Uncontrolled Crossings National Task Force

Current Practices Survey

March 2014

Uncontrolled Crossings Task Force

Andy Hamilton, County of San Diego/CirculateSanDiego/America Walks, Chair
Dana Dickman, Alta Planning and Design, Portland, OR
Jeff Riegner, Whitman, Requardt & Associates/ITE Pedestrian & Bicycle Council Chair
Joe Fish, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Julio Fuentes, City of San Diego
K.C. Yellapu, Linscott, Law & Greenspan, Engineers, San Diego
Mike Cynecki, Lee Engineering, Phoenix
Rock Miller, Stantec/ITE International President

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Introduction
Americansareincreasinglyembracingwalkingfortransportationandrecreation,butfeelsafe
placestowalkarelackinginmostjurisdictions.ThemajorityofU.S.pedestrianfatalitiesoccur
onurbanarterialroadways,andamajorityoftheseareoutsideofcrosswalks.iThisisdue,at
least in part, to the lack of safe crossing opportunities between widely spaced signalized
intersections. As a result, pedestrians frequently take great risks crossing, forego crossing
altogether,orifacarisavailable,opttodrive,addingtolocalVehicleMilesTravelled(VMT)and
reducingbothphysicalandeconomicactivity.

Anecdotal evidence suggests local crosswalk installation practices are extremely variable.
Guidance is lacking for evaluating crossing locations and selecting crossing treatments at
unsignalizedintersectionsofmajorstreets.Manyagencieshaverelied,andsomecontinueto
rely,ona1972SanDiegostudy(Herms)iithatseemedtoshowmarkingcrosswalksmayincrease
pedestriancollisions.In2002,theFederalHighwayAdministrationsponsoredananalysisof1000
uncontrolledmarkedcrosswalksmatchedwith1000unmarkedcrosswalksitesin30cities.The
resultwasaguidanceindicatingunderwhatconditionsmarkingcrosswalksalone(withoutother
enhancements)isacceptable.iiiTheguidancefactorsarenumberoflanes,trafficvolume,and
presenceorabsenceofaraisedmedian.In2009,thisguidancewasadoptedintotheManualon
UniformTrafficControlDevices(MUTCD).

Itisimportanttonotethatmostcrosswalkstudieshavefocusedoncrashreductionrisk.There
has been relatively little attention paid to the demand side, i.e., whether new crosswalk
treatments contribute positively to walkability, inducing more crossing and perhaps more
walkingtrips.Thelackofsafecrossingopportunitiesmaystiflepedestriancrossingandactivity,
andcontributetotheobesityepidemicplaguingoursociety.

AboutThisProject
TheUncontrolledCrossingsTaskForceisavolunteergroupofprofessionalsrepresentingAmerica
Walks, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), and the Association of Pedestrian and
Bicycle Professionals (APBP), interested in gathering information to support a better
understanding of current local crosswalk implementation practices, and making
recommendationsfordevelopingnationalguidelines.Tothisend,theTaskForceconducteda
shortsurveyinApril2013,collecting105completeresponses.Theresultsarepresentedinthis
document. Conclusions and next steps are provided on the last page. Questions or
correspondence regarding this project may be directed to Andy Hamilton
(ahamilton@americawalks.org;8585862641).

BestPracticeGuidance
Afuturephaseofthisprojectwillrecommendbestpracticeresourcesforevaluatingandtreating
uncontrolledlocations.Inthemeantime,readersshouldfindthefollowingresourceshelpful:

PEDSAFE2013CountermeasureSelectionTool
http://www.pedbikesafe.org/pedsafe/selectiontool.cfm
CityofSacramentoPedestrianSafetyGuidelines(2013)
http://www.cityofsacramento.org/transportation/dot_media/engineer_media/pdf/PedSafe
ty.pdf
CityofBoulderPedestrianCrossingTreatmentInstallationGuidelines(2011)
https://bouldercolorado.gov/transportation/pedestriancrossingtreatments
CostsforPedestrianandBicycleImprovements(2013)
www.walkinginfo.org/library/details.cfm?id=4876

SurveyResults

1.Whatjurisdictiondoyourepresentorworkwith?(105Responses)

Canada5%

West18%

Northeast22%
Midwest11%

California16%

Southeast17%

Southwest16%

2.Whichtreatmentsareyoucurrentlyusingatuncontrolledmajorstreetlocations?
(114Responses)
Treatments

100%

1.AdvanceStopMarkings

90%

2.AdvanceYieldMarkings

80%
71.1%
81

70%

3.HighIntensityActivated
Crosswalk/PedestrianHybridBeacon

62.3%
57.9%
71
66

60%

4.RectangularRapidFlashBeacon

50%
40%
30%
20%

31.6%
36 26.3% 29.8%
30
34

43.9%
50

37.7%
43

8.HighVisibilityCrosswalkMarkings
9.MountedInRoadSign

123456789
3

6.CurbExtensions
7.InPavementWarningLights

21.1%
24

10%
0%

5.MedianIslands/PedestrianRefuge
Areas


3.Whichofthefollowingdatahaveyoucollected?(46Responses)
50
45
40
35
30

23

25

39

41

20
15
10

16

Pedestrian Volumes

Motorist Yield/Stop Rates

No, I have not collected this data

Pedestrian Crashes

Yes, I have collected this data

4a. Other than the MUTCD, does your 4b. If your agency has its own policy, when was it
jurisdictionhavewrittenpolicies/guidelinesfor adopted?(24Responses)
applying marked crosswalks at uncontrolled
locations?(104responses)

