Impact of pedestrian signal timing design on pedestrian and vehicular traffic flow along Taft Avenue, Manila

• Main Authors: Benitez, Vincent Jaime A. C., De Lara, Noel John A., Mariano, Miguel Angelo R., Palmes, John Vincent M.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2018
• Subjects: Transportation engineering > Philippines > Manila; Pedestrian traffic flow; Civil Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/9364
• Institution: De La Salle University

The problem of vehicular traffic in the Philippines is a serious concern that needs to be addressed quickly due to the losses that it contributes to the economy. Along Taft Avenue bounded by Quirino Avenue and Pablo Ocampo Street are different establishments that attracts high volume of people. These establishments then contribute to the heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic within the area. In the initial scenario, numerous pedestrian crossing markings were present which introduces conflict wiht the vehicular traffic flow along Taft Avenue, resulting to vehicular traffic build-up. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of crosswalks to the current vehicular traffic flow in the study area by examining the pedestrian and vehicular volume during peak hours. The data needed for the experiment were gathered through manual and video recording, volume counting and plate survey. Data gathered are used in a software, DYNAMEQ, in order to simulate the current situation of traffic in the area. The software was also used to propose and simulate a more efficient number and placement of these crosswalks in order to improve both pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The best scenario simulated is the removal of all crosswalks not in the intersections of the study area having a 30 second pedestrian scramble which resulted to having better traffic conditions in terms of VHT and VDT compared to the model of the current scenario of the study area. Aside from having relatively better traffic characteristics, it considers the crossing time for pedestrians during the pedestrian scramble which was why it was favored over implementing the 20 second pedestrian scramble. Thus, it will benefit both pedestrian and vehicular traffic through catering to the volume of pedestrian while decreasing the delay of vehicles caused by excessive number of crosswalks.