Chapter 5
Pedestrian
Facility design
Ambo University
Course Instructor: Eyob Mekonnen ([Link]) Nov, 2021
Ambo University
HHiT
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Dept. of Civil Engineering
CEng 6305, Advanced Geometric Design, MSc in Highway Engineering
Introduction
• Sidewalks are an integral part of city streets but are rarely
provided in rural areas. However, the potential for collisions
with pedestrians is higher in many rural areas due to the
higher speeds and general absence of lighting.
• The limited data available suggest that sidewalks in rural areas
do reduce pedestrian collisions.
Where do we provide?
•Sidewalks in rural and suburban areas are
more often justified at points of
• Community development,
• residential areas,
• Schools
• local businesses, and industrial plants, that result in pedestrian
concentrations near or along the highways.
Cont.
• When suburban residential areas are
developed, initial roadway facilities are needed for the development
to function, but the
construction of sidewalks is sometimes deferred. However, if
pedestrian activity is anticipated, sidewalks should be included as
part of the construction.
• Shoulders may avoid the need for sidewalks if they are of a type
that encourages pedestrian use in all weather conditions. If sidewalks
are utilized, they should be separated from the shoulder. If the
sidewalk is raised above the level of the shoulder, the cross section
typically approaches that of an urban highway.
Principles for Pedestrian Facility Design
[Link] pedestrian system should be safe.
2. The pedestrian system should be accessible to all
3. The pedestrian system should provide direct and
convenient connections.
4. The pedestrian system should provide comfortable
places to walk.
5. The pedestrian system should enhance the public
realm of the City
6. Pedestrian improvements should be cost‐effective
and financially sustainable.
Commercial Context
Pedestrian Zone
•In suburban and urban locations, a border area
generally separates the roadway from a
community’s homes and businesses. The
main function of the border is to provide
space for sidewalks.
•Other functions are to provide space for
streetlights, fire hydrants, street
hardware, and aesthetic vegetation and to
serve as a buffer strip.
•Border width varies considerably, but 2.4 m [8
ft.] is considered an appropriate minimum width.
Border
Residential Context
Cross section of Side Walk
Pedestrian Zone Design
• Use: The Curb Zone is comprised
of the top of curb adjacent to the
sidewalk. The Curb is used
primarily
Cur for drainage and to discourage
b motorists from driving onto the
Zon Pedestrian Zone(Safety).
e • Width: A minimum of 0.5 feet
(15cm), the width of the top of the
curb, will be hard surface.
Pedestrian Zone Design
2. Planting /Furnishing Zone
• Use: The Planting/Furnishing Zone contains
trees, signs, street lights, utility boxes, planted
boulevards, landscaping, planters, bus shelters,
bicycle parking and other furniture.
• Width: 5.5 feet (1.7m) or more, depending on
street type
Cont.
3. Through Walk Zone
• Use: The Through Walk Zone contains the basic
sidewalk width or clear area for pedestrian travel and is
sized to provide for two directions of pedestrian
travel. The Through Walk Zone should have a safe
and accessible walking surface and be free of vertical
obstructions and protruding objects.
• Width: 6.0 feet recommended minimum, 5.0 feet
acceptable minimum (1.8m)
Cont.
4. Frontage Zone
• Use: The Frontage Zone is the space at the edge of the
walkway adjacent to the property line. It reflects the varying
level of activity associated with property frontage and is
wider where people are likely to window shop or activities
such as sidewalk cafes are allowed. It also reflects the
tendency of people to
shy away from walls above waist height. The Frontage Zone
may also be used as a secondary area for plantings, street
furniture and social activities.
•
Width: 1.5 feet recommended minimum, 1.0 foot acceptable
minimum (0.5m).
Cont.
• Sidewalk widths in residential areas may vary from 1.2 to
2.4 m [4 to 8 ft]. The width of planted strip between the
sidewalk and traveled-way curb, if provided, should be a
minimum of 0.6 m [2 ft] to allow for maintenance
activities. .
Cont.
• Where sidewalks are placed adjacent to the curb,
the widths should be approximately 0.6 m [2 ft]
wider than those widths used when a planted
strip separates the sidewalk from the curb. This
additional width provides space for roadside
hardware and snow storage outside the
width needed by pedestrians.
• It also allows for the proximity of moving traffic,
the opening of doors of parked cars, and bumper
overhang on angled parking.
Cont.