Yes
33%
No
67%
70Responses

34Responses

YearAdopted

1220102013

820032009

419912002

10

NumberofResponses

12


5a.Isyouragencyinneedofimprovedguidancefortheinstallationofpedestriancrossingtreatmentsat
uncontrolledlocations?(96responses)

35%

32.3%
31

30%

24.0%
23

25%

18.8%
18

20%
15%
10%

12.5%
12

12.5%
12

5%
0%
Yes
Considerable
GuidanceIs
Desired

Yes
No
No
SomeGuidance ExistingGuidance
ThisIsNotA
IsDesired
IsAcceptable
MajorIssueFor
OurAgency

I'mNotSureOr
Don'tKnow

5b.Ifadditionalguidanceisneeded,inwhatareasismoreguidancedesirable?(40Responses)

50%
45%
40%

47.5%
19

42.5%
17

35%
30%
25%
20%
15%

12.5%
5

10%
5%

5.0%

5.0%

0%
WhenToInstallA WhatTreatment
Crosswalk
ToApply

Expected
Anticipated
Communication
EffectivenessOf LiabilityExposure WithMotorists&
Treatments
TheCommunity


6.Ifyouragencyhasitsownpolicy,whichofthefollowingfactorsareconsideredinyourcrosswalk
installationguidelines?(29responses)

100%
1.PedestrianVolume
90%
80%

82.8%
24

70%

79.3%
23

82.8%

2.TrafficVolume

79.3%

24

75.9%

23

72.4%
21

60%

65.5%

65.5%

19

19

3.Speed
4.NumberOfLanes
5.MultipleThreatPotential

48.3%

50%

22

44.8%

14

13

40%

6.CrashHistory
7.IntersectionVersusMidblock

30%

8.DistanceToNearestSignal

20%

9.VehicularGapsAvailable

10%

10.SightDistance

0%

12345678910

7.Doesyouragencyhaveadequatetrainingandstaffingtoassessuncontrolledcrossingslocationsand
installappropriatetreatments?(75Responses)

100%
90%
80%

Morestaff/resources
neededforassessmentof
uncontrolledcrossings

76.0%
57

70%
60%
50%

41.3%
40%
32.0%
30%

31

24

20%

Morefinancialresources
neededforinstallationof
treatments
Moretrainingneededfor
assessment,prioritization
andselectionofcrossing
treatments

10%
0%

Conclusions
The survey confirmed there is no uniform approach to evaluating or providing crossing
opportunitiesonuncontrolledlocationsalongmajorstreets.Itislikelythatrespondentsarea
selfselectedgroup,alreadyworkingtoimprovewalkingconditionsintheirlocaljurisdictionor
state.Despitethis,51percentofthosewhoexpressedanopinionindicatedaneedforgreater
guidance evaluating potential crossing locations and selecting treatments. Over 40 percent
indicatedtheywouldlikemorestafftrainingforassessingandselectingpotentialcrossings.

NextSteps
Thenextstepsinthisprojectareasfollows:
1. IdentifyandsummarizebestpracticesamongU.S.jurisdictions.
2. Recommend best practice approaches that most jurisdictions should feel comfortable
adoptinggiventhecurrentstateofknowledge.
3. Followupwithsurveyrespondentsandotherstogatheravailabledataontheeffectof
crosswalktreatmentsonpedestriancrossingdemand.(PleasecontactAndyHamiltonif
yourjurisdictionhasbeforeandafterpedestrianvolumedataataparticularcrosswalk
installation.)
4. Wherefurtherresearchisneeded,craftresearchneedstatementstobeforwardedtothe
TransportationResearchBoardsPedestrianCommittee.

AboutAmericaWalks
www.americawalks.org
AmericaWalksisanonprofitorganizationwhosemissionistomakeAmericaagreatplacefor
walkingbyworkingcollaborativelytoshareknowledge,advancepoliciesandimplementeffective
campaignstopromotesafe,convenientandaccessiblewalkingconditionsforall.AmericaWalks
leads a diverse coalition of national organizations, state partners, and local advocacy groups
dedicatedtoachievingandpromotingwalkablecommunities.

AboutAPBP
www.apbp.org
TheAssociationofPedestrianandBicycleProfessionals(APBP)workstogrowthepedestrianand
bicycle profession and its influence by facilitating the exchange of professional and technical
knowledge,elevatingpractitionersskillsanddefiningthefield.Theorganizationhasgrownto
include1,200membersintheUnitedStatesandCanada.APBPmembersworkatalllevelsof
government, in manufacturing, and as consultants, advocates, researchers, and students in a
wide range of disciplines: transportation planning and engineering, urban design, landscape
architecture,publichealth,activeliving,andSafeRoutestoSchool.

TransportationforAmerica,DangerousbyDesign,2011.
Herms,B.PedestrianCrosswalkStudy:CrashesinPaintedandUnpaintedCrosswalks.RecordNo.406,TransportationResearchBoard,
NationalResearchCouncil,Washington,D.D.,1972
iii
Zegeer,C.,Stewart,J.,Huang,H.,Lagerwey,P.SafetyEffectsofMarkedversusUnmarkedCrosswalksatUncontrolledLocations:Analysisof
PedestrianCrashesin30Cities.InTransportationResearchRecord:JournaloftheTransportationResearchRecord,No.1773,Part2:Bicycleand
PedestrianResearch,paperNo.010505,TRB,NationalResearchCouncil,Washington,D.C.,2001,pp.5668.
ii