SELECTION OF PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL PHASING

This paper presents a methodology for selecting alternate schemes for pedestrian signal phasing. The types of pedestrian phasing studied include (a) combined pedestrian-vehicle interval, (b) early release of pedestrians with respect to vehicles, (c) late release of pedestrians with respect to vehicles, and (d) scramble timing. Each alternative is weighed in terms of its impact on the safety of the pedestrian and on the delay to both pedestrians and vehicles. The results of the study indicate that the combined pedestrian-vehicle interval will almost always minimize overall pedestrian and vehicle delay. The only exception occurs for the case in which a pedestrian-vehicle conflict causes long queues of vehicles to form in a right-turning lane (or left-turning lane on a one-way street). In that case, the use of late release or scramble timing is preferable. Scramble timing is capable of increasing pedestrian safety by completely separating pedestrian and vehicular movements; however, this benefit is canceled if pedestrian compliance is low. The early release of pedestrians does not appear to significantly improve pedestrian safety and will always increase total delay at the intersection. A methodology for selecting the phasing for given pedestrian volumes and vehicle-turning movements is presented. /Author/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1977/629/629-001.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=SELECTION+OF+PEDESTRIAN+SIGNAL+PHASING&author=C.+Abrams&author=S.+SMITH&publication_year=1977
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309026571
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Pedestrians. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Abrams, C M
  • SMITH, S A
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1-6
• Monograph Title: Pedestrian Controls, Bicycle Facilities, Driver Research, and System Safety
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 629
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Intersections; Pedestrian signs; Pedestrian vehicle interface; Pedestrians; Safety; Traffic conflicts; Traffic delays; Traffic signal timing; Traffic signals; Turning radius; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Interaction; Selecting
• Old TRIS Terms: Phase; Turning path
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00173097
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309026571
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 18 1978 12:00AM