Pedestrians in the

Rural Context
Andy Hamilton
America Walks

Presentation Flow
What Pedestrians Need

- Decision Process
- Liability

Safety
Crash Statistics
Speed

Roadway Design

What Pedestrians Need*

Security (safety from traffic & crime)

Convenience (nearby destinations)
Efficiency (cross here, not -mile away)
Comfort (shade, trees, water, benches,
etc.)

Welcome (attractive, interesting)

*Source: Dan Burden, Walkable Communities, Inc.

Rural Traffic Hazard

In 2007, the fatality rate per 100 million
vehicle miles traveled was 2.5x higher in
rural areas than in urban areas.
People killed in speeding-related crashes
represented almost one-third of the
fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2008.

Pedestrian Crash Types

53% of child fatalities dart-outs

30% of elderly fatalities turning
vehicles

Pedestrian Crash Types

Source: NHTSA

Elderly Pedestrian Crash Types

Source: NHTSA

Orange County, CA Study

An increase in the average speed
from 20 to 30mph was associated
with 7.6 times the risk of [child]
pedestrian injury [in high risk
locations].

Source: Jacobsen, et al. 2000, ITE Journal

Speed vs. Stopping Distance

Distance Required to Stop (Feet)
0

40

Speed (mph)

35
30
25
20
15
10

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Pavement Width is Apparently a

Major Determinant of:

Traffic speed
Pedestrian exposure
Crash rate

Traffic Safety Literature

Most safety studies of road

improvements fail to account for
confounding variables (demographics,
medical care, seatbelt use, alcohol use)

The few recent studies that do so

show current safety approaches
result in slightly more crashes, not
fewer.
Source: Noland 2003

Max. Safety = 24 Width

Street Width and Injury Accidents
7

A c c id e n ts /M ile /Y e a r

0
0

10

20

30

40

50

Street Width (Curb to Curb)

Source: Swift, Painter and Goldstein, 2006

60

Vehicle Crashes Increase With

Lane widths > 9-11 (Noland 2003)

Added lanes (Fridstrom and Ingebrigsten 1991)
Eliminating curves (Shankar 1995)
Increasing design speed on curves
(Shankar 1995)

Larger shoulder widths (Ivan et al. 2000)

Cul-de-sac neighborhood form (Marshall

Increased speed

and Garrick 2008)

(many studies)

Pedestrians are most often killed on arterial roads (NHTSA).

Current Hypothesis
Wide, straight, and flat roads
increase crashes by increasing speed
and reducing driver caution (Noland
2003)

Maintaining Safe Speed

High intersection density (small block size)

Minimize number of lanes, lane width, and
shoulder width
Natural deflection - curves, hills
Sense of Enclosure trees and buildings
close to roadway reduce speeding via
rapid optical flow.
Traffic Calming devices and street layouts

Designing for Pedestrians

Moderate speeds where pedestrians are

expected
Minimize crossing distance (road width)
Frequent crossing opportunities (~ every
300)
Special attention to intersections
High-visibility crosswalk markings
Tight corners or bulbouts reduce turning speed,
increase ped. visibility
Signal design, crossing time, etc.

The brain perceives that traffic

moving slower than 18 mph is
safe to interact with.
-- Michael Wallwork, P.E.

Dont Over-Engineer Where

its Not Needed

Modern Roundabout
Entry Speed = 18-20mph

Increase road capacity without widening

High rate of yielding to pedestrians

Shoulders can accommodate rural walking

if traffic speeds are moderate

Bikes can use shoulders

At a certain point,
you need a sidewalk

Traffic Calming

Suburban-style roads encourage

transition from rural to suburban form

Rural standards should allow for

livable streets in towns or villages
NY Route 62,
Hamburg, NY

Max thru-put = 30mph

Source: Highway Capacity Manual

Elk Grove, CA Rural Road Policies

Designate rural areas and create

separate rural road standards for them
Policy: Maintain rural road character in
rural areas.
Add capacity only as needed, not for
projected build out that may not come
Minimize ROW and lane widths
Bicycles use paved shoulders except as
needed for greater safety
Minimize roadway noise -- speed

Elk Grove Rural Road Standards

Classification
Local <400

Total
Pavement
Width
22

Lane
Width
9

Paved
Shoulder
2-4

Local >400

24-28

10

2-4

Collector

24-28

10

2-4

Arterial: 2-lane

28-32

11

3-5

Arterial: 4+Ctr

62-66

11

3-5

Arterial: 6+Ctr

84-88

11

3-5

Decision Process

Context Sensitive Solutions

Emphasized by AASHTO, FHWA, many

state DOTs.
Close consultation with local stakeholders
Local input improves design, particularly
for non-drivers.
Rural context issues:
Abrupt transition from highways to
development nodes, schools, etc.
Aesthetics - community character
Cost-saving opportunities

Context Sensitive Solutions

Partnerships are expressed through
collaborative transportation problem
definition, shared decision-making,
and a mutual commitment to
implementation. Stakeholders must
invest in the partnership with an
expectation of receiving a return on
their investment.
CA DOT (2005), Main Streets: Flexibility in Design and Operations

Liability Issues

Liability

Speed-controlled roads approach is

analogous to traffic calming
ITE-published study of ~50 cities/counties
nationwide over 14 years showed:

Only 2 settled lawsuits involving traffic calming

devices.
Thousands of lawsuits for other causes.

Crashes, injuries, are reduced where

speeding is reduced.
Liability may be reduced by following
conventional standards but
Is avoiding liability a higher priority than
protecting the public?

Road standards are a

matter of life and death.

Take the time to get them right.