Small Cost – Big Impact:
Lessons in Low-Cost
Safety Improvements
Gustave Scheerbaum, PE
Complete Streets Safety Engineer
ARLE Grant Programs Manager
City of Philadelphia
Mayor’s Office of Transportation & Utilities
@GScheerbaum
Automated Red-Light Enforcement
(ARLE) Funding
1. Must be used for Transportation Safety
Improvements
2. Lots of potential locations for improvements
3. A project’s funding must be used within 3 years –
concept to construction
4. Funding may not be used for maintenance
5. Resources are limited
2
Historic Approach
3
The Result
~35,000 annual traffic deaths nationally
~1,265 annual traffic deaths in PA
~156 annual pedestrian deaths in PA
97 traffic deaths in Philadelphia in 2014
38 Philadelphia pedestrian deaths in 2014
4
Disproportionate Impacts
Traffic Fatalities by Mode
60
50
40
Pedestrians
30
Cyclists
20
Motorcyclists
10
Drivers &
Passengers
Parties Involved in Crashes by
Mode and Severity
100%
Percentage of Total Parties Involved in Crashes
Pedestrians, Bicyclists, and
Motorcyclists are
disproportionally killed and
severely injured relative to
mode share.
90%
80%
70%
60%
Drivers & Passengers
50%
Motorcyclists
40%
Cyclists
30%
Pedestrians
20%
10%
0%
Count
Severe
Injuries
Fatalities
Average 2010-2014
0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
5
Crash Reduction Factors
Crash reduction factor (CRF) is the percentage
crash reduction that might be expected after
implementing a given countermeasure.
6
Pedestrian Countdown Signals
Pedestrian countdown signals (CRF ≈ 25%)
Seventy nine intersections were
updated with countdowns with
$230K ARLE program budget.
7
Updated Pavement Markings
12’ stop bar setbacks (CRF ≈ 18%)
Use of Sharrows
Bike Box installation (CRF ≈ 36%)
Two-stage Left
8
Street Lighting
Improved Street Lighting – HPS to LED fixtures (CRF ≈ 25%)
BEFORE – Spruce St
LED Lighting – Market St
AFTER – Spruce St
9
Concentration on Pedestrians & Bicycles
A number of relatively low-cost-safety traffic
engineering countermeasures geared towards
pedestrian and bicycle safety have been shown to
reduce crashes for all users.
Spruce Pine Right Sizing
(Bike Lanes) Project
(CRF = 30%)
10
New Approach
11
Low Cost Safety has Wider Impacts
Due to the nature of low-cost-safety countermeasures, such
interventions can be implemented more widely based
on the total funding available for each program. The costs
below indicate the approximate implementation cost per
location.
o Traffic Calming Measures ($5K to $50K)
o Signal Retiming ($4K to $10K)
o Pedestrian Countdown Signal upgrades ($2K to $4K)
o Updated Pavement Markings ($2K to $5K)
o Updated Signing ($1K to 2K)
o Street Lighting ($3K to $10K)
o Curb Extensions ($5K to $150K)
12
Prioritization
Low Cost Safety Improvements
Pedestrian Countdown Signals
• ten-year reportable crash data
• ADT
• nearby transit stops
• impending work
• Streets / Planning recommendations
• ten-year reportable crash data
• street width
• existing or forthcoming ped-countdowns
• existing hand/man ped signals
• corridor fill-in
• recommendations from Streets
Curb Extensions
Traffic Calming
• five-year reportable crash study
(depending on intervention expense)
• street width and complexity
• nearby transit stops
• proximity to schools, parks, rec centers
• existing/impending project
• Streets / Planning recommendations
• five-year reportable crash study
(depending on intervention expense)
• speed studies – excessive speeding
• Streets / Planning recommendations
• classification
• street length
• ADT
NOTE: Incidence of fatal crash history may influence priority
13
Traffic Calming Measures
Parking Chicanes
Speed Cushions
ALSO:
• Midblock Crossings (with RRFB)
• Neighborhood Bikeway (with
greenback sharrows)
Separated bike lanes
14
Signal Retiming
• Signal Coordination (CRF ≈ 15%)
• Lead Pedestrian Interval (CRF ≈ 5%)
• Signal Retiming (CRF ≈ 12%)
• Prohibit Right Turn on Red (CRF ≈ 23%)
Over 500 intersections
were retimed $1.5M ARLE
& CMAQ program budgets.
15
Updated Signing
$4M has been spent on ARLE
funded low-cost-safety pavement
marking and signing projects.
Two-Stage Left Sign
This in combination w/ sharrows
Shared Path Signs
16
Curb Extensions
BEFORE – Springfield & Baltimore
“The response in the
neighborhood has been
phenomenal! There has been an
outpouring of appreciation;
especially nice for a project of
this scale.”
- University City District re.
Springfield & Baltimore
“We have seen a major
decrease in vehicle / bicycle /
pedestrian crashes.”
- Superintendent Penn Police re.
38th & Spruce
AFTER – Springfield & Baltimore
17
More Expensive Safety Improvements
Higher-cost countermeasure locations are selected based on a
more robust investigation of crash histories, risk, and
anticipated impact.
• Installation of red-light cameras (CRF = 28%)
Philadelphia has 30 intersections city-wide with cameras
• Design/Construction of large curb extension projects
Intersection construction costs over $150K and up to $1M
• Design/Constr of modern roundabouts (CRF ≈ 35%)
Current program targeting project constr costs of ~$300K
• Adaptive response signals at key locations
• Implementation of city-wide signal system integration
• Corridor modernization for signals, island work, ramps.
18
Coming Soon
Philadelphia is continually working to introduce new ways of
improving safety and draws upon our Complete Streets and
Traffic Calming tool boxes and inspiration from other cities…
Neighborhood traffic diverter
Neighborhood traffic
calming circle
Protected bike lanes
Pedestrian refuge as a chicane
19
Thank you for
your interest!
For more information, please contact:
Gustave Scheerbaum, PE
City of Philadelphia
Mayor’s Office of Transportation & Utilities
+1 215-686-5698 | [email protected]
phillymotu.wordpress.com
@GScheerbaum