Pedestrian Safety in the United Arab Emirates

Charlie Alexander, PE

Fehr & Peers

Roseville, CA

Paul Supawanich, LEEP AP

Nelson\Nygaard

San Francisco, CA

Presentation Summary

• Background

• Pedestrian safety process

• Nuances of working abroad

• Questions

Quick Poll

• Who has worked internationally?

• Who has worked in the UAE?

BackgroundWhere is Al Ain?

121.5° W 56° E177.5°

Half way around the world (almost)

BackgroundWhere is Al Ain?

BackgroundWhere is Al Ain?

Pedestrian Safety ProcessFlowchart

Define problem

Identify priority locations

Develop targeted improvements

Pedestrian Safety ProcessFlowchart

Define problem

Identify priority locations

Develop targeted improvements

BackgroundHistory

Abu Dhabi, 1962 Dubai, 2010

1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000

St. Augustine, FL

Boston, MA

New York, NY

San Francisco, CA

Sacramento, CA

Settlement Timeline

BackgroundCommon Ingredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Low density land use pattern

• Large roadways

• Lack of safe crossings

• High vehicle speeds

• Dangerous driver behavior

• Ineffective pedestrian safety treatments

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Low density land use pattern National housing policy Low gas prices

School

School

Mosque

1.2 units/acre

$1.46 per gallon

Source: www.maps.google.com

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Large, high-speed roadways

Multiple-threat collisionSource: http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Large roadways with long blocks

1 mile

Source: www.maps.google.com

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Large roadways

60 km/hr = 50 mi/hr

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Large roadways

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Lack of safe crossings

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• High vehicle speeds

Free right-turn at signalized intersection

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• High vehicle speeds

Source: Dangerous by Design 2011Transportation for America

60 km/hr = 37 mi/hr

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Dangerous driver behavior Politics of driving

What speed bump?

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

• Ineffective pedestrian safety treatments Full-time flashing beacon (Belisha Beacon)

Observed yield compliance: 0%

BackgroundPedestrian Safety: USA vs. UAE

• Dangerous by Design 2011

• Ranks metro areas by Pedestrian Danger Index Pedestrian deaths per

100,000 people Walk mode share

Source: Dangerous by Design 2011Transportation for America

BackgroundPedestrian Safety: USA vs. UAE

Source: Dangerous by Design 2011Transportation for America

BackgroundPedestrian Safety: USA vs. UAE

Source: Dangerous by Design 2011Transportation for America

• Al Ain 2009 Population = 374,000 2008 Pedestrian fatalities = 28 Avg. annual pedestrian deaths per 100,000 = 7.5

BackgroundIngredients of a Dangerous Pedestrian Environment

Low density land use Large roadways

Lack of safe crossings Dangerous driver behavior

BackgroundImprovement of Pedestrian Safety and Movement in Al Ain and Suburbs

• Summer 2010 – Al Ain Municipality hires project team Background: where is walking occurring, where have

collisions occurred

• November/December 2010 –team visits Al Ain for two weeks Stakeholder meetings Site visits

• January 2011 – July 2011 –team develops recommendations

• August 2011 – team submits draft report

Pedestrian Safety ProcessFlowchart

Define problem

Identify priority locations

Develop targeted improvements

Site SelectionWhere to Focus Planning Efforts

Approx 200 sq. miles

Site Selection: US ExampleWalkFirst Project | San Francisco

Site Selection: US ExamplePedestrian Activity

The WalkFirst Program takes into account seven different factors to serve as indicators for pedestrian activity

Access / need to walk (transit and walking mode share) Transit ridership (daily transit boardings) Population density (residential and job density) Pedestrian generators (schools, medical facilities, retail,

senior centers, etc) Vulnerable populations Income Street slope

Site Selection: US ExamplePedestrian Activity

Site Selection: US ExamplePedestrian Safety

Replicating this methodology in the UAE“Same but Different”

While the basic approach is the same, the level of data available and other cultural norms require a slightly different approach; our team used five input categories throughout our process.

1. Pedestrian generators

2. Pedestrian crashes and collisions

3. Estimated and observed pedestrian volumes

4. Level of potential improvement

5. Local stakeholder priority

Replicating this methodology in the UAEDesired Deliverables

The desired goal was to have a prioritized list of 46 sites. The following process was used to come up with this list.

