Pedestrian crossing characteristics models based on Weibull distribution

The pedestrian crossing characteristics have an important effect on the signal timing design. The vehicular headway distribution was described by the Weibull function to explain the pedestrian crossing characteristics through the vehicle flow. The crossing probability, the average waiting interval, the average waiting time and the average delay were obtained under conditions when pedestrians cross one-lane or multi-lane once, or with three types of crossing manners in one-direction. Field data from a typical segment in Changchun city were used to validate the Weibull model of vehicle headway. The pedestrian crossing characteristics were compared under different crossing modes. The results indicate that the vehicular headway distributions depicted by the Weibull function approach their observed distributions and the tests are quite notable under 95% confidence; that the difference is not obvious when pedestrians cross the inboard or outboard lane alone, but the probability is less and the average waiting interval and delay are more when pedestrians cross the two lanes simultaneously; and that the total delays progressively increase when pedestrians cross the crosswalk through lane-by-lane, direction-by-direction or at once. The Weibull models of pedestrian crossing characteristics can explain the pedestrian crossing behavior and provide the theoretical basis for urban pedestrian traffic establishment design and signal optimization.