Pedestrian Treatments

The following discussion draws upon the research found in the Engineering Design for Pedestrian Safety at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings.(42) Pedestrian behavior at or adjacent to railroad tracks can be characterized as risky. Six criteria regarding the pedestrian crossing environment and the desired devices and controls for it, were published by the Transit Cooperative Research Program in Report 69:(31)

•Pedestrian facilities and minimum pedestrian activity present or anticipated

•LRT speed exceeds 35 miles per hour

•Sight distance restricted on approach

•Crossing located in school zone

•High pedestrian activity levels occur

•Pedestrian surges or high pedestrian inattention Whereas the above criteria were developed for LRT applications, these criteria may be used to evaluate the need for commonly-used pedestrian treatments. Devices and treatments identified in the Engineering Design for Pedestrian Safety at Highway- Rail Grade Crossings include the following:

Passive devices for pedestrian crossings

•Pedestrian swing gates

•Directional surface

•Flange fillers and surfacing

•Dynamic envelope markings

•Z-crossings (zig-zag)

•Channelization

•Oversized ballast

•Bedstead barriers

•Fencing

•Anti-trespass panels

Active devices for pedestrian crossings

•Smart warning systems

•Detectable warning and tactile strips

•Pedestrian gates

•Gate skirts Pedestrian behavior that violates traffic control at crossings can undermine the ef fectiveness of treatments at crossings. It has been noted that new treatments installed to mitigate some types of risky pedestrian behavior result in new forms of risky behavior; for example, pedestrians may pull open a swing gate intended for emergency egress and evade a lowered pedestrian gate. 130Determining the most applicable type of treatment to use is a site ‑specific decision based on several criteria, site assessments, and other noteworthy practices.