This report is an archived publication and may contain dated technical, contact, and link information |
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Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-05-080
Date: May 2006 |
Pedestrian Access to Roundabouts: Assessment of Motorists' Yielding to Visually Impaired Pedestrians and Potential Treatments to Improve AccessPDF Version (1.14 MB) PDF files can be viewed with the Acrobat® Reader®
FOREWORDThe FHWA'S Intersection Safety Research Program is focused on improving highway safety through increasing knowledge and understanding of the effects of intersection design on safety and operational efficiency. Roundabout intersections have been shown to have both safety and operational benefits compared to alternative stop-controlled and signalized intersections; however, these benefits do not necessarily extend to all users. In particular, pedestrians who have visual impairments have reported difficulty using the pedestrian facilities at some roundabouts. The present studies were intended to document some of the difficulties pedestrians with visual impairments face and test potential treatments to improve roundabout accessibility for all users. Michael F. Trentacoste Notice This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document. The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document. Quality Assurance Statement The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement.
TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE
SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors TABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 2. STUDY 1: CLOSED-COURSE EVALUATION
CHAPTER 3. STUDY 2: FIELD EVALUATIONCHAPTER 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSREFERENCES
LIST OF FIGURESFigure 1. Illustration of single-lane roundabout with crosswalks. Figure 4. Layout of closed-course test facility. Figure 5. Example of driver's script. Figure 7. Roundabout exit in baseline configuration. Figure 8. Sound-strip installation and mount for the street sign. Figure 9. Distance from crosswalk of vehicles stopping in the near lane. Figure 10. Two vehicles that stopped for the pedestrians. Figure 12. Pedestrians crossing after a correct detection of both lanes blocked. Figure 14. Amount of time drivers waited before moving on.
LIST OF TABLESTable 1. Percentage of detection accuracy for vehicles blocking each lane. Table 2. Correct detection of pairs of vehicles yielding side-by-side at the same time. Table 3. Drivers’ responses to the presence of visually impaired pedestrians in the crosswalk. Table 4. Lateral position of vehicles that stopped for pedestrians. Table 6. Average wait time before the first double yield.
FHWA-HRT-05-080 |
Keywords: Visual Impairment, Pedestrian, Roundabout, Accessibility, Yielding, Crosswalk Updated: 04/12/2012
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