Placing Pedestrians First at Torontos Signalized Intersections

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Placing Pedestrians First at Torontos Signalized
Intersections

• Bruce Zvaniga, P.Eng.
• Manager, Urban Traffic Control Systems

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Outline

• Toronto Context
• Transportation Plan for Sustainable Growth
• Recent Improvements to Pedestrian Signal
  Operations
• Wish List for Future Improvements

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Torontos Population

• Population 2.5 Million (5.5 Million in Region)
• One-seventh are over 65 years of age (fastest
  growing age group)

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General Characteristics of Torontos Signal
Operation

• 2100 traffic signal-controlled intersections
• Roughly one-third fixed-time operation and
  two-thirds semi-actuated
• Transit signal priority at one of every six
  intersections
• All signalized intersections are connected to
  central systems 64 in-house time-of-day, 20
  TransSuite and 16 SCOOT

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Transportation Growth

• 75 growth in both AM inbound and outbound
  vehicle flows to entire city over past 20 years
• However,
• 66 of inbound trips during the AM to the central
  area are by transit the vast majority of these
  trips include some walking

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Transportation Plan for Sustainable Growth
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Sustainable Transportation Initiatives Summary
Chart
6. TDM Initiatives
7. Other Initiatives
5. Other Transit Improvements
4. Transit Priority
3. Parking
2. Cycling
1. Pedestrians
1.1 Pedestrian Zones and Streets
2.1 Bicycle Stations and Parking
3.1 Extend Peak Hour Parking Restrictions
4.1 Additional Turn Restrictions
5.1 Proof of Payment
6.1 Region-wide SMART Commute
7.1 Time Management for Deliveries
1.2 Pedestrian Enhancements at Intersections
3.2 Off-Street Parking Standards
4.2 Reserved Bus Lanes
5.2 GPS-related Transit Technology
7.2 Educational Programs
2.2 Bicycle Sharing
6.2 Local Employer- Based TMAs
2.3 East-West Bike Route Thru Core
3.3 Peripheral Commuter Parking Lots
4.3 Enhanced Enforcement
5.3 Additional Transit Vehicles to Improve
Service
1.3 Improvements to the Pedestrian Public Realm
7.3 Promoting Taxi Use
6.3 Citys Employee Trip Reduction Program
2.4 Major Bicycle Trail Corridors
7.4 Review of HOV Lanes
1.4 Pavement Narrowings
6.4 Car Sharing
7.5 Intelligent Transportation Systems
1.5 Green Corridors to the Waterfront
Short Term (0 - 2 years)
Medium Term (3 - 5 years)
Long Term (5 years)
6.5 Road-User Charges

May Require Metrolinx Support, Coordination or
Funding
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Pedestrian Countdown Timers

• Addresses confusion/uncertainty
• Council approved 3 year city-wide implementation
  to be completed June 2009 concurrent with LED
  Conversion
• Countdown of clearance (flashing dont walk)
  phase only
• Issues with variable clearance timing where
  rail, fire hall, and transit pre-emption present
• Public, political, media and police reaction very
  positive

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Leading Pedestrian Interval

• 4 second headstart for pedestrians before vehicle
  green
• Status
• Removed quickly at normal intersection
• Retained and highly successful at intersection of
  one-way street with heavy left-turning traffic to
  a two-way street
• Plan is to try another 5 to 10 locations in
  2009 - looking for intersections with similar
  unopposed turning movements, and heavy pedestrian
  movements on conflicting crosswalks

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Accessible Pedestrian Signals(aka audible
pedestrian signals)

• Council policy decision to include APS at all new
  traffic signal installations and to target
  retrofits within a year of receiving a request.
• 250 intersections currently equipped
• 60 additional retrofits targeted in next 2 years
• Questions remain about how to handle complex
  intersection geometrics

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Increased Pedestrian Crossing Time

• Old method
• Walk speed 1.2 m/s or 1.0 m/s
• Ped clearance was timed for 5/8ths of the minimum
  total time
• New method
• 7 second minimum walk, full clearance distance at
  1.2 m/s walk speed walk plus clearance time
  must allow for 1.0 m/s walk speed
• New method only applied after installation of
  countdown timers
• Impact on transit priority infrastructure due
  to relationship between loop detector placement
  and time to decision point somewhat less
  efficient

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Pedestrian Signal Priority

• Barnes Dance
• Exclusive Pedestrian Phase
• Pedestrian Scramble

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Pedestrian Signal Priority Perceived
Benefits

• Clear message that pedestrians are important
• Increase pedestrian comfort level
• (May) improve safety
• Low cost, easy to implement ?

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Pedestrian Signal Priority Challenges

• APS
• PCS
• Signs Markings

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Pedestrian Signal Priority Blind and
Visually Impaired Peds

• Issue of audible tone
• Walk Sign is on for all crossings
• Concerns expressed about confusion
• Lack of parallel traffic sound
• How does a visitor detect the difference ?
• Confusing for guide dogs who do you follow
• Need for tactile way finding
• Concern about crowding around APS buttons
• Lack of distinct north-south vs. east-west tones

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Pedestrian Signal Priority Countdown Signals
Display

• Issue caused by concurrent and priority phasing
• PCS count down the clearance time
• Crossing clearance on the diagonal is greater
  than the orthogonal
• PCS devices use simple logic count down time
  based on the previous display time

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Pedestrian Signal Priority Signs

• Signs
• To sign or not to sign
• Are the signals intuitive or susceptible to
  misinterpretation?
• Markings
• Full diagonal or stub

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Pedestrian Wish List for Traffic Signals

• Pedestrian Detection SAP SAC issue
• PII pedestrian infrastructure integration .
  low cost handheld device using DSRC to
  communicate information to peds (particularly
  visually-impaired)

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For Further Information

• Bruce Zvaniga
• Manager, Urban Traffic Control Systems
• City of Toronto Transportation Services
• 703 Don Mills Road, 5th Floor
• Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• M3C 3N3
• Phone [phone]
• E-mail bruce_zvaniga_at_toronto.ca
• http//www.toronto.ca

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