innovative worldwide strategies for promoting safer walking as part of a 'vision zero'...
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Innovative Worldwide Strategies for Promoting Safer Walking as Part of a 'Vision Zero' Approach
Lauren Marchetti Charlie Zegeer
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information CenterUNC Highway Safety Research Center
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Presented atWALK21 Vienna Conference 2015
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Presentation Overview
• Vision Zero Objectives• Study Approach• Vision Zero Strategies• Needed Resources • Questions/Answers
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Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful across Europe — and now it’s gaining momentum in major American cities.
Vision Zero Network
• New York City: Vision Zero seeks to eliminate all deaths from traffic crashes regardless of whether on foot, bicycle, or inside a motor vehicle.
• San Francisco: Vision Zero seeks to eliminate all road deaths in San Francisco by 2024 through education, enforcement, and road infrastructure re-design.
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Worldwide Motor Vehicle Crashes
• 1.2 Million deaths per year
• 20 to 50 million non-fatal injuries
• Crash fatalities are comparable to deaths from all communicable diseases
Source: World Health Organization. (2013). Global Status Report on Road Safety: Supporting a Decade of
Action. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Press.
Worldwide Motor Vehicle Crashes• 8th leading cause of death
worldwide; projected to be 5th by 2030
• Leading cause of death in the world for people 15 to 29 years old
• About half of the road fatalities are Vulnerable Road Users (pedestrians, cyclists, and users of motorized two-wheeled vehicles)
Source: World Health Organization. (2013). Global Status Report on Road Safety: Supporting a Decade of Action. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO
Press.
Number of Pedestrian Fatalities by Country
Source: World Health Organization. (2013). Global Status Report on Road Safety: Supporting a Decade of Action. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Press.
ChinaIndia
Russia
Brazil
Indonesia Iran
Mexico USA
Japan
Pakistan
South Kore
a
Ukraine
Colombia
Bangladesh0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
Number of Pedestrian Deaths
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Study Approach• International and National Search• Three comprehensive sources:
1. PEDSAFE Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System (Zegeer et al., 2013)
2. Evaluation of Pedestrian Related Roadway Measures: A Summary of Available Research (Zegeer et al., 2013)
3. Costs for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Infrastructure (Bushell et al., 2013)
• Nine Internet Transportation and Engineering DatabasesPeer-reviewed academic papers, city published studies and reports, conference presentations and periodicals, government publications and reports, web pages and articles
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Countermeasure Categories
• Pedestrian Zones• Traffic Calming/Management• Pedestrian Crossings/Intersections• Traffic Signal Options• Education, Enforcement, & Legislation
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Pedestrian Zones
1. Temporary and Permanent Street Closures
2. Senior Zones3. Neighborhood Slow Zones
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Permanent Street Closures
Full-Street Closures• Block street from all
motor-vehicle trafficPartial Street Closures• Restrict access to only
resident and emergency vehicles
Safety Effects• Reduced average traffic
speeds and volumes• Aides in comprehensive,
area-wide traffic calming
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Temporary Street Closures
Pedestrian Activity Closures• Street used to promote
pedestrian safety and walking through activities and events
“Pedestrian Paradises”• Regularly scheduled,
usually weekly, (i.e. Weekends from noon to 6pm as used in Japan and Australia)
Safety Effects• Improves overall walking
environment• Promotes walk-friendly
cultureGinza Pedestrian Paradise in Tokyo, Japan.
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Senior Zones
• Increases awareness of seniors
• Slows traffic to safer speeds• Accommodates specific needs
of seniors at crossing locations
Safety Effects• Reduced vehicle speeds• Reduced crash risk for seniors• Increased safety perceptionsChicago and Phoenix- Senior crashes reduced 13.7% throughout city and 46.4% within senior zones.Singapore- Senior “Silver Zones” opened in 2014 have already improved safety perceptions.
Senior zone in Singapore.
Signage, Refuge Islands, Chicanes, Pavement Markings, lower posted speed limits, crossing treatments.
Source: Singapore Land Transport Authority
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Neighborhood Slow Zones• Residential areas that
employ traffic calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds
Safety Effects• Reduces vehicle speeds
and volumes; • Reduces cut through traffic• Reduces pedestrian
crashes and injuries• Reduces traffic noise, and
improved quality of life
Examples: New York City and London- (32% reduction in pedestrian crashes & injuries).
Neighborhood Slow Zones in New York City
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Traffic Calming and Management
1. Landscaping2. Trials and Temporary Installations3. Chicanes
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Landscaping
• Creates a visual narrowing of the roadway, and visual separation between vehicle and pedestrians
Safety Effects• Reduced vehicle speeds
and crashes• Increases driver
awareness of pedestrians
Seattle, WA
Bridgeport Way in University Place, WA.
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Trials and Temporary Installations
• Temporary devices used as a way to test traffic calming for the first time or to help elicit desired behavioral changes for drivers
Safety Effects• Reduced vehicle speeds and volumes• Improved countermeasure use• Reduced collisions• Cost savings
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Chicanes• Concrete islands that create
horizontal diversion of traffic to reduce vehicular speeds
Safety Effects• Reduced vehicle speeds• Need to ensure bicyclists
safety and mobility is not diminished
• May reduce on-street parking
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Pedestrian Crossing and Intersection Design Treatments
1. Raised Crosswalks2. Modern Roundabouts3. Refuge Islands & Curb Ramps4. Parking Restrictions—“Daylighting”5. Curb Radius Reduction & Curb
Extensions
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Raised Crosswalks
• Vertical traffic control measures at crossings and midblock locations used to reduce vehicle speeds, increase driver visibility, improve accessibility and eliminate the need for curb ramps.
