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Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
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Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-10-068
Date:November 2010 |
Crosswalk Marking Field Visibility Study
CHAPTER 3. MARKING PATTERN SELECTION
CROSSWALK MARKING PATTERNS BEING USEDOBSERVATIONS FROM ITE TECHNICAL COMMITTEECROSSWALK MARKINGS PATTERNS SELECTED FOR THIS STUDY
CROSSWALK MARKING PATTERNS BEING USEDIn spring 2009, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Traffic Engineering Council (TENC) Committee 109–01 was formed. The objective of the committee was to document the crossing types and patterns being used at uncontrolled pedestrian crossings.(5) The focus of the committee was on the crosswalk marking patterns at a location rather than whether a marked crosswalk should be present. A recent Transit Cooperative Research Program/National Cooperative Highway Research Program project provided a summary of pedestrian crossing installation guidelines.(6,7) Examples of crosswalk markings along with the common name the ITE TENC committee used to describe them are shown in the following figures:
Figure 2. Photo. Typical two transverse lines crosswalk marking pattern at a raised crosswalk (Bryan, TX).
Figure 3. Photo. Typical ladder crosswalk marking pattern (Boston, MA).
Figure 4. Photo. Typical transverse with diagonal lines crosswalk marking pattern (Aspen, CO).
Figure 5. Photo. Typical continental crosswalk marking pattern (Chicago, IL).
Figure 6. Photo. Typical bar pairs crosswalk marking pattern (Seattle, WA).
Figure 7. Photo. Typical double continental crosswalk marking pattern (Salt Lake City, UT).
The committee's activity started with an email listserv survey on crosswalk markings. The simple survey provided general insight into the marking patterns being used and identified potential members for the committee. While the survey was conducted informally, it did provide a general indication of preferences for patterns currently used. Summing the number of times a pattern was selected by a respondent generated the following distribution:
The comments from the respondents gave insight into the reasons different marking patterns are selected. Areas of concern included the following:
OBSERVATIONS FROM ITE TECHNICAL COMMITTEEWhile gathering information, the ITE TENC committee members had the opportunity to talk to those making decisions regarding crosswalk marking installations. Following is a summary of observations made by members of the committee:(5)
CROSSWALK MARKINGS PATTERNS SELECTED FOR THIS STUDYDuring the development of the study approach, routes that included existing crosswalks in Bryan, TX; College Station, TX; and the TAMU campus were considered. During a conference call including the research team and representatives of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the decision was made to focus on evaluations of a smaller number of crosswalk marking patterns and to repeat the patterns at several locations. The conditions at a site, such as presence of lighting or posted speed, can have a significant influence on driver behavior. Therefore, repeating the patterns at several locations helps to isolate driver behavior differences to the markings rather than to another site characteristic. At the meeting between FHWA and the research team, the following patterns were selected for study:
Transverse and continental markings were selected because they are the most common markings, according to the findings from the recent ITE TENC committee survey and in the judgment of the engineers present on the conference call. The bar pair markings were selected because they are being considered and, in several cases, installed by a number of communities. They may also represent a lower–cost alternative to continental markings because they use approximately two-thirds the marking material that would be present in a similar continental marking application.
FHWA-HRT-10-068
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