Abstract:
The City of Charlotte, North Carolina has developed a methodology to assess the important design features that affect pedestrians and bicyclists crossing signalized intersections. Referred to as Level of Service, this methodology identifies and evaluates features according to their influence on the comfort and safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. Among the key features identified and rated are crossing distance, roadway space allocation (i.e., crosswalks, bike lanes), corner radius dimension and traffic signal characteristics. This methodology can be used as a diagnostic tool to assess and improve pedestrian and bicyclist levels of comfort and safety through intersection design features. The results can be compared with those for traffic levels of service of an intersection and weighed according to user priorities. This methodology will be included in Charlotte's new street design guidelines and will be used to select street features that can help achieve a desired level of service for pedestrians and bicyclists.
