New Project: Comparative Analysis of Grade-Separated Pedestrian Infrastructure and At-grade Treatments

Grade-separated intersection crossings allow pedestrians to cross over or under traffic lanes. Several factors determine whether a specific location is appropriate for a grade-separated crossing, such as volumes of vehicle and pedestrian traffic, number of lanes to cross, and vehicle speed and visibility.

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These crossings have many potential benefits and drawbacks. An in-depth analysis of both at-grade (crosswalks) and grade-separated crossings will examine various scenarios involving intersection geometries and traffic volumes.

An understanding of the safety benefits and construction costs will inform MnDOT and local agencies’ selection of appropriate locations and conditions for using grade-separated crossings. A stand-alone guidance manual will contain infrastructure recommendations for practitioners to make the best practicable choices for pedestrian safety.

“The research will include multiple simulations to compare the efficacy of different pedestrian crossing infrastructure,” said Jesse Thornsen, active transportation systems designer, MnDOT Transit. “We’ll be able to determine the safety benefits and associated costs of crossing options to inform our decision-making.”

Objectives

In a new project, researchers will use computer simulations to analyze multiple pedestrian crossing scenarios to identify the benefits and costs of grade-separated pedestrian crossing infrastructure options.

Develop a list of grade-separated and at-grade crossing options, and predict the pedestrian safety benefits of each
Evaluate the performance of crossing options for a range of intersection geometries and traffic volume scenarios
Perform benefit-cost analyses of grade-separated crossing alternatives
Produce a guidance manual with recommendations for pedestrian grade-separated crossing infrastructure