9. Environmental Assessments (EAs)
• Model anticipated future capacities and Levels of
Service (LOS) at key pedestrian elements where
project-generated pedestrian volumes would be added
Safety Improvement Projects
• Model existing and future conditions at locations
where safety improvements are being made that would
affect pedestrian capacity and LOS
When Do We Model Pedestrian Behaviors in New York City?
10. Analysis locations defined by where project-generated
pedestrian volumes are being added
Pedestrian Analysis in Environmental Assessments
Grand
Central
Terminal
41ST ST.
42ND ST.
43RD ST.
MADISONAVE.
11. Pedestrian Analysis For Safety Improvement Projects
Analysis locations defined by where safety improvements
are proposed
Sidewalk Widening
Corner Extension
12. New York City Pedestrian Modeling Methodology
The 2014 City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR)
Technical Manual includes an LOS analysis based
on HCM 2000 and HCM 2010.
We analyze:
• Sidewalks
• Corners
• Crosswalks
21. Phase 1: Project Goals & Objectives
Goal
• Verify HCM pedestrian LOS crosswalk methodology for
high-density NYC conditions
Objectives
• Develop a methodology for estimating the pedestrian
saturation flow rate based on NYC conditions
• Assess distribution of pedestrians speeds along the
travel path in the crosswalk
• Estimate pedestrian saturation flow rate and crosswalk
capacity
• Determine LOS
22. Phase 1: Concept of SFR For Pedestrian Crosswalks
Concept: Develop a base saturation flow rate for
pedestrians
Where:
• 𝑺 𝒑: 𝑷𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒆
(ped/ft of width per minute of effective WALK time)
• 𝑺 𝒑 𝟎
: 𝑰𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒆
(ped/ft of width per minute of effective WALK time)
• 𝒇𝒊: 𝑨𝒅𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒏-𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔
23. Phase 1: Factors Affecting SFR
Determine the significance of:
• Area/pedestrian type (CBD, age/gender, commuters)
• Conflicting turning vehicles
• Opposing pedestrian flow (impedance)
• Pedestrian arrival during a cycle (%WK,%FDW,%DW)
• Distracted pedestrians
• Crosswalk blockage (by encroaching vehicles)
• Platooning and crowding
• Corner pedestrian density
• Pedestrians with bags/luggage/strollers
24. Phase 1: Estimating Pedestrian Crosswalk Capacity
Similar to roadway capacity calculations for lane group, once
the pedestrian saturation flow rate is estimated, we can
theoretically determine the pedestrian facility’s capacity,
which can then be compared with flows to determine LOS.
Where:
• 𝒄 𝒑: 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚
• 𝑺 𝒑: 𝑷𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑭𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒆
• 𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒅: 𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆
• 𝑪: 𝑪𝒚𝒄𝒍𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉
28. Mean Average: 0.51 sec Mean Average: 0.23 sec
Phase 1 Study Results: Reaction Time
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
Frequency
Reaction Time (s)
Distribution of Reaction Time for
Pedestrians Waiting on the Crosswalk
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
0
5
10
15
20
25
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Frequency
Reaction Time (s)
Distribution of Reaction Time for
Pedestrians Waiting on the Sidewalk
29. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0 2 4 6 8 10
Speed (ft/s)
Speed by Pedestrian Arrival
WALK
FDW
DW
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0 2 4 6 8 10
Speed (ft/s)
Speed by Gender
Male
Female
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0 2 4 6 8 10
Speed (ft/s)
Speed by Time of Day
AM
PM
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
0 2 4 6 8 10
Speed (ft/s)
Speed by Group
Group
Individual
Phase 1 Study Results: Walking Speed
30. Future Of Pedestrian Modeling in New York City
Use new technology to study
pedestrian behavior
Revisit pedestrian
modeling methodologies
