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a technical guide for conducting pedestrian safety assessments

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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY • INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION STUDIES • TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROGRAM<br />

37<br />

TABLE 7: EXAMPLE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT MEASURES<br />

Measure Description Benefits Application<br />

Textured<br />

Pavers<br />

Textured pavers come in a variety<br />

of materials (<strong>for</strong> example, concrete,<br />

brick, and stone) and can<br />

be constructed to create a textured<br />

<strong>pedestrian</strong> surface such as<br />

a crosswalk or sidewalk. Crosswalks<br />

are constructed with the<br />

pavers, or can be made of<br />

stamped concrete or asphalt.<br />

Highly visible to motorists,<br />

this measure<br />

provides a visual and<br />

tactile cue to motorists<br />

and delineates a separate<br />

space <strong>for</strong> <strong>pedestrian</strong>s,<br />

as it provides a<br />

different texture to the<br />

street <strong>for</strong> <strong>pedestrian</strong>s<br />

and motorists. It also<br />

aesthetically enhances<br />

the streetscape.<br />

Appropriate <strong>for</strong> areas with high<br />

volumes of <strong>pedestrian</strong> traffic<br />

and roadways with low visibility<br />

and/or narrow travel ways, as in<br />

the downtown area of towns<br />

and small cities.<br />

Anti-Skid<br />

Surfacing<br />

Surface treatment is applied to<br />

streets to improve skid resistance<br />

during wet weather. This is a<br />

supplementary tool that can be<br />

use to reduce skidding in wet<br />

conditions.<br />

Improves driver and<br />

<strong>pedestrian</strong> <strong>safety</strong>.<br />

Appropriate <strong>for</strong> multi-lane roadways<br />

and roadways with higher<br />

posted speed limit and/or high<br />

vehicle volumes or collision<br />

rates.<br />

Accessibility<br />

Upgrades<br />

Treatments such as audible<br />

<strong>pedestrian</strong> signals, accessible<br />

push buttons, and truncated<br />

domes should be installed at<br />

crossings to accommodate disabled<br />

<strong>pedestrian</strong>s.<br />

Improves accessibility<br />

of <strong>pedestrian</strong> facilities<br />

<strong>for</strong> all users.<br />

Accessibility upgrades should<br />

be provided <strong>for</strong> all <strong>pedestrian</strong><br />

facilities following a citywide<br />

ADA Transition Plan.<br />

Pedestrian<br />

Countdown<br />

Signal<br />

Displays a “countdown” of the<br />

number of seconds remaining <strong>for</strong><br />

the <strong>pedestrian</strong> crossing interval.<br />

In some jurisdictions the countdown<br />

includes the walk phase.<br />

In other jurisdictions, the countdown<br />

is only displayed during the<br />

flashing don’t walk phase.<br />

Increases <strong>pedestrian</strong><br />

awareness and allows<br />

them the flexibility to<br />

know when to speed up<br />

if the <strong>pedestrian</strong> phase<br />

is about to expire.<br />

The <strong>for</strong>thcoming 2009 MUTCD<br />

is expected to require all<br />

<strong>pedestrian</strong> signals to incorporated<br />

countdown signals within<br />

ten years. The signals should<br />

be prioritized <strong>for</strong> areas with<br />

<strong>pedestrian</strong> activity, roadways<br />

with high volumes of vehicular<br />

traffic, multi-lane roadways,<br />

and areas with elderly or disabled<br />

persons (who may walk<br />

slower than others may).

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