Slides forLessons Learned from the Walking Security

Index (WSI) Project on How to Achieve Street-Smart Urban Transportation Improvements

bybyProfessor Barry Wellar,Professor Barry Wellar,

Department of Geography, University of OttawaDepartment of Geography, University of OttawaOttawa, ON K1N 6N5 CanadaOttawa, ON K1N 6N5 Canada

Presented at the session, Pedestrians, Transit and Liveability

Annual Planning Conference, Canadian Institute of Planners

Vancouver, BCMay 26-29, 2002

02/05/26-29 B. Wellar, CIP 2002

Walking Security Index Design Publications*

1. Design and Pre-Testing of a Survey Instrument to Measure Pedestrian Levels of Safety and Comfort: A Case Study of the Channelized Cut-Off from Laurier Avenue East to Nicholas Street South, Ottawa, Ontario.

2. Walking Security Index Project: Literature Search, Outreach and Research Design Activities.

3. Perspectives on Pedestrian Safety.

4. Findings from a Field Re-Survey of the Laurier and Nicholas Cut-Off Channel (E-S), and Implications for the Walking Security Index.

5. Capability of IS/GIS-Based Intersection Applications to Implement the Walking Security Index (WSI): A Preliminary Status and Prospect Assessment.

6. Safety, Comfort, and Convenience as Principal Components of the Walking Security Index:

Initial Specification.

7. Walking Security Index Variables: Initial Specification.

8. Walking Security Index.

9. Newspapers as a Source of Fact and Opinion on Pedestrians’ Safety, Comfort, Convenience: A Keyword-Based Literature Search and Review.

*Contact person/address for information on WSI design reports:

Barry Wellar <wellarb@uottawa.ca>

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Walking Security Index Open Literature Publications

1. “Pedestrian Perspectives on Intersection Performance: A Case Study Report on Channelization”, Barry Wellar, in 1996 URISA Proceedings, pp. 181-201.

2. "Measuring Pedestrian Safety: A Report on the Walking Security Index (WSI)

Project," Barry Wellar, in Perspectives on Pedestrian Safety. B. Wellar, ed. Ottawa: Pedestrian Safety Conference Committee, Region of Ottawa-Carleton, 36-44,1996.

3. "The Walking Security Index: Demonstration of Roadway, Traffic and Human Factors

Affecting Index Design Testing and Use," Barry Wellar, in Perspectives on Pedestrian Safety. B. Wellar, ed. Ottawa: Pedestrian Safety Conference Committee,Region of Ottawa-Carleton, 69-75, 1996.

4. “Integrating Intersection Feature and Performance Data Using the Walking Security

Index Model”, Barry Wellar and Jason Soroko, in 1997 URISA Proceedings (CD-ROM). <www.urisa.org>

5. “Combining Client-Driven and Curiosity-Driven Research in Graduate Programs in

Geography: Some Lessons Learned and Suggestions for Making Connections”, Barry Wellar, in 1998 Papers and Proceedings of the Applied Geography Conferences, pp. 213-220.

6. “Strategies Behind Using Client-Driven Research on the Walking Security Index

(WSI) to Connect Ontology, Epistemology and Praxis in Undergraduate Courses”, Barry Wellar, in 1998 Papers and Proceedings of the Applied Geography Conferences, pp. 161-169.

7. “Walking Security Index Project”, Barry Wellar, in Abstracts, 1998 Conference of

the Association of American Geographers. <www.aag.org> 8. “The Walking Security Index (WSI) as a Means of Harmonizing Transportation and

Community Goals”, Barry Wellar and Grant Malinsky, in 1998 Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Transportation Association of Canada.

9. Region of Ottawa-Carleton. Departmental Recommendations on Walking Security

Index. File No. 50 20-98-0101. Ottawa: Region of Ottawa-Carleton, Environment and Transportation Department, 1998.

10. “Moving Research from Concepts to Operations: Comments on Contract Negotiations

for the Walking Security Index (WSI) Pilot Study”, Barry Wellar, in 1999 Papers and Proceedings of the Applied Geography Conferences, pp. 11-19.

02/05/26-29 B. Wellar, CIP 2002

Walking Security Index Open Literature Publications

11. Region of Ottawa-Carleton. Departmental Recommendations on Walking

Security Index. File No. 50 20-99-0101. Ottawa: Region of Ottawa-Carleton, Environment and Transportation Department, 1999.

12. Region of Ottawa-Carleton. Transportation Committee Minutes, 21 April 1999.

Ottawa: Region of Ottawa-Carleton, Office of the Regional Clerk, 1999.

13. Region of Ottawa-Carleton. Regional Council Minutes, 28 April 1999. Ottawa: Region of Ottawa-Carleton, Office of the Regional Clerk, 1999.

