Modeling Pedestrian Level of Service at Signalized Intersection Under Mixed Traffic Conditions

Abstract

Developing countries such as India need to have the proper pedestrian level of service (PLOS) criteria for various facilities to help in planning, designing, and maintaining pedestrian facilities. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop a suitable method for estimating the PLOS model under mixed traffic conditions and also to define threshold values for PLOS classification at signalized intersections. First, the data were collected with video and a user perceptions survey at eight selected signalized intersections in Mumbai, India. Second, pedestrian crossing behaviors were modeled according to arrival pattern, crossing speed, noncompliance behavior, and pedestrian–vehicular interaction. Third, a pedestrian delay model was proposed by considering crossing behavior variations and subsequent validation with field data. Fourth, significant variables were identified on the basis of the Pearson’s correlation test with user’s perceptions score. Fifth, the conventional linear regression (CLR) technique was explored to determine the PLOS. To overcome the limitations of the CLR technique, fuzzy linear regression (FLR) was done to develop a PLOS model that fits mixed traffic conditions in India. Two models were validated, and their statistical performance results indicate that the FLR model predicts the PLOS score more precisely. Finally, k-means and fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering techniques were applied to classify the PLOS score, and the results were compared by time complexity value and field values. The performance evaluation results indicate that the k-means method saves time but fails to produce more reliable threshold values, and the FCM method produces more accurate and efficient threshold values for the PLOS score at signalized intersections under mixed traffic conditions.