DESIGNING FOR PEDESTRIANS: A LEVEL-OF-SERVICE CONCEPT

Abstract

PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES SHOULD BE DESIGNED ON THE BASIS OF QUALITATIVE AS WELL AS QUANTITATIVE FACTORS. PRESENT PROCEDURES INVOLVE THE USE OF MAXIMUM CAPACITY RATINGS FOR DESIGN. THE CAPACITY OF A PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC STREAM INVARIABLY OCCURS AT THE HEAVIEST CONCENTRATIONS COMBINED WITH RESTRICTED WALKING SPEEDS. THIS CONDITION IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF A COMFORTABLE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT. TIME-LAPSE PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIES MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO ESTABLISH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOLUME, SPEED, AND HUMAN CONVENIENCE AT DIFFERENT PEDESTRIAN CONCENTRATIONS. THE STUDIES FORM THE BASIS FOR SIX LEVELS OF SERVICE FOR THE DESIGN OF WALKWAYS AND STAIRWAYS. THESE LEVELS OF SERVICE PROVIDE A QUALITATIVE METHOD OF DESIGNING NEW OR EVALUATING EXISTING PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENTS. /AUTHOR/