Pedestrians’ Level of Service at Signalized Intersections in China

Abstract

This paper attempts to develop a level of service (LOS) model for signalized intersection crosswalks for pedestrians in China by using the pedestrians’ perceptions of comfort and safety. First, three potential factors influencing pedestrian LOS at crosswalks are summarized: traffic conflicts, crossing facilities, and delay. Second, collected data for the model include ( a) information on 653 participants’ real-time sense of comfort and safety when crossing 10 selected intersections and ( b) the design and operational characteristics of the selected intersections. The selected crosswalks are typical of those prevalent in urban areas of China, and the participants in the survey covered a broad cross section of the Chinese population of pedestrians. With the survey data, a Pearson correlation analysis and stepwise regression analysis were carried out to develop a reliable pedestrian LOS model for signalized intersections, suitable for use in the vast majority of Chinese urban areas. The study revealed that the factors significantly influencing pedestrian LOS at signalized intersections included right-turning vehicle and bicycle volume from the street parallel to the crosswalk during pedestrian green time, permissive left-turning vehicles and bicycles approaching from the street parallel to the crosswalk, through bicycle volume on the street parallel to the crosswalk, and pedestrians’ delay.