Designing Streets for Pedestrians Safety

Fresno (2-Day Course)

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Dates: June 9-10, 2008
Location:

Caltrans Manchester Office
2015 East Shields Avenue
Fresno, CA 93726
<click here for map>
Room: Suite 100
Building Access: The entrance to the facility is on the Southside of the building. You will need to check in at the security counter.
Contact:

For inquires, please contact Gale A. Sparkman at (559) 488-7385 or at Gale_A_Sparkman@dot.ca.gov
Parking: Vehicle parking is free, located in the lot in front of the building.
Bicycle Parking is available in front of the facility. You will need to request access to the bike rack at the security counter.
Training Time: June 9, 2008; 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
June 10, 2008; 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Description:

This course is intended to help state and local transportation professionals address pedestrian safety issues through design and engineering solutions. Training objectives include:

  • Participants will learn that pedestrians belong in all geometric design, operations, and safety considerations.
  • Participants will learn the significance of land-use, street connectivity, and site design in helping to make a safer pedestrian environment.
  • Participants will understand human behavior issues related to pedestrians and drivers interacting safely and common pedestrian crash types.
  • Participants will understand the role that planning and street design play in pedestrian safety.
  • Participants will learn effective solutions and best practices in design and operations for pedestrian safety. Specific design and operational issues covered include:
    • Sidewalk and walkway design
    • Intersection geometry
    • Signs, signals, and crosswalks
    • Interchange design and alternatives
    • Facilities at signalized intersections
    • Roundabouts
    • Connections to transit
    • Road diets and other traffic calming measures
  • Participants will take part in a field exercise as a critical element to the course. The class is broken into smaller groups to walk and study a nearby intersection or corridor for possible pedestrian safety improvements. The groups brainstorm and share engineering and policy solutions.

Funded by the Federal Highway Administration.

   
Agenda:

June 9, 2008

  1. Introductions, purpose of course
    • Attendees explain their background and what they hope to learn.
  2. Planing factors that impact pedestrian safety
    • o Land use; street connectivity; access management; site design; LOS
  3. Sidewalk design elements that impact pedestrian safety
    • Basic sidewalk design: width, clearances, accessibility, need for buffers
    • Driveways & alleys; maintaining sidewalk continuity
  4. Street crossings
    • Principals of human behavior; the need to provide safe, frequent and convenient crossings; midblock vs. intersection crossing safety
    • Crosswalks: justification, where they’re applicable; crosswalk markings & signing
    • Tools for improving the effectiveness of crosswalks: Illumination; flashing lights & beacons, signing; advance stop or yield lines; reducing multiple threat crashes
    • Medians & islands: breaking long crossing into 2 steps
    • Pedestrian signals: meeting warrants, providing a hot response; innovative techniques
    • Grade-separation: why it fails, where it’s applicable, how to make it succeed
  5. Intersection geometry
    • Geometric concerns: intersection size; choosing the right size radius; complex and skewed intersections
    • Curb extensions: reducing crossing distance
    • Crosswalk placement: how to place crosswalks where they’ll be used
    • Islands; right turn slip lane design
    • Interchanges: accommodating pedestrians at exit and entrance ramps
  6. Adjourn

June 10, 2008

  1. Intersection signalization
    • The purpose of signals; their effect on pedestrian safety; meeting warrants
    • Pedestrian signal placement
    • Countdown pedestrian signals
    • Push-button placement
    • Signal timing techniques: pedestrian signal timing; restricting turn movements; Leading Pedestrian Interval (LPI);all-ped scramble; ITS applications
  2. Roundabouts
  3. Transit
    • Bus stop design; location of bus stops & pedestrian crossing safety
  4. Road Diets
    • Reducing street width to enhance pedestrian safety without compromising capacity
  5. Prepare for field trip
  6. Field trip
  7. Lunch (on your own)
  8. Exercise: problem solving / brainstorming policy changes
  9. Exercise: Solutions and policy reports
  10. Exercise: Selecting high priority policy changes
  11. Wrap-up; next steps
  12. Adjourn