• Not Speed HumpsSafety Effects• Reduced vehicle speeds• Improved visibility• Increased driver-yielding• Better access for pedestrians with
disabilities• Emergency vehicle issues
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Modern Roundabouts
• Replaces the need for controlled intersections by allowing vehicles to flow into the circle and yield rather than stop
Safety Effects• Increased driver-yielding• Reduced vehicle speeds• Reduced conflicts and
crashes• May complicate access
for visually impaired pedestrians
Refuge Islands & Curb Ramps• Raised areas in the roadway
medians that protect pedestrians attempting to cross and break the crossing into two stages
• Can be constructed at angles to the right so that pedestrians look in direction of oncoming traffic
Safety Effects• Reduced conflicts and
crashes • Increased driver yielding
rates and distance• Improved pedestrian
scanning behavior and reduced exposure time
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Bottom: Mid-block diagonal pedestrian refuge island with
curb extensions
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Parking Restrictions at Crossings—Daylighting• Involves removing parking
spaces adjacent to curbs• Commonly used with curb
extensions, pavement marking or vertical delineators
Safety Effects• Increases sight distance• Reduces dart-dash
pedestrian crashes• Improves pedestrian
scanning behavior and driver visibility
• May use physical barriers and enforcement of illegal parking
Top: Hoboken, NJ used vertical delineators to
prevent illegal parking. Source: PEDSAFE
Bottom: The UK uses painted zig-zag pavement markings to
indicate a crossing area and no-parking or passing zones.
Source: VDOT
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Curb Radius Reduction and Curb Extensions
• Curb radius reduction works to reduce collision risk by forcing a sharper turn with reduced speed
• Curb extensions extend the sidewalk or curb line into the street and reduce crossing distances
Safety Effects• Reduces crash severity and
frequency• Reduces turning speeds• Reduces pedestrian crossing
exposure time • Improves visibility
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Traffic Control Devices-Signals
1. Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs)
2. Pedestrian-Friendly Traffic Signals (PELICAN and PUFFIN Crossing Signals)
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Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB)
• A type of LED flashing beacon installed with pedestrian warning signs at midblock and un-signalized intersection crossings
• They increase motorist yielding and decrease conflicts with pedestrians
Safety Effects• Increased driver yielding• Reduced crashes and
conflicts• Reduced trapped
pedestrians• Reduced crossing delay
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Pedestrian Friendly Traffic Signals• Puffin and Pelican Signals, as
used in Europe, allow pedestrians to call a walk phase using a push-button and get extra crossing time at uncontrolled crosswalks
Safety Effects• Reduced crashes and
conflicts• Reduced crossing violations• Improved pedestrian
scanning• Improved crossing times for
slower pedestrians (seniors)• Increased Driver Yielding
A Pelican at a two-stage crossing in Tucson, AZ. Source: www.tuscon.gov
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Education, Enforcement, and Legislation
1. Public Education Campaigns
2. Speed Enforcement Cameras
3. Legislation
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Public Education Campaigns• Used to augment and
enhance pedestrian safety effects from engineering treatments
• Pedestrian Safety Campaigns target both drivers and pedestrians
• Messages for pedestrians involve being alert around traffic, making eye contact with drivers, and avoiding distractions (Top)
• Messages targeting drivers focus on yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks, reducing speeds, and avoiding distractions (Middle, Bottom)
www.watchformenc.org
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Speed Enforcement Cameras
• Electronic devices installed at midblock locations and intersections to monitor and enforce posted speed limits.
• They allow for non-manual enforcement and gathering of photographic evidence.
Safety Effects• Improves driver speed
compliance.• Reduces vehicle speeds.• May reduce crashes.• Should be accompanied with
extensive public awareness and information campaigns.
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Legislation
A wide range of legislation changes can be effective in improving pedestrian safety. These include:1. Area-wide speed limit reduction2. Safe routes to school funding and programs.3. Stronger motorist yielding laws4. Stricter consequences for drunk driving
Safety Effects• May reduce vehicle speeds, improve pedestrian and motorist
behavior, and crash risk
What Can Agencies Do Now to Implement a Vision Zero Program?
• Designate pedestrian safety as a emphasis area• Identify key stakeholders and champions• Analyze pedestrian crash data• Quantify crash characteristics & location clusters • Identify crash problems and establish goals
– Reduce 10% of child crashes each year– Reduce nighttime ped./bike crashes by 25% by year 2018– Reduce senior pedestrian crashes by 5% per year
• List safety measures to accomplish goals• Develop a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan• Secure funding and Implement 3 E’s and policy changes to meet
Vision Zero goals
Questions?
Charles V. Zegeer Director, Pedestrian and Bicycle Information
Center Associate Director for Engineering and Planning,
UNC Highway Safety Research Center
Ask Charlie a question?