Content area
Full Text
MUTCD DESCRIBES A "NORMAL WALK SPEED OF 1.2 METERS (4.0 FEET) PER SECOND" FOR USE IN TIMING THE PEDESTRIAN CLEARANCE PHASE AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL. THERE ALSO IS AN UNSPECIFIED SUGGESTION TO USE SLOWER SPEEDS WHEN SLOWER PEDESTRIANS "ROUTINELY" USE A CROSSWALK. THIS FEATURE PROPOSES THAT THE CLEARANCE PHASE BE BASED ON 1.1 METERS (3.5 FEET) PER SECOND.
INTRODUCTION
Every city traffic engineer has received letters and encountered complaints at public meetings regarding the inability of pedestrians to cross their city streets within the allotted pedestrian crossing time. City traffic engineers usually answer these complaints by patiently explaining that the walk signal is only a preliminary indication of when to walk-the flashing don't walk signal (which usually makes up a significant portion of pedestrian crossing time) means that it is alright to continue walking but pedestrians should not start crossing during this signal phase.
According to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), the length of the pedestrian clearance phase (including the flashing don't walk segment) should be based on the "normal" pedestrian walking speed of 4.0 feet (1.2 meters) per second. When slower pedestrians "routinely" use a crosswalk, slower walking speeds should be used. However, there are no guidelines as to when these slower walking speeds should be used or what speeds would be appropriate.
DRAFT GUIDELINES
In 2002, the Public Rights-of-Way Access Advisory Committee (PROWAAC) released its draft guidelines for public comment. With respect to the pedestrian walking speed used for determining the minimum pedestrian clearance time at a signalized intersection, a universal maximum pedestrian walking speed of 3.0 ft. (1.0 m)/sec. was recommended.
PROWAAC also recommended changing the overall distance used in calculating crossing distance to include the entire length of the crosswalk plus the length of the curb ramp.
This recommendation raised a number of questions and concerns regarding the effect on traffic of universally requiring such a slow walking speed value. The U.S. Access Board asked T.Y. Lin International to determine the history of current walking speed values and estimate the effect of the recommended changes on traffic operations.
THE CHANGING LANGUAGE ON PEDESTRIAN WALKING SPEED
1948 Edition
The 1948 edition of MUTCD did not explicitly suggest a walking speed for which pedestrian crossing phases should be timed.1...