Pedestrian Road Crossing at Uncontrolled Mid-Block Locations: Does the Refuge Island Increase Risk?

Wafaa Saleh, Monika Grigorova and Samia Elattar
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Wafaa Saleh: College of Engineering, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 84428, Saudi Arabia
Monika Grigorova: Transport Research Institute, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK
Samia Elattar: Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 84428, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-16

Abstract: The study investigates the behaviour of pedestrians crossing a road with a refuge island in an urban area to assess whether refuge islands deliver their expected benefit. This type of pedestrian crossings aims at providing a half-way shelter and protection while pedestrians are crossing a road with two-traffic streams. Data has been collected using two video cameras from an urban location in Edinburgh on gaps in traffic flow, rejected and accepted gaps, and critical gaps of pedestrians while crossing from the curb or the median. Data have also been examined to estimate and assess vehicle and pedestrians’ speeds, vehicle type, waiting time, group size and other demographic characteristics of pedestrians. The statistical modelling techniques used include Multiple Linear Regression and Generalised Estimating Equations (GEE). The results show that the critical gap for crossing from the median to the curb is much shorter than that from the curb to the median. Pedestrians appear to be less cautious when crossing from the median to the curb as they are more likely to accept a shorter gap in traffic. This could indicate a shortfall in the design and/or operation of this type of crossing. Further considerations and investigation of what measures could be implemented to enhance safety and reduce risky behaviour at this type of crossing are recommended and certainly encouraged.

Keywords: refuge islands; pedestrian crossing behaviour; generalised estimating equations; multiple linear regression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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