,

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, DELHI

HAUS KHAS, NEW DELHI-110016
DELHI

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Course Number: CEL 742
Traffic Engineering
REPORT
Lab 6: Pedestrian Study at Sidewalks

Submitted To:
Dr. Kalaga Ramchandra Rao
(Associate Professor)
Civil Engineering Department, IIT Delhi

Submitted By:
Mohit Kohli
2015CEP2096
M Tech Transportation Engineering, Semester-I
Semester (2016-2017)
2017)

LAB-6: Pedestrian Study at Sidewalks and Crosswalks

Objectives:
To evaluate the adequacy of pedestrian crossing locations based on both safety and operations and
identify, asses, classify and record capacity, level of service (LOS) and flow for pedestrians and their
characteristics.
Need for the Study:
Pedestrian crossings are an important feature of the transportation system. They enable pedestrians to cross
conflicting traffic to access locations on either side of streets and highways. Pedestrian crossings can either
be marked or unmarked.. When the traffic volumes are high enough that there are few gaps in traffic
adequate for a pedestrian to cross a roadway safely, pedestrians may have a difficult time crossing.
Consequently, either case can result in pedestrian crossings that are challenging and result in high delay
for the pedestrian, which can lead to pedestrians taking higher risks. Providing safe crossing situations for
pedestrians relies on not only placing crosswalks at safe locations but also providing facilities where
pedestrians are crossing with minimal delay.
General Overview:
Walk decisions are primarily based upon three factors: travel distance, age, personal safety and security
and personal comfort and attractiveness. Pedestrian walking speeds range from 0.6 to 1.2 m per sec. The
busier a crossing is, the slower the speed of pedestrians. Wheelchair and scooter users require wider paths
and ramps for travel. The design details on crossings should be followed and evaluated when completing a
field review of crossings.
Crosswalks, landing areas, corners and other parts of the pedestrian route should be clear of
obstructions.
Pedestrians should have a clear view of travel lanes and motorists.
Symbols, signs, and markings should clearly indicate what actions a pedestrian should take.
Adequate lighting should be included if pedestrians are present during nighttime hours.
Pedestrian facility designers use body depth and shoulder breadth for minimum space standards. A body
ellipse of 0.50m x 0.60m, area totaling to 0.3m2, also a buffer of 0.75m2 shall be taken into account for
each pedestrian.

Fig.: Pedestrian Body Ellipse

A pedestrian start-up time of 3s can be used for evaluating crosswalks at traffic signal and a capacity of
75p/min/m pr 4500 p/h/m can be used if local data are not available. At capacity, 0.8m/s is considered as
the walking speed. A typical distribution of free-flow walking speeds is shown in the following graph:

Graph : Typical Free-Flow Walking Speed Distributions

Study Components:
Pedestrian facilities provided in transportation system are as follows:
Sidewalk/Walkway
Sidewalk is a path along the side of a road, separated from motor vehicle traffic or a
passage or path for walking along.
Signals
They are used to guide the road users along the routes, inform them with information to
make the travel easier, safe and pleasant.
Pedestrian speed
It is the average pedestrian walking speed, generally expressed in units of meters per
second.
Pedestrian flow rate
It is the number of pedestrians passing a point per unit of time, expressed as pedestrians per
15 min or pedestrians per minute. Point refers to a line of sight across the width of a walkway
perpendicular to the pedestrian path.
Pedestrian flow per unit of width
It is the average flow of pedestrians per unit of effective walkway width, expressed as
pedestrians per minute per meter (p/min/m). Pedestrian density is the average number of
pedestrians per unit of area within a walkway or queuing area, expressed as pedestrians per square
meter (p/m2).
Pedestrian space
It is the average area provided for each pedestrian in a walkway or queuing area, expressed
in terms of square meters per pedestrian. This is the inverse of density, and is often a more
practical unit for analyzing pedestrian facilities.

Pedestrian Flow Characteristics:

Pedestrian Speed-Density Relationship
The relationship between speed, density and volume of pedestrian flow is analogous to
vehicular flow. As volume and density increase, pedestrian speed declines, as density increases
and pedestrian space decreases, the degree of mobility declines, so is the average speed of
pedestrian.

Graph: Pedestrian Speed-Density Relationship (Source: HCM, 2000)

Flow Density Relationship
The relationship among density, speed and flow for pedestrians is similar to that for
vehicular traffic stream, as expressed in following equation:

The flow variable in this expression is the unit width flow. Alternate expression used the
reciprocal of density, or space, as follows:

Graph: Flow Density Relationship (Source: HCM, 2000)

Speed Flow Relationship

This illustrates relationship between pedestrian speed and flow. As flow increases, speed
declines because of closer interactions among pedestrians. When a critical level of
crowding occurs, movement becomes more difficult, and both flow and speed declines.

