Analysis of Pedestrian Crossing Speeds at Signalized Intersections in Qatar

Abstract

Crossing speeds at signalized crossings are crucial and necessary for design purposes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pedestrian crossing speeds at signalized intersections in Qatar. The crossing speeds were determined during the “Walk”, “Flashing Don’t Walk” (FDW), and “Steady Don’t Walk” (SDW) intervals at multiple intersections. The results showed that 68.1% of the pedestrians completed the crossing during the Walk interval with an overall average speed of 1.32 m/s and a 15th percentile speed of 1.03 m/s. The 15th percentile speed for pedestrians crossing during the Walk interval was the lowest compared to the 15th percentile speeds under other crossing categories. Conversely, the 15th percentile speed for pedestrians crossing during the SDW interval was the highest. Several variables that may influence pedestrians’ crossing speeds were investigated, including gender, age, type of clothing, carrying bags, mobile phone use, crossing in a group, waiting before crossing, and crossing with or against the flow of other pedestrians. The study provides guidelines and detailed values that were not previously available in this region. These values can be used for design purposes and for developing policies.