Model for Estimating Crossing Times at High-Occupancy Crosswalks

This paper proposes a model for the estimation of crossing times. The model includes all elements that comprise the crossing time of a pedestrian platoon [start-up time, walking speed, and pedestrian headways (lag)] as a function of the size of the dominant platoon and the opposite platoon separately. The model describes the behavior of groups of pedestrians and not individuals. The proposed model is an adaptation of existing models and is calibrated according to data extracted from a video survey of crosswalks in three major metropolitan areas in Israel. This work was sponsored by the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Mass Transit System, the government company responsible for developing a mass transit system in metropolitan Tel Aviv under the mandate of the Israeli Ministry of Transport. The project developed level-of-service measures for crosswalks and applied it to the planned crosswalks in the vicinity of proposed light rail stations. One of the criteria for these measures is the ratio between the duration of time allotted for the pedestrian movements (pedestrian green light) and the time required for the pedestrian platoon to cross the street. The model described in this paper allows the calculation of that ratio.