14. “Field Tests of the Driver Behaviour Index (DBI) Survey Forms: Initial Findings from

an Applied Geography Project Involving Selected Regional Intersections in Ottawa-Carleton”, Barry Wellar and Catherine Vandermuelen, in 2000 Papers and Proceedings of the Applied Geography Conferences, pp. 206-214.

15. “Spatial Factors Affecting Implementation of the Walking Security Index (WSI): Initial

Pilot Study Findings”, Barry Wellar, in Abstracts, 2000 Conference of the Association of American Geographers. <www.aag.org>

16. Wellar, B. The Pilot Study as a Step in the Process of Implementing Transportation

Innovations: Findings from the Walking Security Index (WSI) Project”, in Papers and Proceedings of the Applied Geography Conferences. G. Tobin, B. Montz, F. Schoolmaster, editors: Denton:TX University of North Texas, Vol. 24, 2001, 243-252.

17. “Walking Security Index Pilot Study: Geography as a Factor Affecting Pedestrians’

Safety, Comfort, Convenience at Intersections”, Barry Wellar, in Abstracts, 2001 Conference of the Association of American Geographers. <www.aag.org>

18. Wellar, B. “Strategies for Designing Applications to Implement Walking Security

Indexes”, in 2001 URISA Proceedings, (CD-ROM). <www.urisa.org>

19. Wellar, B. “Overview of the Walking Security Index Pilot Study”, in Transportation and Transit Committee Minutes, 07 November 2001. Ottawa: City of Ottawa, Office of the Clerk, 2001. The materials may be viewed at: http://www.city.ottawa.on.ca/calendar/ottawa/citycouncil/ttc/2001/11-07/minutes15.htm

20. “Implications of the Walking Security Index (WSI) Pilot Study for Urban

Transportation Programs”, Barry Wellar, in Abstracts, 2002 Conference of the Association of American Geographers. <www.aag.org>

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Walking Security Index Pilot Study Publications

1. Walking Security Index Pilot Study: Basic Walking Security Index Component.

2. Walking Security Index Pilot Study: Basic Walking Security Index Component - Technical Supplement.

3. Walking Security Index Pilot Study: Quality of Intersection Condition Component.

4. Walking Security Index Pilot Study: Quality of Intersection Condition Component - Technical Supplement.

5. Walking Security Index Pilot Study: Driver Behaviour Index Component.

6. Walking Security Index Pilot Study: Driver Behaviour Index Component - Technical Supplement. .

7. Walking Security Index Pilot Study Report

*Contact person for information on WSI pilot study reports:

Daphne Hope <daphne.hope@city.ottawa.on.ca>

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Decision Point

““The term The term ‘‘decision pointdecision point’’ is used in this is used in this paper to refer to a situation that involves paper to refer to a situation that involves

making a choice between or among making a choice between or among alternatives.alternatives.””

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Citizen Experts

““The essential truth about how well citizensThe essential truth about how well citizens’’expectations are being met in regard to expectations are being met in regard to

safety, comfort, convenience is measured by safety, comfort, convenience is measured by how they how they feelfeel when entering, traversing or when entering, traversing or

leaving an intersection.leaving an intersection.””

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Citizen Experts

““TThe decision to directly involve citizens in he decision to directly involve citizens in the design and pilot study phases of the the design and pilot study phases of the

WSI project significantly enhanced both the WSI project significantly enhanced both the processes and products of the research.processes and products of the research.””

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“Improvements”

““In our experience about 95% of the In our experience about 95% of the references to references to ‘‘improvementsimprovements’’ in the field of in the field of urban transportation focus on moving cars urban transportation focus on moving cars

and trucks, and about 99% of those and trucks, and about 99% of those references do not define what is meant by references do not define what is meant by

‘‘improvementsimprovements’’. . ””

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Intersection Volume and Design Index (IVDI)

Slide 9

IVDIIVDI = V= V11 •• VV22 •• VV33 •• VV44 •• V V 55 •• VV66 •• VV77 •• VV8 8 wherewhere, ,

VV1 1 = number of passenger car equivalents= number of passenger car equivalents22/hour/hourVV2 2 = number of pedestrians/hour = number of pedestrians/hour VV33 = number of lanes rating= number of lanes ratingVV44 = number of turn lanes by type rating= number of turn lanes by type ratingVV55 = intersection geometry rating = intersection geometry rating VV66 = intersection slope rating= intersection slope ratingVV77 = direction(s) of traffic flow rating= direction(s) of traffic flow ratingVV88 = number of channels adjacent to intersection = number of channels adjacent to intersection

ratingrating

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Quality of Intersection Condition Index (QICI)

Slide 10-A

Condition MetCondition MetVariable Names for Variable Names for Intersection Design and Intersection Design and Maintenance FeaturesMaintenance Features

IDIDNo (Quadrant)No (Quadrant)

