Pedestrian Crossings Away from Intersection

Pedestrian walk ways are usually running along roads. Pedestrian Crossings usually cross at the junctions or intersections. Recently, Singapore constructs some pedestrian crossing 20-30 Meters down the road. This blog is to explore the pros and cons of such crossings.

First lets discuss on what type of crossings that are used.

1. Non-signaled crossings
2. Signaled crossings
3. Zebra crossings

Non-signaled crossing usually are built on small roads where there are much less traffic. Pedestrians cross at their own risk. Signaled crossings are generally on more busy roads where there are needs to stipulate a period of time where pedestrian can cross safely. It has two divisions. One is non-automated. You have to press a button to trigger the change of traffic lights. This is usually on very busy roads where priority is given to vehicles. The other one is automated signaling. This type will automatically alternate between pedestrian and vehicular signal. Zebra crossings near intersections are rare. It is usually constructed near schools and where multitudes of pedestrians cross at a certain point.

We now talk about where will the crossing be built. Most of the crossings are built at the point where the junctions or intersections are joined. Some are built further away from the junction.  Zebra crossings are usually built much further in.

The following are discussions specifically on pedestrian crossings that are built further in instead of at the junction itself.

Non-signaled crossings are usually built across car park exits and small roads. It may be just an opening to the road or is built on raised platforms with ground markings on both sides.

Pros

• It allows vehicles to turn in first rather than wait at the junction thereby blocking other traffics.
• It allows pedestrians to see the vehicle coming in thus avoid ambiguity.

Cons

• Vehicles used to think that they have the right of way thus pedestrians has to always avoid crossing when the vehicle is moving in.
• Vehicles exiting to main roads used to block the crossing while waiting to exit to the main road as there is no signboard or marking on the ground indicating that it is a crossing.
• Vehicles don't bother to slow down when the crossing is not a raised platform type.
• Pedestrians used to avoid such crossing especially when they are already walking along the road on the pedestrian walk way.
• This type of crossing will be useful only when there is little vehicle traffic otherwise either pedestrians is unable to cross or vehicles still blocks the main road traffic.

Signaled crossings are usually built at intersections. Some are even built on side roads like those near Admiralty MRT at junction between Ave 7 and Ave 6.

Pros

• It allows alternate period where vehicles and pedestrians can move.
• On less busy roads it is usually a non-automated signaling where user just waits for their turn to cross. No conflicts.
• On busy roads vehicles usually have the right of way till pedestrians change the signal by pressing a button. Yet to see one with sensors to detect people waiting. Good for improving vehicle traffic.

Cons

• Again this is only feasible if the vehicle traffics at the junction is not heavy otherwise there will be two sets of traffic within a short distance for the vehicles (at the junction and crossing)
• Pedestrians are still responsible to watch out for traffic. It does not equals to pedestrians have the right of way. This is evident at a court ruling that pedestrians are 15% liable to damages because the injured did not look out for traffic.
• Pedestrians tends to rush across when the signaling shows that it is less than 10 seconds before change.
• Older people might not cross in time. There are some junctions that allows longer time of crossing when user tap their senior citizen cards on the reader.
• People actually stopped in the middle of the road to chit chat.
• Can you imagine the dilemma of pedestrians who need to cross over to the other side across the intersection? The person need to walk 30 Meters down to the crossing. Wait for the signal, then cross it. Walked another 30 Meters down to the intersection then walked 30 Meters further down to the other crossing. Waited yet again before crossing then finally another 30 Meters to continue the original direction. 120 extra Meters just to cross the two roads. Older designs means they only have to do a L shape crossing. In some countries, they could even cross diagonally.
• Pedestrians could potentially block the walkaway. Intersection crossing usually have road islands where people can wait thereby freeing the walk ways for other users. 
• Think also for drivers. They wait at the junction for signals to cross the junction. Before they could accelerate, another traffic light is right in front. 
• On heavy traffic, vehicles will have a bumper to bumper queue across the junction (making a right turn). Each vehicle takes 3 seconds to respond to the traffic change or the front vehicle's movement. This means they probably have to wait another 9 seconds to clear (3 cars within 30 meters). 9 seconds could means that the traffic light at the junction could already changed thus causing traffic blockage at the junction because they cannot cross in time. it is even worse if the intersection is a yellow box. You may say that they should wait at the junction. You think they will wait if there is a very long queue? They are not wrong to move into the junction.

Zebra crossing. It is yet to see one such crossing so near to intersections. Again, this will cause more issues at busy roads since pedestrians are given priority.

All in all pedestrian crossings away from intersections is only feasible where the traffic is not heavy. It cause more issues to both pedestrians and vehicles at busy junctions and intersections. 

Pedestrians usually take the shortest distance to cross roads. They will ignore the crossings if they have to walk extra 60 Meters. This means more people will take risks and thereby causing unnecessary accidents.