In developed cities, pedestrian delays can be measured by measuring roadside stopped delays (Method I) or by finding the difference between a pedestrian's real travel time and ideal travel time (Method II). However, in developing cities such as Xi'an, China, only a small percentage of delays occur at roadside waiting areas and the majority occur at crossings. This article proposes a new method for measuring pedestrian delays in developing cities based on existing methods. The new method requires deciding how to measure a pedestrian's delay according to his/her characteristics. If a pedestrian's stopped delay can be measured easily and he/she does not encounter other kinds of delay, Method I is measured. Method II is used to measure the delays of other pedestrians. The new method also divides a crosswalk into several segments corresponding to different parts of the road: roadside waiting areas, nonmotorized vehicle lanes, dividing strips used to separate nonmotorized and motorized vehicle lanes and central refuge/dividing lines. A comparison of the two traditional methods and the new method demonstrates that the new method is more accurate, easier to use and no more time-consuming than existing methods.
Abstract