Graph: Speed Flow Relationship (Source: HCM, 2000)

Speed Space Relationship
The relationship of walking speed and available space.

Graph: Speed Space Relationship (Source: HCM, 2000)

LEVEL OF SERVICE:
LOS is quantitative stratification of a performance measure or measures that represent the quality of
service. The measures used to determine LOS are called service measures. The HCM defines six level of
services, ranging from A to F. LOS A represent the best service and LOS F the worst.

Table: LOS for Walkways and Sidewalks

Fig.: Level Of Service from A TO F

The difference between HCM 2000 and HCM 2010 in case of Off-Street Pedestrian facility is the addition
of usage of the procedures to wider facilities.

Field Work and Data Collection:

For pedestrian study at the side walk, Hauz Khas Metro Station (Gate No. 2) was chosen.

Picture: Hauz Khas Metro Station Gate No. 2

WORK SHEET: LAB 6
DATE: 29-09-2015

TEMPERATURE: 32 C

STUDENT NAME: MOHIT KOHLI

WEATHER: SUNNY

ENTRY NUMBER: 2015CEP2096

STARTING TIME: 8.00AM

LENGTH : 6m

DAY: THUSDAY

ENDING TIME: 9.30AM

AREA : 33m2

WIDTH : 5.5m

Result:
Pedestrain Flow
Time

Ped Volume (Nos.)

Rate (No./min/m)

08.00-08.10
08.10-08.20
08.20-08.30
08.30-08.40
08.40-08.50
08.50-09.00

615
640
648
620
587
603

11
12
12
11
11
11

Density

Time (min)
10min
10min
10
10
9
8
8
8
5
9
9
6
7
8
8
8
11
8
7
9
6
10

T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
T9
T10

10min
8
11
11
7
9
8
11
10
8
11

10min
8
8
7
11
12
6
10
7
7
8

Avg Peak Volume

Avg Density
Avg Space

0.3

0.3

3.5

3.9

Travel Time

10min
8
8
5
9
7
5
7
6
8
9

10min
12
8
11
10
9
8
11
12
12
13

11

0.2

0.3

0.2

0.3

4.1

3.9

4.6

3.1

Travel Time
08.2008.3008.30
08.40
3.4
4.2
4.8
4.7
5.5
5.8
4.3
4.8
4.2
4.6
5.9
3.7
3.7
3.6
4.9
3.5
5.0
6.0
4.5
4.5

08.0-08.10
3.8
4.0
4.2
6.0
4.4
5.3
4.2
3.5
3.3
3.8

08.1008.20
4.0
5.7
4.2
5.0
5.0
4.1
4.7
4.6
4.2
3.6

Avg. Travel
Time(sec)

4.2

4.5

4.6

Avg Ped Speed

(m/sec)

1.4

1.3

1.3

T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
T9
T10

08.4008.50
4.7
4.2
5.1
4.2
4.9
5.9
4.2
4.2
5.0
4.5

08.5009.00
4.6
4.2
4.6
6.0
4.2
5.5
5.0
5.2
4.7
4.3

4.5

4.7

4.8

1.3

1.3

1.3

Speed-Density
1.5
1.4
1.4
1.3
1.3
1.2
1.2
0.3

0.3

0.2

0.3

0.2

0.3

Graph: Pedestrian Speed-Density Relationship

(X-Axis: Density)
(Y-Axis: Speed)

Ped Flow Rate- Density

12.2
12
11.8
11.6
11.4
11.2
11
10.8
10.6
10.4
0.3

0.3

0.2

0.3

Graph: Flow Density Relationship

(X-Axis: Space)
(Y-Axis: Flow)

0.2

0.3

Speed- Space
1.5
1.4
1.4
1.3
1.3
1.2
1.2
3.5

3.9

4.1

3.9

4.6

3.1

0.2

0.3

Graph: Speed Space Relationship

(X-Axis: Space)
(Y-Axis: Speed)

Space-Density
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
0.3

0.3

0.2

0.3

Graph: Space Density Relationship

(X-Axis: Space)
(Y-Axis: Density)
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
1. Maximum Density observed is 0.39p/m2.
2. Minimum Pedestrian Space observed is 2.54m2/p.
3. Average Speed of Pedestrians observed is 1.3 m/s.
4. Maximum Speed of Pedestrian observed is 1.4m/s.
5. Average Space of Pedestrian observed is 3.9m2/p.
6. Average Flow of Pedestrian observed is 11.3p/min/m.
7. LOS was concluded to be C.
Reference:
1. Traffic flow fundamentals - Adolf D. May.
2. Highway Capacity Manual, 2000 and Highway Capacity Manual, 2010.