Impact of Countdown Pedestrian Signals on Pedestrian Behavior and Perception of Intersection Safety in the District of Columbia

Countdown pedestrian signals (CPS) are increasingly being used as a supplementary device for improving safety at signalized intersections. This research examined the impact of CPS on pedestrian crossing behaviors in the District of Columbia where the display of the remaining time for crossing the intersection begins with the steady "WALK" indication and continues through the flashing DON'T WALK indication. The research also examined pedestrians' perception of safety in crossing intersections equipped with CPS. Data on a number of pedestrian behaviors were collected at the 14 intersections before and after the installation of the CPS through video playback in morning and evening peak periods. The frequency of pedestrian involvement in running, balking, vehicular conflicts, crossing violations, and compliance were among the variables observed. In addition, a survey was conducted at the intersections with high pedestrian traffic to assess pedestrians' perception of safety in relation to the CPS. Statistical analyses were conducted at 5% level of significance to ascertain the significance of changes in variables used as measures of effectiveness. From the results, pedestrians overwhelmingly attributed their increased perception of safety in crossing intersections to the presence of the CPS. However, there was no overwhelming consensus of statistically significant changes in pedestrian behaviors at the intersections as a result of the CPS installations. The results did not indicate any adverse pedestrian behavior caused by CPS installations either. CPS were effectively recognized and understood by pedestrians. More than 80% of the pedestrians surveyed at 7 intersections favored the use of CPS.