01043989

Component

Transportation professionals are frequently challenged to provide designated midblock crossings for pedestrians or shared use pathway users. In recent years there has been a deluge of crossing treatment ideas, illustrations, guidebooks and even misguided applications thereof. However, there is little guidance on when and under what conditions the various types of traffic control should be used at unsignalized, at-grade, midblock crossings. In the 1980s, FHWA developed warrants for grade separating midblock crossings. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices MUTCD provides guidance in warrants for the application of midblock traffic signals for pedestrians. The MUTCD also provides several options for at-grade unsignalized midblock crossings, including crossing advance, crossing signs, and in-pavement flashing lights. However, this, and much of the other at-grade crossing traffic control guidance is typically in the form of “when used, do the following” and not “under these conditions, consider these treatments.” As part of its Regional Bikeways Plan update, the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) in the Phoenix, Arizona region has developed a protocol for where to implement treatments to accommodate the midblock crossing of arterial roadways by pathway users. This paper documents the development and testing of that protocol to determine the appropriate traffic control devices for midblock pedestrian or pathway crossings of roadways. To ensure broad applicability of this protocol, it has been tested with locations beyond the MAG area.

01042056

07-2895

English

25p

2007

Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting

CD-ROM

Figures; Photos; References (6) ; Tables (6)

Crosswalks; Guidelines; Midblock crossings; Pedestrian clearance interval (Traffic signals); Pedestrian flow; Pedestrian movement; Pedestrian traffic; Pedestrians; Traffic control; Traffic control devices; Traffic signals; Unsignalized intersections; Walkways

Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2007 Paper #07-2895

TRIS, TRB

Feb 8 2007 7:36PM