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2003 Pedestrian Award for Safety

Providing safe and effective pedestrian facilities has been a long-established goal of the City of Boulder, Colorado, to reduce dependency on the automobile. The decision to travel as a pedestrian is in part subject to the pedestrian’s ability and perceived ability to safely and efficiently cross roadways along the travel route. While many traditional engineering techniques have been employed to provide safe crossings at high-volume locations (such as grade-separated facilities and pedestrian signals), the City of Boulder and SEH engaged in an effort to reinforce existing at-grade facilities with alternative treatments designed to make motorists more aware of pedestrians crossing the roadway. In turn, this creates a safer, more positive experience for pedestrians and encourages alternative mode use.

SEH tested a variety of crossing treatments designed to make pedestrians more visible, increase motorist awareness, and educate motorists of their responsibility to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. These treatments included advance rumble strips, pedestrian activated in-pavement flashing lights, sign-mounted flashing lights, alternative signing, and raised crossings. SEH observed over 9,000 pedestrians crossing at 20 different locations during a six-year study period both before and after treatments were installed. SEH found that motorist compliance at crosswalks improved from 34% to 77% study-wide with the installation of alternative crossing treatments and that pedestrian-activated, sign mounted flashing lights were found to be the most effective solution for high-volume crossing locations.

Using SEH’s research, devices have been installed at 25 locations to date, with many more locations scheduled. The result has been significantly improved motorist compliance at crosswalks throughout the City, thus, providing safer and more effective pedestrian facilities. The efforts of SEH and the City of Boulder were recognized nationally by the Institute of Transportation Engineers and the Partnership for a Walkable America with the 2003 Pedestrian Award for Safety.