The objective of this project is to develop models for identifying locations of high risk for pedestrian-related crashes at urban and suburban locations throughout WSDOT’s roadway networks. The research will develop pedestrian risk models to identify the locations most likely to benefit from investments aimed at reaching WSDOT’s Target Zero goal of zero pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries. The models will also identify the characteristics that contribute to the most severe pedestrian crashes. A recognized challenge to developing these tools is the availability of data sources. Hence, the project team will develop data-driven tools that consider the data necessary and associated data sources for capturing pedestrian crashes, crash locations, and pedestrian density; the types of pedestrian risk models that can be developed with existing data sources; and the abilities and limitations of the developed models to predict crashes and injury severity for various factors such as location types, time of day, pedestrian/bike/car mix, and individual socio-demographic and behavioral attributes. The outcomes of this project can have an impact on WSDOT’s operational programs and help the agency prioritize safety-related pedestrian projects.
Principal Investigators:
Linda Ng Boyle, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UW
Anne Vernez Moudon, Urban Design and Planning, UW
Sponsor: WSDOT
WSDOT Technical Monitor: John Milton
WSDOT Project Manager: Jon Peterson
Scheduled completion: December 2020