Pedestrian Safety and Mobility Aids for Crossings at Bus Stops

Jeng, One-Jang; Fallat, George · 2003 · ROSA P / New Jersey. Department of Transportation. Bureau of Research

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Summary

This study addresses the critical issue of pedestrian safety and mobility for transit users accessing bus stops along state highways, specifically focusing on unsignalized intersections and mid-block crossings. The research was motivated by New Jersey’s prohibition of mid-block crossings, a regulation that is difficult to enforce and discourages public transit use. With pedestrian fatalities in New Jersey rising significantly, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and NJ TRANSIT sought cost-effective solutions to improve safety at locations where pedestrians must coordinate crossings with bus arrivals, excluding expensive alternatives like overpasses. The research team employed a human-centered approach combining a comprehensive literature review, field observations, on-site surveys, and a laboratory experiment. The primary study corridor was US Route 9 in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties, selected for its high transit usage and multi-lane arterial design with traversable medians. Specific sites near Texas Road and Strickland Road were chosen based on heavy pedestrian activity. Field observations were conducted under various weather conditions to document crossing behaviors. An on-site survey gathered user perspectives on safety deficiencies. Additionally, a laboratory experiment involved twelve licensed drivers who assessed risk levels and evaluated the effectiveness of six traffic control devices using video clips of the study sites. The findings revealed significant gaps between designed infrastructure and actual user behavior. Field observations showed that most pedestrians crossed one direction of traffic, waited in the median, and then crossed the other direction, often walking between cars and forcing vehicles to brake. Despite the presence of pedestrian push buttons and signals, no pedestrians were observed using them correctly. Survey respondents indicated that separate pedestrian phasing, better-aligned crosswalks, and push buttons would encourage signal use, contradicting the observed non-use. The laboratory study found that drivers perceived higher risks at intersections with bus stops and stores. Drivers consistently identified crosswalk markings, traffic lights, and pedestrian crossing signs as the most effective devices for increasing alertness. The literature review further highlighted that marked crosswalks alone can increase collision risks on high-volume multilane highways without additional treatments like medians or signals. The study concludes that current pedestrian accommodations, while compliant with standards, fail to realistically support pedestrian needs. Recommendations include installing advance pedestrian crossing signs, providing user feedback on push buttons, improving illumination, and enhancing sidewalks. The authors also suggest modifying signal timing to reduce conflicts, relocating bus stops to safer locations, and implementing education programs for both drivers and transit users. These measures aim to create a safer environment that encourages mass transit ridership while addressing the specific challenges of unsignalized crossings.

Key finding

Drivers assigned higher risk scores to locations with bus stops and stores, and consistently identified crosswalks, traffic lights, and pedestrian crossing signs as effective devices for increasing alertness to potential hazards.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Sample size: 12

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• pedestrian behavior perception
• rail grade crossings
• vru facing ehmi