Pedestrian Crossing Speed Patterns and running frequency analysis at a non-signalized marked crosswalk: Quantitative and qualitative approaches

Walking and running are two distinct movement patterns that characterize pedestrian crossing. While walking is a common behaviour, running is often considered as risky/unsafe. The existing studies about pedestrian crossing speeds usually exclude running. The objectives of this study are 1) to identify whether lanes and crossing stages are influential factors on pedestrian crossing speeds. 2) To describe and model the heterogeneity of pedestrian crossing speeds. 3) To provide knowledge about pedestrian running behaviour. 4) To provide insights for microscopic pedestrian simulation models. The statistical data of crossing speeds in terms of both walking speeds and running speeds from different perspectives: lanes and crossing stages were analyzed. Pedestrian crossing speeds were extracted from videos capturing a non-signalized marked crosswalk. Quantitative analysis in terms of mean, 15th, 50th and 85th percentile speeds for walking and running are calculated and compared. Chi-Square test is conducted as well. In the qualitative aspect, the concept of Pedestrian Crossing Speed Pattern (PCSP), in terms of the number of Speed Pattern Transition Point (SPTP) and the primitives including “Increasing”, “Decreasing” as well as “Flat” were proposed, which can enable the description of the heterogeneity in pedestrian crossing speeds in a more accurate way. Running frequency was also recorded and analyzed.