Step #1- Develop Preliminary Site List: Using maps of pedestrian generators, crashes, and stakeholder nominated sites, identify approximately top 50 locations appropriate for pedestrian improvements

Step #2-Prioritize Sites: Using all five factors, each with their own individual weightings, score each site to determine relative priority

Step #3-Re-evaluate: Using this methodology, the sites list was then reviewed to ensure that the outputs maintained consistency with project goals.

Step #1

Locating Mosques

Step #1

Step #1

Factor Description Range Weighted Factor

Nearby pedestrian generatorsClose proximity (300m) to pedestrian generators such as schools, mosques, etc.

1-4 20%

Nearby pedestrian crashesNumber of pedestrian crashes near or within site area

1-4 25%

Estimated/Observed Pedestrian Volumes

Nearby pedestrian generators and observed pedestrian activity

1-5 15%

Level of potential improvementQualitative score developed from site visits reflecting the potential ability to improve a site

1-5 30%

Stakeholder PriorityVariable to reflect community stakeholder needs and desires for site priority

1-3 10%

100%

Factors for Site Prioritization

Step #2

Evaluation of Final List of Sites

Step #3

Site Number Site Name Site Selection Source Category Summary

1 Khaled Bin Sultan Street at Mutawaa/Sanaiya DOT PSAP Midblock Crossing2 Al Safia Hypermarket Al Ain Police Roundabout3 Area around new football stadium Al Ain Police Midblock Crossing

4 Diwan Roundabout Al Ain Police Roundabout6 Al Ain Bus Station Al Ain Police Midblock Crossing

7 Lulu Hypermarket Al Ain Police Midblock Crossing13a Green Mubazzarah #1 Al Ain Police Other

13b Green Mubazzarah #2 Al Ain Police Other14 School Area Parking Lot School Safety Study Midblock Crossing / Parking Lot

15 Al Foaa Area Infrastructure Development Al Ain Municipality Midblock Crossing17 UAE University Phase 3 Al Ain Municipality New Development

18 School Area #3 - Khaled Bin Sultan Site Selection Analysis Midblock Crossing / Parking Lot19 Bani Yas and 16th Street Site Selection Analysis Midblock Crossing20 School Area Parking Lot #2 Site Selection Analysis Parking Lot

22 Balidiya Park North Site Selection Analysis Other23 Balidiya Park South Site Selection Analysis Other

24 68th Street - Al Salamat Site Selection Analysis Neighborhood Traffic Calming25 48th Street - Al Salamat Site Selection Analysis Neighborhood Traffic Calming

26 116 St - Central District Site Selection Analysis Midblock Crossing27 4th St and 2nd St - Central District Site Selection Analysis Neighborhood Traffic Calming

29 Khalifa Bin Zayed at Palace* Site Selection Analysis Midblock Crossing31 Al Ain St - Mutawaa Site Selection Analysis Midblock Crossing / Parking Lot

32 Sultan Bin Zayed Al Awwal at Al Jahili Fort Site Selection Analysis Junction33 2nd Street - Al Sarooj Site Selection Analysis Neighborhood Traffic Calming36 Mohammed Bin Khalifa at Al Noor Markets Site Selection Analysis Midblock Crossing

37 Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Awwal - Al Jimi Site Selection Analysis Midblock Crossing38 Hili Industrial Area Site Selection Analysis Neighborhood Traffic Calming

39 50th Street - Al Jimi Site Selection Analysis Neighborhood Traffic Calming40 Khalifa Bin Zayed near Jebel R/A Site Selection Analysis Other

41 16th Street - Kindergarten Site Selection Analysis Neighborhood Traffic Calming

42 Street #3 - Al Muwaiji Site Selection AnalysisNeighborhood Traffic Calming / Sidewalks and Walkways

43 Hamdan Ibn Zayed Al Awwal Al Towayya Site Selection Analysis Roundabout44 Zayed Bin Sultan and Road 1 Site Selection Analysis Midblock Crossing

45 Al Ain Street near Palace Site Selection Analysis Parking Lot46 Al Krhair Site Selection Analysis Sidewalks and Walkways

47a Hamdan Bin Mohammed - Al Khabisi Workshop #1 Midblock Crossing47b Hamdan Bin Mohammed R/A - Al Khabisi Workshop #1 Roundabout