When two urban communities are in proximity to
one another, consideration should be given to connecting
the two communities with sidewalks, even though
pedestrian traffic may be light. This may avoid driver-
pedestrian conflicts on these sections of a through route.
Pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks must be designed
to accommodate persons with disabilities.
Sidewalk Grade and Cross‐Slope
Sidewalk running grade should be no
greater than 5% unless the public
sidewalk is following a public
street with a running grade greater
than 5%.
Sidewalks should slope
towards the curb to allow for
storm water drainage.
The cross slope on the Through
Walk Zone should be no
greater than 2%.
BUS STOPS • Bus stops are critical elements of the
transit system, the pedestrian
system, and the public realm of
the city.
• Bus stops and the streets on which
they are located should be designed
to accommodate waiting transit
passengers, through walking
pedestrians, bus shelters, and
other street furniture and public
infrastructure typically sited near
bus stops.
Grade-Separated Pedestrian Crossings
• A grade-separated pedestrian facility allows pedestrians and motor
vehicles to cross at different levels, either over or under a roadway.
• It provides pedestrians with a safe refuge for crossing the roadway
without vehicle interference.
• A grade-separated pedestrian facility allows pedestrians and motor
vehicles to cross at different levels, either over or under a roadway.
• It provides pedestrians with a safe refuge for
crossing the roadway without vehicle interference.
Cont.
• Pedestrian separations should be provided where pedestrian
volume, traffic volume, intersection capacity, and
other conditions favor their use, although their specific
location and design require individual study.
• They may be warranted where there are heavy peak pedestrian
movements, such as at central business districts, factories,
schools, or athletic fields, in combination with moderate to heavy
vehicular traffic or where unusual risk or inconvenience to
pedestrians would otherwise result.
Cont.
• Pedestrian separations, usually overpasses, may be needed
at freeways or expressways where cross streets are
terminated.
• On many freeways, highway overpasses for cross streets
may be limited to three- to five block intervals. As this
situation imposes an extreme inconvenience on pedestrians
desiring to cross the freeway at the terminated streets,
pedestrian separations may be provided.
Cont.
• Fences may be needed to prevent pedestrians from crossing the
arterial at locations where a separation is not provided.
• Pedestrian crossings or overcrossing structures at arterial streets are
not likely to be used unless it is obvious to the pedestrian that it is
easier to use such a facility than to cross the traveled way. Generally,
pedestrians are more reluctant to use undercrossing than
overcrossings.
• This reluctance may be minimized by locating the undercrossing on
line with the approach sidewalk and ramping the sidewalk gently to
permit continuous vision through the undercrossing from the
sidewalk.
Pedestrian Underpass
Cont.
Good sight lines and lighting are needed to enhance a sense
of security. Ventilation may be needed for very long under
crossings.
Pedestrian ramps should be provided at all pedestrian
separation structures. Where warranted and practical, a
stairway can be provided in addition to the ramp.
Elevators should be considered where the length of ramp
would result in a difficult path of travel for a person with or
without a disability.
Cont.
• Walkways for pedestrian separations should have a minimum
width of 2.4 m [8 ft]. Greater widths may be needed where
there are exceptionally high volumes of pedestrian traffic, such
as in the downtown areas of large cities and around sports
stadiums.
• A serious problem associated with pedestrian overcrossings
and highway overpasses with sidewalks is vandals/Criminals/
dropping objects into the path of traffic moving under the
structure. The consequences of objects being thrown from
bridges can be very serious.
Cont.
• In fact, there are frequent reports of fatalities and major
injuries caused by this type of vandalism. There is no
practical device or method yet devised that can be
universally applied to prevent a determined individual from
dropping an object from an overpass. For example, small
objects can be dropped through mesh screens.
• A more effective prevention is a solid plastic enclosure.
However, these are expensive and may be insufferably hot
in the summer. They also obscure and darken the
pedestrian traveled way, which may be conducive to other
forms of criminal activity.
Cont.
Locations where screens definitely should be considered at the time the overpass is
constructed include:
On an overpass near a school, a playground, or elsewhere where it would be expected
that the overpass would be frequently used by children unaccompanied by adults.
On all overpasses in large urban areas used exclusively by pedestrians and not easily kept
under surveillance by police. On an overpass where the history of incidents on nearby
structures indicates a need for screens.
• Screens should also be installed on existing structures where there have been incidents
of objects being dropped from the overpass and where it seems evident that increased
surveillance, warning signs, or apprehension of a few individuals involved will not
effectively alleviate the problem.
Thanks!!!