Right Turns on Green and Pedestrian Level of Service: Statistical Assessment

Abstract

Traditional pedestrian level of service measures at signalized intersections are based on pedestrian space and pedestrian delay. However, these measures may not adequately reflect the negative impact of right-turning traffic on pedestrians. This paper presents a statistical analysis using a binary logit model that provides new insights into the factors that affect the likelihood that a pedestrian is compromised (delayed, altered their travel path, or altered their travel speed) in response to traffic turning right (on green) during concurrent vehicle/pedestrian signal timing. The statistical analysis indicates that a number of factors affect the likelihood of a pedestrian being compromised including pedestrian direction of travel, right-turn traffic volume, number of pedestrians crossing, whether the pedestrian arrived late and began crossing after the end of the walk interval, and the crosswalk characteristics including location (downtown versus suburban) and one-way/two-way streets.