Assessment on Road Crossing Behavior of Pedestrian’s With Countdown Timer at Signalized Intersection in Addis Ababa.

Abstract

Pedestrian crossings at signalized intersections play a part in contributing to the current difficult traffic flow system, which leads to crashes and congestion. A clear understanding of the pedestrian crossing behavior under mixed traffic conditions is required for providing necessary infrastructure and also for enhancing pedestrian safety at signalized intersections. This paper aims to assess the road crossing behavior of pedestrians with a countdown timer at signalized intersections in Addis Ababa by identifying the factors that affect crossing speed and waiting time, evaluating non-compliance and developing multiple linear regression models for crossing speed and waiting time. For this study, both qualitative and quantitative data were used. Data collections were taken by video for a sample of 2947 pedestrians, by questionaries’ for 21 experts, by interview for 406 pedestrians, and by observation. Data was analyzed using SPSS V26 (Statistical Package for the Social Science Version 26) software, Microsoft Excel and manually. Factors that affect crossing speed are gender, age, baggage handling, crossing mode, number of pedestrian, disability and mobile usage were significant effect on crossing speed with Beta value of 0.091, 0.354, 0.030, 0.448, -0.029, 0.056 and -0.166 respectively. There is significance difference among gender, age, baggage handling, crossing mode, number of pedestrian, disability and mobile usage. From the finding at signalized intersections, the mean of crossing speed is 1.39 m/s. A model developed for crossing speed was Cs=1.426+0.091G+0.354A+0.030Bh+0.448Cm-0.0290Np+0.056D 0.166Mu, R2=0.826. Factors that affects waiting time are gender, age, baggage handling, number of pedestrian, disability, and non-compliance with signal phase (red light) were significant effect on waiting time with Beta value of -0.027, 1.981, 0.651, 0.512, 0.656 and -1.0.15. There is a significant difference among gender, age, baggage handling, number of pedestrian, disability, and non-compliance with signal phase (red light) at signalized intersection. From the finding at signalized intersections, 40.52% of pedestrians wait less than 10 seconds. A model developed for waiting time was Wt=7.946–0.027G+1.981A+0.651Bh+0.512Np+0.656–1.015Trl, R 2=0.847. Factors that lead to non-compliance by pedestrians were lack of enforcement by traffic police, too long waiting time, lack of awareness when crossing in groups, and no accident will happen if I do this one or two times, respectively. If education was given continuously by different social media platforms on how to cross the road using a pedestrian countdown timer and enforcement was applied, congestion and crashes, which lead to death and injury, will be minimized.