New York Metropolitan Transportation Council Pedestrian Safety in the NYMTC Region Prepared by CUNY Institute for Transportation Systems September 2007 NYMTC Pedestrian Safety Study Final Report Prepared by Claire E. McKnight Kyriacos Mouskos Camille Kamga Institute for Transportation Systems City University of New York Region 2, University Transportation Research Center And Chris Hardej Aizaz Ahmed Safety Advisory Work Group Advisors New York Metropolitan Transportation Council Prepared for New York Metropolitan Transportation Council July 2007 Disclaimer The contents of this report reflect the views of those interviewed as interpreted by the authors except where specified. The authors are responsible for the facts, data, and analyses presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, nor the collective membership of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC). This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Acceptance of this report as evidence of fulfillment, in part or whole, of the objectives of the planning study PTCS06T00.01 and PTCS05T00.01 does not constitute endorsement or approval of the need for any recommended improvement or additional study. It is being sponsored by the NYMTC for the benefit of its members and all interested stakeholders. Other legislation, regulation, executive order(s), official policy, and/or standard practice may supersede the recommendations or advice provided within. TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Pedestrian Safety in the NYMTC Region July 9, 2007 6. Performing Organization Code 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Claire E. McKnight, Kyriacos Mouskos, Camille Kamga, Chris Hardej, and Aizaz Ahmed 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. CUNY Institute for Transportation Systems University Transportation Research Center, 138th Street & Convent 11. Contract or Grant No. Avenue, New York, NY 10031 13. Type of Report and Period Covered 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address Research Report New York Metropolitan Transportation Council 199 Water Street, 22nd Fl, NY, NY 10038 14. Sponsoring Agency Code 15. Supplementary Notes 16. Abstract According to the NYMTC Safety Advisory Working Group, pedestrian fatalities represent approximately half of all fatalities resulting from motor vehicle crashes in New York City and the other 20% occur in the suburban counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Putnam and Rockland. Due to these high rates of incidences, a number of projects are under investigations regarding pedestrian safety. NYDOT and NYMTC sponsored a team from UTRC to embark on this type of research. The research team gathered all existing information on pedestrian safety and then recommended different strategies and technologies to NYMTC Safety Advisory Working Group. The project dealt with many different aspects concerning pedestrian safety including the current status of all ongoing efforts to high incidences of fatalities. The principal investigators in this project have identified the pedestrian safety issues and recommended counter measures in their report. The task of gathering information on the current status and ongoing efforts of pedestrian safety was conducted by interviewing local agencies and organizations within the region. There has been a background study on pedestrian safety, which provided statistics on it within the region by contrasting regional and national characteristics. The involvement of governmental and private non-profit organizations was also a major concern in the research. This was done by interviewing agencies to gather crash data. The research has given some suggestions for a better and improved pedestrian safety. These suggestions points out for a better policy and planning, new engineering methods for pedestrian path, and more improved and visible signals for pedestrian. For making pedestrian safety a prior issue, investigators have recommended for more coordination and collaborations of organizations to improve safety in the region. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement Pedestrian, safety, pedestrian safety, transportation safety, traffic calming, road No Restriction crossings 19. Security Classification (of this report) 20. Security Classification. (of this 21. No of Pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 150 NA Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-69) Intentionally left blank. Table of Contents 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Study Origin and Objective 1 1.2 Importance of Pedestrian Safety 2 1.3 Study Method 3 2 Background on Pedestrian Safety 7 3 Organizations for Pedestrian Safety in the Region 15 3.1 Agencies and Programs Concerned with Pedestrian Safety 15 3.2 Pedestrian Crash Data 24 3.3 Regional Pedestrian Safety Studies and Projects 