Category Archives: Pedestrian

CTS Webinar: How Infrastructure Shapes Driver Behavior and Pedestrian Safety

About the Event 

Improving pedestrian safety requires a deeper understanding of how people interact with roadway design and infrastructure. This webinar will highlight two recent research efforts examining how transportation infrastructure influences driver behavior and pedestrian safety outcomes.

Curtis Craig, a research associate in the Human Factors Safety Laboratory, will present findings from two complementary studies examining infrastructure at intersections. The first study explored how right turn lane configurations affect pedestrian safety using a combination of behavioral analysis and multiple research methods. The second project examined how drivers and pedestrians respond to different infrastructure treatments and how those designs influence behavior in real-world environments.

These study findings offer transportation agencies, planners, and engineers practical considerations as they work to create safer and more accessible pedestrian environments.

Registration and More

This webinar is free, but registration is required. Visit the event web page to register and for more information. 

Related Reading

Active Research by Curtis Craig

Analysis and Risk Management of Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Crashes in Minnesota

Impact of Start Time on Students Walking and Biking to School

To increase the number of students who walk or bike to school, policymakers first need to understand the primary factors that prevent students, parents and caregivers from choosing these travel modes. A look at the factors that influence this decision provided information to address barriers to walking and biking for children and families in Minnesota communities.

Continue reading Impact of Start Time on Students Walking and Biking to School

Improving Pedestrian Safety on Reservations in Minnesota

MnDOT has identified Native Americans as one of six priority populations in the state that experience disproportionate risks as pedestrians. To access everyday services such as grocery stores, workplaces and schools, pedestrians may have to cross a state or county roadway at unmarked crossings. Installing traffic safety countermeasures at these crossings is intended to reduce the risk faced by pedestrians. This project analyzed pedestrian safety at 23 locations within seven reservations and the effectiveness of countermeasures implemented at six locations.

Continue reading Improving Pedestrian Safety on Reservations in Minnesota

Tribal Pedestrian Safety

A new video developed by the Center for Transportation Studies highlights a multiyear study of pedestrian safety at reservations that was undertaken by U of M researchers and partners from seven Anishinaabe tribes. The work was sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

Continue reading Tribal Pedestrian Safety

Using Mobile Device Data to Estimate Bicyclist and Pedestrian Traffic

MnDOT relies on estimates of annual average daily traffic volumes to plan and maintain safe, effective transportation network infrastructure for all travelers. Estimating traffic volumes for nonmotorized road users such as bicyclists and pedestrians has been challenging because monitors are limited compared to vehicle traffic counters. Data from mobile devices, routinely collected through a variety of platforms, offers a potential source of traveler routes. Using monitored nonmotorized traveler data to validate mobile datasets, researchers produced a data visualization tool to estimate bicyclist and pedestrian counts within the Twin Cities area.

Continue reading Using Mobile Device Data to Estimate Bicyclist and Pedestrian Traffic

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.

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

Understanding Factors That Influence Driver Yielding to Pedestrians

Vehicle speeds, type of pedestrian, road characteristics and other variables can impact whether drivers yield to pedestrians attempting to cross a road at an unsignalized intersection. An analysis of data collected from 18 intersections identified human and site attributes that correlate to higher rates of driver yielding. Knowledge of these potentially influential factors will help local engineers build safer crossings at intersections.

Continue reading Understanding Factors That Influence Driver Yielding to Pedestrians

Improving Driver Yielding to Pedestrians at Intersections

Improving the rates of drivers yielding to pedestrians has been challenging despite crosswalk laws. Expanding on an earlier study, researchers further explored the effectiveness of engineering treatments at road crossings, giving agencies a deeper understanding of how to maximize pedestrian safety.

Continue reading Improving Driver Yielding to Pedestrians at Intersections

Designing Pedestrian Safety Features for Year-Round Maintenance

Pedestrian safety countermeasures near roadways require year-round maintenance to be effective. Clearing snow and ice has not generally been a design consideration for safety treatments, but new research has identified specific design criteria to help MnDOT and other agencies keep walkways clear without impeding maintenance efforts.

Continue reading Designing Pedestrian Safety Features for Year-Round Maintenance

Short Films, Big Visions: Transportation-themed films spark conversation about community connections

April 4, 2023

Dozens of community members and transportation advocates tuned in to “Short Films, Big Visions: A Series on Transportation and Community” on February 23. Co-hosted by CTS and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, the virtual event featured a screening of short films produced by the Redford Center for its “Community Power” series followed by an engaging panel discussion.

Continue reading Short Films, Big Visions: Transportation-themed films spark conversation about community connections