Pedestrian safety has become a main issue in the traffic management system of big cities in China. This is particularly true where a signalized intersection is relatively large with significant amount of pedestrians waiting to cross. This study attempts to investigate the safety issues of pedestrian crossings at signalized intersections in Beijing. Field observationswere conducted and evaluated along with a questionnaire survey for both pedestrians and motorists at 45 signalized intersections in Beijing. Safetyimplications of pedestrian crossings at wider signalized intersections and traffic conflict analyses are elaborated based on the survey. It can be concluded from this study that it is vital to install a pedestrian refuge island at the median of roadways to provide pedestrians with a risk-free waiting area to complete two-step crossings. This measure is particularly necessary for the signalized intersection where green time designated for pedestrian crossing is scarce. The result from this study shows that a refuge island has been proven acceptable for both pedestrians and drivers.
Abstract