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Pages 299-330

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From page 299...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 299 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Purpose of the Prioritization Tool D-2 Understanding How Blind Pedestrians Cross at Signalized Intersections D-2 Overview of Prioritization Tool Worksheets D-4 Scoring System D-4 Intersection Worksheet Sketch D-5 Intersection Worksheet Variables D-5 Confi guration D-5 Signalization D-7 Transit Facilities within a Block (~ 1/8 mile) of Intersection -- Any Leg D-9 Distance to Facility Providing Services to the Blind or Visually Impaired D-9 Distance to Major Pedestrian Attractions D-10 Crosswalk Worksheet Variables D-10 Crosswalk Width D-10 Speed Limit (street being crossed)
From page 300...
... D - 300 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Purpose of the Prioritization Tool Municipalities responsible for the installation and operation of traffi c signals are often required to make decisions about the use of accessible pedestrian signals. In many cases, there is a need to prioritize existing signalized intersections for APS installations.
From page 301...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 301 direction of the opposite corner, the number of intersecting streets, the width of the street to be crossed, and whether there are any islands or medians in the crosswalk. Vehicular sounds, where there is a stream of traffi c on each street at the intersection, are used to infer intersection geometry.
From page 302...
... D - 302 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms the pedestrian phase by as many seconds as the duration of the walk interval. In such cases, blind pedestrians will fi rst perceive the pedestrian phase, and initiate crossing, after the onset of the pedestrian change interval.
From page 303...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 303 Worksheet Score in the bottom right corner. Th e total crosswalk scores are found in the bottom right corner of each of the Crosswalk Worksheets.
From page 304...
... D - 304 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms INTERSECTION WORKSHEET VARIABLE CAN APPLY TO MID-BLOCK CROSSING? Confi guration Yes Signalization Yes, Actuated Transit Facilities Yes Distance to Facilities for Visually Impaired Yes Distance to Major Ped Attraction Yes CROSSWALK WORKSHEET VARIABLE CAN APPLY TO MID-BLOCK CROSSING?
From page 305...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 305 Th e Crosswalk Signalization variable on the crosswalk worksheet captures details about the signal operation that impact a particular crosswalk. Th e following signalization options are given on the form.
From page 306...
... D - 306 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms TRANSIT FACILITIES WITHIN A BLOCK (~ 1/8 MILE) OF INTERSECTION -- ANY LEG Th e availability of transit facilities within close proximity to an intersection will increase the likelihood of blind pedestrians, as well as sighted pedestrians, crossing at that intersection.
From page 307...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 307 Knowing the locations of these facilities will be diffi cult for any transportation department without good communication with the blind community. It is the responsibility of the department and the blind community to maintain a working relationship with each other.
From page 308...
... D - 308 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms SPEED LIMIT (STREET BEING CROSSED) Th e higher the speed of the vehicles on the street being crossed, the lower the probability of avoiding an incident should a visually impaired pedestrian mistakenly step into the street and the higher the probability of injury should a crash occur.
From page 309...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 309 Channelized right-turn lane island Crossings at a channelized right-turn lane normally require the pedestrian to cross to the island in one direction, reorient themselves, and then complete the crossing in a diff erent direction (see Figure D-5)
From page 310...
... D - 310 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Skewed crosswalk If the direction of travel on a crosswalk is diff erent from the direction of travel on the approaching sidewalk (is skewed) , the consequence of failure to establish a heading toward the opposite corner is often that blind pedestrians will walk toward the center of the intersection and into the path of parallel traffi c.
From page 311...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 311 Skewing can also occur at crosswalks where the pedestrian walk signal only gives enough time for the pedestrian to reach a median. In this case, the blind pedestrian must be able to fi nd the median to wait for the next signal cycle.
From page 312...
... D - 312 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Non-concurrent WALK interval Some signal timing plans at multi-leg intersections display the pedestrian WALK signal at a diff erent time than the green phase for adjacent parallel traffi c (Figure D-8)
From page 313...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 313 Vehicle Signal Control Th e types of signal phases available for vehicle traffi c can greatly impact upon the ability of the pedestrian who is visually impaired to understand the audible cues from the traffi c surges of various movements and make correct decisions about when it is appropriate to cross the street. Each type of signal phasing that may lead to this ambiguity is defi ned below.
From page 314...
... D - 314 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Th e allowance of RTOR during an exclusive pedestrian phase also sends mixed signals. If vehicles are turning, blind pedestrians may not be aware that they have a WALK interval.
From page 315...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 315 Turning vehicles at channelized turns are typically under yield control. Th ey must stop only if there is traffi c approaching intersection the cross street, or if a pedestrian is in the crosswalk.
From page 316...
... D - 316 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms OFF-PEAK TRAFFIC PRESENCE Traffi c fl ow that is very light or erratic (which most often occurs in off -peak periods) makes it diffi cult to use traffi c sound to recognize signal changes.
From page 317...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 317 If an alternative accessible crossing is present and scored as such, care must be taken to ensure that the alternative crossing meets the need of the blind traveler by getting them to/from the destination. Just because a crossing is close, it may not always be in a location that helps get the person to their destination.
From page 318...
... D - 318 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Blank Prioritization Tool Worksheets On the following pages are blank forms that may be reproduced for use in the fi eld when evaluating intersections and crosswalks. Th ere are three separate forms to be used at all intersections -- an Intersection Worksheet, Crosswalk Worksheet, and Supplemental Form -- as well as a cover sheet for easy reference of the crosswalk scores.
From page 319...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 319 Figure D-15. Cover Sheet of APS Prioritization Tool
From page 320...
... D - 320 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Figure D-16. Intersection Worksheet of APS Prioritization Tool
From page 321...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 321 Figure D-17. Crosswalk Worksheet of APS Prioritization Tool
From page 322...
... D - 322 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Figure D-18. Supplemental Worksheet of APS Prioritization Tool
From page 323...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 323 Examples of Completed Prioritization Tool Worksheets Th e following two examples show how the Prioritization Tool would be used to rate two crosswalks. Th e fi rst example is a crosswalk that would be relatively easier for pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired.
From page 324...
... D - 324 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Th e second worksheet deals with the crosswalk (Figure D-21)
From page 325...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 325 Th e crosswalk worksheet score is 7 points. When added to the intersection score of zero points, this yields a total crosswalk score of 7 points.
From page 326...
... D - 326 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Figure D-22. Overhead view of Example Crosswalk #2 (Google Earth © 2005)
From page 327...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 327 Th e fi rst worksheet deals with the intersection characteristics (Figure D-24)
From page 328...
... D - 328 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms Th e second worksheet deals with the crosswalk (Figure D-25)
From page 329...
... Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice D - 329 Figure D-25. Crosswalk Worksheet for Example Crosswalk #2
From page 330...
... D - 330 Appendix D: Prioritization Tool Instructions and Forms References Manual on Uniform Traffi c Control Devices, 2003 Edition, (with Revision No. 1 incorporated)

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