Under the Safety Studies General Engineering Contract with the City of Columbus, B&N was tasked with assessing 13 crossing locations in downtown Columbus. These locations were identified by City staff based on 311 City Service Call Center data related to numerous calls about pedestrians crossing concerns. B&N led an assessment that included the evaluation of the existing crossing treatments to determine if the existing treatment was appropriate based on the existing pedestrian and vehicular data. This evaluation assisted the City to identify potential improvements and develop consistent methodology to improve mid-block crossings. All 13 locations were unsignalized along one-way streets and have a large number of pedestrians crossing each day.
Data collection included utilizing available Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and City traffic count information as well as the incorporation of MioVision video technology. Cameras were set up at each location to observe vehicle and pedestrian interactions including the yield rates for vehicles, average wait time for pedestrians and observed near misses. Pedestrian crash data was considered in the assessment to identify potential safety issues to address in the project. Field verification was performed to identify potential sight distance concerns, non-compliant features, obstructions, walk widths, lighting, and other existing features that could influence the pedestrian crossing. A menu of enhancement options based on the latest federal and state manuals and guides focusing on pedestrian safety, including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEPS) guidelines, crossing identification and marking was developed to serve as a guide that can be used to determine the most appropriate treatments at locations throughout the city.