Under the Safety Studies General Engineering Contract with the City of Columbus, B&N assessed 13 crossing locations in downtown Columbus that were identified by City staff based on pedestrian crossing volumes and geometric characteristics. The assessments included evaluation of the existing crossing treatments to determine if they were appropriate based on the pedestrian and vehicular data.
All 13 locations were unsignalized along one-way streets and had many pedestrians crossing each day. Data collection included utilizing available MORPC and City traffic count information as well as the incorporation of MioVision video technology. The team set up cameras at each location to observe the vehicle and pedestrian interactions, including the yield rates for vehicles, average wait time for pedestrians and near misses. Pedestrian crash data also was used to identify potential safety issues.
Next, the team performed field verification to identify potential sight distance concerns, non-compliant features, obstructions, walk widths and other existing features that could influence the pedestrian crossing. Finally, the team developed a menu of enhancement options based on the latest federal and state guidelines focusing on pedestrian safety and crossing identification and marking. The menu serves as a guide to determine the most appropriate treatments at locations throughout the city.