City of Portland Technical Manual

City of Portland Technical Manual
1.20.2. General Standards for Crosswalk Installation:
Section 1 - Transportation Systems and Street Design
Adopted 7/19/10. Rev. 6/17/11; 7/21/11
1.20.2.1. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) provides
guidance for placement of crosswalks. In addition, crosswalks should:
• Occur where substantial pedestrian/vehicle conflicts exist. (See The
Federal Highway Administration notebook titled “Traffic Conflict
Techniques for Safety and Operations” which provides methods for
conflict evaluation.)
• Occur at points of pedestrian concentration that can meet applicable
standards or where pedestrians may not recognize the appropriate place
to cross (e.g., loading islands, mid-block pedestrian crossings).
• Maintain suitable separation (approximately 300 feet) between nonintersection
or mid-block crosswalks.
• Be installed based on an engineering study if located other than at a STOP
sign or traffic signal. For mid-block locations, a study shall evaluate
factors of need including but not limited to school crossings, age of
pedestrians, and nearest alternative crosswalk location as well as safety
issues such as traffic speed, volume, and sight lines.
• Consider advance warning signage if installed at uncontrolled locations
and allow for restriction of parking for adequate visibility of the advance
signage.
• No crosswalk spacing requirements are to be imposed at intersection
locations. Other engineering factors are to be reviewed in the
determination of suitability of the location.
1.20.2.2. The Crosswalk Installation Guidelines (Figure I-24) provide criteria for
guiding evaluations of when crosswalks may be desirable at uncontrolled
locations based on pedestrian and vehicular volumes. Crosswalks at
uncontrolled locations shall be placed where these criteria are met; or where
special requirements and/or plans exist that support the installation of a
crosswalk.
1.20.2.3. Crosswalks proposed at signalized intersections shall include pedestrian
signal indications for substantial pedestrian crossings. 1 Each proposed
location shall be evaluated based on through traffic volumes, turning vehicle
volumes and signal phasing to determine which legs of the intersection are
most appropriate for pedestrian crossings. The default assumption is that
crosswalks shall be provided on all intersection approaches and supplemental
analysis must be provided that identifies specific engineering conclusions on
why this cannot be accomplished.
1.20.2.4. Marked crosswalks across stop controlled intersection approaches shall
1 Design and Safety of Pedestrian Facilities, 1998, ITE Technical Committee 5A-5
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