Estimating preferences for different types of pedestrian crossing facilities

This paper reports the results of a study to understand the preferences of pedestrians towards using different types of road crossing facilities. A preliminary qualitative study found that people's perceptions about crossing facilities are shaped by aspects such as safety, convenience, crossing time, accessibility, and personal security. The main quantitative study consisted of a stated preference survey implemented in three neighbourhoods in English cities near busy roads. Participants were first asked to indicate how comfortable they felt using different types of crossing facilities. Footbridges and underpasses were systematically rated below signalised crossings. Participants were then asked to choose between walking different additional times to use certain types of crossing facility or avoid crossing the road altogether. The analysis of the choices using a mixed logit model found that on average participants are willing to walk an additional 2.4 and 5.3 min to use a straight signalised crossing and avoid using footbridges and underpasses, respectively. Women and older participants were willing to walk longer additional times to avoid those facilities. Participants only avoid crossing the road if the additional time to use straight signalised crossings is at least 20.9 min. The estimated values for the willingness to walk were slightly smaller when using a conditional logit model. The study provides information that is useful for policy decisions about the frequency and the type of pedestrian facilities provided to cross busy roads.