53a Al Ain Mall #1 Workshop #1 Midblock Crossing53b Al Ain Mall #2 Workshop #1 Neighborhood Traffic Calming

53c Al Ain Mall #3 Workshop #1 Midblock Crossing51 Bani Yas - Hili Workshop #1 Midblock Crossing

52 Khaled Bin Sultan at Omar Bin Al Khattab Workshop #1 Midblock Crossing54 Sanaiya Junction Al Ain Police Neighborhood Traffic Calming55 Sanaiya Al Ain Police Neighborhood Traffic Calming

56 Al Dhaher Neighborhood Workshop #1 Midblock Crossing57 Mezyad Workshop #1 Midblock Crossing

Pedestrian Safety ProcessFlowchart

Define problem

Identify priority locations

Develop targeted improvements

ImprovementsCommon Themes

• Midblock crossings

• Neighborhood traffic calming

• Junctions

• Roundabouts

ImprovementsSite Visits Mean Everything

• See through the “eyes of a pedestrian”

• Document everything

• Use aerial maps

• Take photos of everything

Crosswalks: US ExampleCrosswalk Research

• Herms, Bruce. (1972) Pedestrian crosswalk study: accidents in painted and unpainted crosswalks. Transportation Research Record, 406. “The San Diego study” Marked crosswalks vs. unmarked crossways Increased incidence of pedestrian collisions in marked

crosswalks Did not differentiate between:

o Number of laneso Traffic volumeo Speed limit

Crosswalks: US ExampleCrosswalk Research

• 2002 “The Zegeer study” Marked vs. unmarked Two-lane roads

o No difference in pedestrian crash rate

Multilane roadso Marked crosswalk

alone associated with higher crash rate

Crosswalks: US ExampleCrosswalk Research

• “The Zegeer study”

Key: C = Candidate sites for marked crosswalks; P = Possible increase in pedestrian crashes may occur if crosswalks are marked without other pedestrian enhancements; N = Marked crosswalks alone are insufficient.

Crosswalks: US ExampleCrosswalk Research

• “The Zegeer study”

• LOS A-C

• LOS D-E

• LOS F

Crosswalks: US ExampleCrosswalk Research

• 2006 “NCHRP 562” Researches effectiveness of

different crosswalk treatmentso Red beacon displayso Flashing beaconso In-roadway lightso Warning signs / markingso Crosswalk markings

Measured yield compliance

Crosswalks: Replicating this research in the UAEApplying USA Research to the UAE

• What treatments will generate yield compliance? Roadway characteristics Driver characteristics

• Environmental factors

• Crossings not crosswalks

CrosswalksRecommendations

• 2-lane roadway: marked crosswalk

• 4-lane roadway: Raised crosswalk Rapid Rectangular Flashing

Beacon (RRFB)

• 6-lane roadway: Pedestrian signal HAWK beacon

(High-intensity Activated crossWalK beacon)

CrosswalksRecommendations

• 4-lane roadway: Raised crosswalk Rapid Rectangular Flashing

Beacon (RRFB)RRFB

Source: www.spotdevices.com

Raised crosswalk: before and after

CrosswalksRecommendations

• 4-lane roadway

CrosswalksRecommendations

• 6-lane roadway: Pedestrian signal HAWK beacon

(High-intensity Activated crossWalK beacon)

HAWK BeaconSource: www.roswellgov.com

CrosswalksRecommendations

• 6-lane roadway

Improvements

• Neighborhood traffic calming

• Junctions

• Roundabouts

• Principles: Speed kills

o Narrow laneso Reduce turn radiio Traffic calming

Limit exposure:o Reduce crossing distanceso Safe crossings at a reasonable distanceo Channelize if necessary

Neighborhood Traffic CalmingRecommendations

Neighborhood Traffic CalmingRecommendations

Junctions (Intersections)Recommendations

RoundaboutsRecommendations

Presentation Summary

• Background

• Pedestrian safety process

• Nuances of working abroad

A Global Project Team

Cultural norms working with stakeholders

Understanding everyday life

Expectations of the automobile

Questions

Charlie Alexander, PE

Fehr & Peers

Roseville, CA

C.Alexander@fehrandpeers.com

Paul Supawanich, LEEP AP

Nelson\Nygaard

San Francisco, CA

PSupawanich@nelsonnygaard.com