72 ft (21.9 m), a typical length of a six-lane crosswalk. Beaconing substantially reduced veering at 36 ft (11.0 m) and 72 ft from the starting point and enabled participants to remain within a simulated crosswalk. Walking on snow was not found to affect veering but did increase the number of steps taken. The findings suggest that in snowy and clear conditions alike, audible beaconing is an effective wayfinding tool for intersections equipped with accessible pedestrian signals.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2017 15:15:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1437434</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Cost Analysis of Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG)</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1418794</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This document includes public rights-of-way accessibility guidelines (PROWAG) requirement information, compliance costs, and data and cost estimates for accessible pedestrian signals, tabled intersections, pedestrian signalization at multi-lane roundabouts, and detectable warnings. An attachment includes links to State department of transportation curb ramp standard drawings with detectable warning details.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 29 Aug 2016 11:11:01 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1418794</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Auditory Localisation of Conventional and Electric Cars: Laboratory Results and Implications for Cycling Safety</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1419094</link>
      <description><![CDATA[When driven at low speeds, cars operating in electric mode have been found to be quieter than conventional cars. As a result, the auditory cues which pedestrians and cyclists use to assess the presence, proximity and location oncoming traffic may be reduced, posing a safety hazard. This laboratory study examined auditory localization of conventional and electric cars including vehicle motion paths relevant for cycling activity. Participants (N = 65) in three age groups (16–18, 30–40 and 65–70 year old) indicated the location and movement direction (approaching versus receding) of cars driven at 15, 30 and 50 km/h in two ambient sound conditions (low and moderate). Results show that low speeds, higher ambient sound level and older age were associated with worse performance on the location and motion direction tasks. In addition, participants were less accurate at determining the location of electric and conventional car sounds emanating from directly behind the participant. Implications for cycling safety and proposals for adding extra artificial noise or warning sounds to quiet (electric) cars are discussed.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 24 Aug 2016 17:08:47 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1419094</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Methods of Crossing at Roundabouts for Visually Impaired Pedestrians: Review of Literature</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1396667</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Because roundabouts offer so many beneficial features to a community, it is important that they are made as safe as possible for all users and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines. There have been several studies conducted with the purpose of creating a safer crossing environment for visually impaired pedestrians at roundabouts. These studies focus on four methods: crosswalk placement, sound applications, signalized options, and automated yield detection. The purpose of this review paper is to explore these possible solutions, identifying the advantages and disadvantages, the practicality, and the overall performance of each solution. The research done here will also address which methods may be most appropriate for low volume roundabouts, moderate volume roundabout, and high volume roundabouts, as well as for one-lane roundabouts and two-lane roundabouts. When evaluating each option, it’s also important to estimate the effect it will have on the flow of traffic and travel demand management. An ideal solution will allow access to all users while maintaining the initial benefits of a roundabout.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 29 Feb 2016 16:58:20 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1396667</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Navigation Guidance for People With Vision Impairment
</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1369996</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The project is intended to accomplish five main objectives in terms of its potential for technical innovation and commercial application in the field of navigation aid for blind or visually impaired persons. The first objective is to provide a navigational aid that can track the location of a blind person anywhere, including areas where a global positioning system (GPS) is not available or not reliable (e.g., indoors, in urban areas with tall buildings, etc.). The second is to look ahead in time and space to plan a route that allows a visually impaired person to get to a destination, then to adaptively update the route based on vision system recognized obstacles that are to be avoided, such as people or construction within the path (a concept know in robotics as Event Horizon). The third is to take gestural input and provide natural route guidance based on tactile stimuli (instead of relying solely on auditory or visual instructions). The fourth objective is to use computer vision techniques to verify that the user has reached the correct destination, as well as to find stairs, elevators (buttons), hallways, and doors in the visual scope to help with navigation. The final objective is to take input from and provide input to intelligent traffic systems (for example, the ability to communicate with drivers to send them alerts when they are getting close to a blind person who is crossing the street).
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:44:10 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1369996</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Second Generation Accessible Pedestrian Systems</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/1325001</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has had a great impact on the implementation of Accessible Pedestrian Systems that target accessible and safety impediments faced by pedestrians with mobility and visual impairments. Intersection geometries are not uniform, and the traffic signal timing varies widely from one intersection to the next as well as days of the week and even hours of the day. The customization of the traffic signal operations is generally oriented to improving the  performance of the vehicular traffic; the resulting changes in traffic patterns almost always impact the pedestrian access. Longer cycle lengths require pedestrians to cope with inclement weather or become impatient resulting in crossing without a WALK signal. For pedestrians who have vision impairments, the challenges become daunting. No longer is vision the primary means of communicating information that directly affects the safety when crossing a street. To allow safer and more reliable pedestrian access at signalized intersections, the pedestrian systems should be able to be customized easily and quickly. Pedestrians can be faced with confusing or conflicting directions resulting in unsafe actions and could be tempted to assume increased individual risks if there is no ability to tune the pedestrian information for each intersection. These systems are intended for use by pedestrians possessing a wide range of physical and cognitive abilities, and this research seeks to provide direction and alert these pedestrians of potential dangers in ways that are clear and quickly comprehended. This research leverages off Smart Signals Research that started in 2004. The goal from the beginning was to develop a system that can provide capability for advanced technologies to improve the safety for pedestrians at signalized intersections. At early stages in this research, it was realized that the technologies currently being used do not provide the necessary infrastructure. Hence, past research focused on an enabling technology that has resulted in an innovative highly customizable pedestrian control system that has been commercially offered to a national market since 2010. Feedback from transportation agencies, pedestrian advocacy groups, and transportation  equipment manufacturers has directed the research in areas that can provide the enhanced capabilities for precise and reliable systems to assist the general pedestrian population. Through workshops with an advisory group, extensive dialogs with experts, and technology development, the authors have developed a second generation of accessible pedestrian systems capable of being expanded to include direct interaction with selected pedestrians. A pilot test was also conducted to determine an appropriate tone for the second speaker navigation. Technical reviews involving the research designers and the engineers with equipment manufacturers for the first generation pedestrian control system hardware and software brought out several key elements that needed improving. The hardware and software underwent extensive redesign, testing and performance evaluation. The  resulting equipment has lower cost and improved capability and performance. The major system design improvements are wider operating temperature range, independent audio outputs, simplified power circuit design, extensible communications capability using diverse wireless and direct wired network technologies, and equipment that is less expensive to install. The results of the pilot testing gave direction for future larger-scale testing and insights on how individuals cope without vision.  The benefit of the advanced features will be realized when the pedestrian navigation and guidance features are integrated with the second generation hardware.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2014 14:09:15 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://trid.trb.org/View/1325001</guid>
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