27 3.4 Educational Programs 31 4 Pedestrian Safety Issues in the NYMTC Region 35 4.1 Behavioral Issues 35 4.2 Special Groups 37 4.3 Situations and Locations 41 4.4 Existing Infrastructure and Land Use Patterns 47 4.5 Challenges to Improving Pedestrian Safety 49 4.6 Other Issues 52 5 Countermeasures and Strategies 55 5.1 Policy and Planning for Pedestrian Safety 56 5.2 Engineering Methods 58 5.2.1 Pedestrian Path 58 5.2.2 Speed Reduction 62 5.2.3 Signalization 74 5.2.4 Unsignalized Intersections 80 5.2.5 Visibility 81 5.2.6 Other Measures 85 5.2.7 Conclusions to Engineering Measures 86 5.3 Education 88 5.3.1 Changing Behavior 88 5.3.2 Introducing Pedestrian Countermeasures 90 5.3.3 Educating Local Officials and Community Groups 91 5.3.4 Increasing Professional Knowledge and Expertise 91 5.4 Enforcement 91 5.4.1 Traffic Safety Teams 92 5.4.2 Enforcement Campaigns 92 5.4.3 New Laws and Regulations 93 6 Funding 95 6.1 Funding Strategies 95 6.2 Funding Sources 96 6.3 Highway Safety Improvement Program – Funding Criteria 100 NYMTC Pedestrian Safety Study i Table of Contents continued 7 Recommendations 101 7.1 Make Safety a Priority 101 7.2 Promote Coordination and Collaboration 101 7.3 Provide Training in Pedestrian Safety 102 7.4 Educate the Public 103 7.5 Develop a Data Program 104 7.6 Develop a Plan for Funding Pedestrian Safety Projects 105 7.7 Identify a Pedestrian Advocate 105 References 107 Appendices Appendix A: Survey and Interview Instruments 114 Appendix B: Pedestrian Safety Contacts at Regional Agencies 121 Appendix C: Traffic Safety Board Contacts 127 Appendix D: On-Line Resources for Pedestrian Safety 129 Appendix E: NYCDOT Data on Pedestrian Fatalities in New York City 135 Appendix F: Prompt Lists for Pedestrian Safety 137 Table of Tables 1.1 Organizations That Were Interviewed 5 2.1 Total Traffic and Pedestrian Crashes – 2004 8 2.2 Pedestrian Crashes per Residential Population in 2004 8 2.2 Pedestrian Fatalities in NYMTC Region from 1994 to 2004 10 2.3 Pedestrian Actions Contributing to Fatal Pedestrian Crashes in the NYMTC Region –2004 11 2.5 Locations of Pedestrian Crashes in NYMTC Region in 2004 12 4.1 High Pedestrian Crash Locations Based on Crash Data 44 4.2 Specific Locations Mentioned as Unsafe for Pedestrians 46 5.1 Effect of Neckdowns on Crash Rates at Intersections in New York City 66 5.2 NYSDOT Survey of Public Acceptance of Roundabouts 68 5.3 Speed Impacts Downstream of Traffic Calming Measures 73 5.4 Volume Impacts of Traffic Calming Measures 74 5.5 Crash Reduction Factors for Engineering Measures 87 5.6 Additional Crash Reduction Factors 87 6.1 Appropriateness of TEA-21 Funding Programs for Typical Pedestrian Projects 98 NYMTC Pedestrian Safety Study ii Table of Figures 2.1 Ten Year Trend in Pedestrian Fatalities in New York 9 2.2 Ten Year Trend in Pedestrian Fatalities in NYMTC Region 9 2.3 Historic Trend in Annual Pedestrian Fatalities in New York City 11 2.4 Pedestrian Fatality and Injury Rates by Age of Pedestrian and Location in Region 13 2.5 Pedestrian Fatality Rates by Age of Pedestrian 14 3.1 Staggered Fencing at Foot of Pedestrian Bridge 28 3.2 Safety City Class 32 5.1 Worn Path Suggests a Sidewalk is Needed 58 5.2 Walking in the Street 59 5.3 Non-Continuous Pedestrian Path 60 5.4 Raised Median with Non-raised Path for Wheelchairs 60 5.5 Before and After Installation of Raised Median with Slalom Path 61 5.6 Pedestrian Fencing 61 5.7 Impact of Speed on Pedestrian Fatalities 62 5.8 Gate at City College on New York Campus 65 5.9 Splitter Islands and Traffic Signs for Traffic Circles 67 5.10 Roundabout in Suffolk County 68 5.11 Example of a Road Diet 69 5.12 Before and After an Implementation of a Road Diet 70 5.13 Colored Pavement in Pearl River, New York 70 5.14 Use of Flexible Bollards and Paint for Cost-Effective Changes 73 5.15 Informational Sign for Signal Designations 75 5.16 Informational Sign for Countdown Signal 75 5.17 Split Phase Cycle 77 5.18 Crosswalk Marking Patterns 81 5.19 In-Pavement Warning 82 5.20 Sign to Increase Pedestrian Awareness 83 5.21 Sign to Increase Driver Awareness 84 5.22 Bus Stop below Subway Tracks without and with Raised Median 86 NYMTC Pedestrian Safety Study iii Intentionally left blank. NYMTC Pedestrian Safety Study iv I. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Study Origin and Objective The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) is an association of governments and transportation providers, which serves as the metropolitan planning organization designated for New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley. It provides a collaborative planning forum to address transportation-related issues from a regional perspective and plans and makes decisions on the use of federal transportation funds. The NYMTC region includes New York City, Long Island and three counties in the lower Hudson Valley.