Improving Pedestrian and Motorist Safety Along Light Rail Alignments (2009) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 12-20
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The safety issues considered included at-grade crossings, stations, and safety practices that enhance safety for pedestrians, motor vehicles, and LRT passengers. The full literature review (Appendix B)
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, and • Personal and organization libraries of research team members. In addition to searching these sources, the research team attempted to obtain unpublished documents through contacts at various North American LRT systems, the FTA, the Transportation Research Board Committee on Light Rail Transit (AP075)
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The five agencies who responded and who were visited were: 1. Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, Utah; 2.
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24. Salt Lake City, UT UTA (Utah Transit Authority)
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24. Salt Lake City, UT UTA (Utah Transit Authority)
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Physical separation, where feasible, can include a combination of separate alignments, grade separation at intersections, and fencing/barrier systems. Top LRT Safety Issues The objective of the literature review and the consultations with LRT operators was to identify the most significant safety issues along LRT alignments.
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– Sight distances are limited at LRT crossings – Motor vehicles queue across LRT tracks from downstream obstruction – Automatic gate and traffic signal interconnect malfunctions • System operations: – Freight line is shared with LRT – Freight line was converted to LRT line – Collisions occur when second LRV approaches pedestrian crossing – Motorists disregard grade crossing warning devices • Traffic signal placement and operation: – Motorists confused about apparently conflicting flashing light signal and traffic signal indications – Track clearance phasing – Excessive queuing near LRT crossings – Turning vehicles hesitate during track clearance interval – Vehicles queue back from closed gates into intersection – LRT crosses two approaches to a signalized intersection (diagonal crossing) – Motorist confused about gates starting to go up and then lowering for a second time, when a second LRV arrives from the opposite direction – LRT versus emergency vehicle pre-emption – Turning motorists violate red protected left-turn indication due to excessive delay – With leading left-turn phasing, motorists violate red protected left-turn arrow moving on the green phase when trains also turn • Automatic gate placement: – At angled crossings or for turning traffic, gates descend on top of or behind motor vehicles • Pedestrian control: – Limited sight distance at pedestrian crossing – Pedestrians dart across LRT tracks without looking The five agencies consulted during the site visits for this project noted a variety of safety issues.
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Active treatments that were not well tuned to their environment lost impact. For example, in one location the site visit team observed a pedestrian crossing with flashing lights and bells that rang for many seconds longer than necessary and consequently seemed to be ignored by virtually all pedestrians in the vicinity who crossed the tracks regardless of the warning.
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Following an extensive literature review, a survey of local transit agencies, follow-up consultations with local transit agencies, and information gathered during site visits, the project team was able to identify the five most critical areas of safety concern that must be addressed along LRT alignments. These safety concerns are inattention of those approaching the LRT alignment; confusion of those approaching the LRT alignment; lack of appropriate separation between motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and the LRV; risky behavior by those approaching the LRT alignment; and LRV operator error or lack of information.
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