28.6 Speed-Calming Countermeasures at Crosswalks

  • As vehicle speed increases, motorists have greater difficulty detecting and reacting to pedestrians in their peripheral vision. As higher speeds, braking distance increases as well. Both conditions can increase crash numbers and severity. Speed calming measures lower crash risks by encouraging vehicle speeds that are more consistent with intended designs. Table 28.2 lists countermeasures that facilitate lower vehicle speeds near crosswalks.
Table 28.2 Design Strategies to Reduce Vehicle Speeds at Crosswalks
Countermeasure Suggested Conditions for Use Impacts
Raised Crosswalk or Speed Table
  • Mid-block crosswalk on low-speed local streets
  • Lower speeds
  • Better pedestrian visibility
  • Improved search behavior and yielding by drivers
  • Fewer pedestrian crashes
Raised Intersections
  • Intersections that see a lot of pedestrian traffic but where other sped calming treatments are unacceptable
Reduce Corner Radius / Crossing Distance
  • Urban intersections with a lot of pedestrian use, especially where vehicles often turn across pedestrian paths
  • Lower turning speeds
  • Reduced pedestrian crossing distances and times
  • Larger pedestrian waiting area
  • Better visibility / sight lines
  • Increased potential for vehicles to cut a corner and strike the curb
Road Reconfiguration
  • Four-lane undivided highways with high expected crash rates and/or where the left lane is shared by high-speed and left-turning vehicles
  • Lower speeds
  • Fewer pedestrian crashes in urban and suburban areas
  • Reduced pedestrian crossing distances and times
Area-Wide Traffic Calming
  • Areas where crashes are broadly distributed
  • Fewer crashes on main roads and residential / local streets
  • If smaller curb radius is used to reduce vehicle speeds, the effective curb radius must be large enough to accommodate emergency vehicles. If a speed table or speed hump is installed, it should extend to the edge of the bike lane, leaving a small adjacent gap for drainage.

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