YesYes SWSWSESENE NE NW NW

Sidewalk conditionSidewalk condition55Sidewalk width capacitySidewalk width capacity44Condition of curbingCondition of curbing33Height of curbingHeight of curbing22Sidewalk corner capacitySidewalk corner capacity11

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Condition MetCondition MetVariable Names for Variable Names for Intersection Design and Intersection Design and Maintenance FeaturesMaintenance Features

IDIDNo (Quadrant)No (Quadrant)

YesYes SWSWSESENE NE NW NW

Channel island (refuge) Channel island (refuge) capacitycapacity

1010Traffic calmer(s)Traffic calmer(s)99Median (refuge) conditionMedian (refuge) condition88Median (refuge) capacityMedian (refuge) capacity77Crosswalk surface conditionCrosswalk surface condition66

Quality of Intersection Condition Index (QICI)

Slide 10-B

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Condition MetCondition MetVariable Names for Variable Names for Intersection Design and Intersection Design and Maintenance FeaturesMaintenance Features

IDIDNo (Quadrant)No (Quadrant)

YesYes SWSWSESENE NE NW NW

No sight line obstructionNo sight line obstruction1515Pedestrian signagePedestrian signage1414Stop bar signed and paintedStop bar signed and painted1313

Crosswalk signed and Crosswalk signed and paintedpainted

1212Crosswalk capacityCrosswalk capacity1111

Quality of Intersection Condition Index (QICI)

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Condition MetCondition MetVariable Names for Variable Names for Intersection Design and Intersection Design and Maintenance FeaturesMaintenance Features

IDIDNo (Quadrant)No (Quadrant)

YesYes SWSWSESENE NE NW NW

Overall Score (YesOverall Score (Yes--No=)No=)TotalsTotals

Water DrainageWater Drainage1818Ice/snow/slush removalIce/snow/slush removal1717

Street furniture proximal to Street furniture proximal to cornercorner

1616

Quality of Intersection Condition Index (QICI)

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Driver Behaviour Index (DBI)

Slide 11

Driver Behaviour Index = ALIP

+ RLIP

+ FTYIP

ALIP = amber-light incidents per phase

RLIP = red-light incidents per phase

FTYIP

= fail-to-yield incidents per phase

where,

02/05/26-29 B. Wellar, CIP 2002

“Improvements”

““It is our finding from explicitly dealing with It is our finding from explicitly dealing with variables, and rejecting the vague notion of variables, and rejecting the vague notion of soso--called improvements, that the case for called improvements, that the case for

pedestrianspedestrians’’ security becomes more security becomes more transparent, transparent, …… and leaves little in the way and leaves little in the way

of of ““wriggle roomwriggle room”” for inaction.for inaction.””

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“Street Smart”

““TThe more that a municipality enhances he more that a municipality enhances pedestrianspedestrians’’ safety, comfort, and safety, comfort, and

convenience, and the share of pedestrian convenience, and the share of pedestrian trips among total trips, the more that trips among total trips, the more that

municipality can justifiably be called a municipality can justifiably be called a streetstreet--smart place.smart place.””

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Keep Indexes Simple

““Degree of difficulty and data availability Degree of difficulty and data availability criteria were designed into the WSI project criteria were designed into the WSI project

as study parameters.as study parameters.””

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Keep Indexes Simple

““Our finding is that all the indexes are Our finding is that all the indexes are understandable by members of all expert understandable by members of all expert

groups (citizens, elected officials, groups (citizens, elected officials, professional staff), and indications are that professional staff), and indications are that engaging them in a strategic manner was a engaging them in a strategic manner was a

critical feature in achieving such a high critical feature in achieving such a high level of index acceptance.level of index acceptance.””

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Pedestrian Impact Assessment Principles

““The City of Ottawa recognizes the pedestrian mode The City of Ottawa recognizes the pedestrian mode of transport as the highest priority, and for good of transport as the highest priority, and for good reason: reason:

1.1. It is the most sustainable mode of transport;It is the most sustainable mode of transport;2.2. Achieving sustainable transport is key to Achieving sustainable transport is key to

achieving urban sustainability;achieving urban sustainability;3.3. Lack of due regard for sustainability flies full in Lack of due regard for sustainability flies full in

the face of any (reputable) definition of the face of any (reputable) definition of ‘‘smart smart growthgrowth’’..””

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Pedestrian Impact Assessment Principles

““TThe time is long overdue for the City of he time is long overdue for the City of Ottawa, and by extension other Ottawa, and by extension other

municipalities, to develop and adopt a body municipalities, to develop and adopt a body of principles which ensure that urban of principles which ensure that urban

transportation policies, plans and programs transportation policies, plans and programs are designed and implemented in order to are designed and implemented in order to

serve and promote serve and promote pedestrianspedestrians’’ safety, safety, comfort, conveniencecomfort, convenience””

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