#02 - Cross Walk Discussion - Laserfiche WebLink

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9 The MN MUTCD states that a marked crosswalk should not be installed alone without other measures designed to reduce traffic speeds, shorten crossing distances, and/or provide active warning of pedestrian presence if the posted speed limit exceeds 40 mph and: 1. Four or more lanes present with no pedestrian refuge island and >12,000 AADT, or 2. Four or more lanes present with a pedestrian refuge island and >15,000 AADT Crossing Considerations External to crossing infrastructure, other considerations are important to review prior to potentially implementing infrastructure enhancements. Distance Between Crossings Crosswalk spacing criteria should be determined according to the pedestrian network, built environment, and observed desire lines. NACTO identifies that if it takes a person more than a three-minute walk to a crossing, wait to cross the street, and then resume their journey, they may decide to cross along a more direct, but unsafe or unprotected, route based upon perceived time savings. While this behavior depends heavily on the speed and volume of motorists, it is imperative to understand crossing behaviors from a pedestrian’s perspective (i.e., slower travel via a reduced travelshed). Of note, no state or national guidance exists identifying specific measured distances between crosswalks or enhanced crossings. Crossing placement is heavily dependent upon the surrounding context, land use and destinations, network connectivity, block length, and other factors. A high-level analysis of agency best practices in the United States showed typical marked crossing spacing from 200 to 600 feet when warranted. A minimum spacing of 300 feet between signalized crossings is identified in the MN MUTCD (page 4D-1). This spacing could fluctuate based upon engineering judgement and applicability given the roadway design, configuration, and intersection placement. Delay to Cross a Roadway The multimodal network should be designed in such a way where users are not unreasonably forced to wait for a gap in traffic or walk out of their way to access a crossing. The Highway Capacity Manual 6th Edition states that when a pedestrian is forced to wait 30 seconds or more, they are highly likely to exhibit risk-taking behavior. NACTO also has guidance regarding delay at signalized and unsignalized crossings. Delays exceeding 40 seconds at signalized crosswalks and 20 seconds at unsignalized, or yield-controlled crosswalks, may cause the pedestrian to exhibit risk- taking behavior. These are important considerations as another metric to proactively determine how a crossing could be made safer.