Pedestrian Crossing Installation

[westpark]

Hello,

I was requested to investigate about the installation of a painted pedestrian crossing across a divided 4-lane highway. The speed limit is 55 MPH and the width of the median is 20'. The avearge daily traffic is approximately 51000 veh/day. The sight distance from the crossing looking south is 550', which is the most critical sight distance. There are approximately 10-13 pedestrians crossing the highway during the early morning and late afternoon to take the bus. The accidents (13) were concentrated on the side of the highway that has the critical sight distance. The traffic gaps (which I have not measured) seem to be long enough.

Would you install the crossing there? Do you know of any useful guide to use at this case. FYI, the highway is US Route 9 in NJ and it has a rate of traffic growth of 2.25% yearly. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[traffic]

Based on the data you have given I would not recommend a ped crossing at that location. The ped volumes are pretty low. Maybe you could work with the school ( if it is students) to pick up on the other approach so they would not have to cross. I'm in NC and schools are not allowed to discharge or pick up anyone that would have to cross a divided facility. I might consider ped activity signs if no other option is available.

 

[noodlehead]

Width of highway = 4 lanes X 12' per lane + 20' median =68' Say providing 1' on each side of roadway for edge line, therefore total width = 70'

Assume Ped speed of 4ft/s.

total time required for a ped to cross the highway = 70' / 4ft per s = 17.5 seconds (It's a long crossing without having a Ped signal!!)

Assume road is at grade;

Decision sight distance based on 55MPH for approaching traffic to come to complete stop = almost 1000ft. (It sure exceeds sight distance)

Stopping sight distance based on 55MPH = 417 ft

But please note that you have to obtain 85th percentile speed when you deal with these distances, and I bet 85% speed easily go above 65MPH. I live in NJ Bergen county and I'm pretty familiar with truck route 1 and 9 and I can easilly hit 65 to 80 MPH during the middle of the night..

Let's assumed 85th percentile speed of 65MPH,

the stopping sight distance required on wet pavement = 581 ft and it is more than 550' of sight distance

I wouldn't install pedestrian crosswalk on a divided 4 lane highway with speed limit of 55MPH.

As you have mentioned, most of pedestrian activities are happening either early morning and late afternoon, which mean poor visibility..specially on a rainy day, it would be terrible!!

You could suggest signalized crosswalk at this location (I think it meets signal warrant 7 on MUTCD) and set the signal to be actuated during morning and evening hour, or activated by pressing cross button. or Worst come worst, place stop sign on highway.

But..if I were you, I wouldn't recommand any kind of crosswalk without having proper signal.