36 CFR Part 1190, Proposed Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)

R306 Pedestrian Street Crossings (Section-by-Section Analysis)

The technical requirements in R306 address pedestrian signal phase timing and pedestrian street crossings at roundabouts and multi-lane channelized turn lanes.

Pedestrian Signal Phase Timing (Section-by-Section Analysis)

Pedestrian signal phase timing must comply with referenced MUTCD standards and use a pedestrian clearance time that is calculated based on pedestrian walking speed of 1.1 meters/second (3.5 feet/second) or less.

Roundabouts (Section-by-Section Analysis)

A roundabout is a circular intersection with yield control at entry, which permits a vehicle on the circulatory roadway to proceed, and with deflection of the approaching vehicle counter-clockwise around a central island (MUTCD section 1A.13). Pedestrian street crossings at roundabouts can be difficult for pedestrians who are blind or have low vision to identify because the crossings are located off to the side of the pedestrian circulation path around the street or highway. Where sidewalks are flush against the curb at roundabouts and pedestrian street crossing is not intended, a continuous and detectable edge treatment must be provided along the street side of the sidewalk at roundabouts. Detectable warning surfaces must not be used for edge treatment. Where chains, fencing, or railings are used for edge protection, the bottom edge of the treatment must be 380 millimeters (15 inches) maximum above the sidewalk to be detectable by cane.

The continuous traffic flow at roundabouts removes many of the audible cues that pedestrians who are blind use to navigate pedestrian street crossings. At roundabouts with multi-lane pedestrian street crossings, a pedestrian activated signal must be provided for each multilane segment of each crossing, including the splitter island (i.e., median island used to separate opposing directions of traffic entering and exiting a roundabout, MUTCD section 1A.13). Transportation officials who commented on the 2002 draft guidelines expressed concern that signalization of roundabouts would interfere with the flow of traffic at roundabout intersections. Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons can be used at roundabouts. See MUTCD sections 4F.01 through 4F.03. Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons are traffic signals that consist of a yellow signal centered below two horizontally aligned red signals. The signals are normally dark (i.e., not illuminated). The signals are initiated only upon pedestrian activation and can be timed to minimize the interruption of traffic. The signals cease operation after the pedestrian clears the crosswalk. When activated by a pedestrian, the following signals are displayed to drivers: a flashing yellow signal, then a steady yellow signal, then two steady red signals during the pedestrian walk interval, and then alternating flashing red signals during the pedestrian clearance interval. The following signals are displayed to pedestrians: a steady upraised hand (symbolizing DON’T WALK) when the flashing or steady yellow signal is operating, then a walking person (symbolizing WALK) when the steady red signals are operating, and then a flashing upraised hand (symbolizing DON’T WALK) when the alternating flashing red signals are operating. Transportation officials may request permission from the Federal Highway Administration to experiment with alternative signals at roundabouts (see MUTCD section 1A.10).⁴¹

⁴¹The Federal Highway Administration has granted interim approval to Rectangular Flashing Rapid Beacons, which can be used at roundabouts. However, Rectangular Flashing Rapid Beacons do not provide positive indication to drivers to stop and positive indication to pedestrians that the walk interval has been actuated. Rectangular Flashing Rapid Beacons do not meet MUTCD standards for accessible pedestrian signals and pedestrian pushbuttons.

Multi-Lane Channelized Turn Lanes (Section-by-Section Analysis)

Pedestrian activated signals must be provided at pedestrian street crossings at multi-lane channelized turn lanes at roundabouts and other signalized intersections. The pedestrian activated signals must comply with MUTCD standards for accessible pedestrian signals and pedestrian pushbuttons.

Governmental Units Affected (Section-by-Section Analysis)

The requirement for pedestrian activated signals at roundabouts with multi-lane pedestrian street crossings will affect state and local transportation departments that construct new roundabouts with multi-lane pedestrian street crossings. The Volpe Center estimated that state and local transportation departments construct 27 new roundabouts with multi-lane pedestrian street crossings on an annual basis.⁴²

⁴²The Volpe Center used the roundabout database at: http://roundabout.kittelson.com/ to estimate the number of new roundabouts with multi-lane pedestrian street crossings that are constructed on an annual basis. During the five year period between 2005 and 2009, 435 new roundabouts were constructed, of which 117 were multi-lane. The data was adjusted for a small number of roundabouts that are listed in the database as having an “unknown” number of lanes and for roundabouts that do have any pedestrian facilities (i.e., sidewalks and pedestrian street crossings).

Costs to Provide Pedestrian Activated Signals at Roundabouts with Multi-Lane Pedestrian Street Crossings (Section-by-Section Analysis)

The Volpe Center estimated the cost to provide pedestrian activated signals at new roundabouts with multi-lane pedestrian street crossings to range from $90,000 to $230,000 per roundabout, and the total annual costs for requiring pedestrian activated signals at new roundabouts with multi-lane pedestrian street crossings to range from $2.4 million to $6.2 million.

Question 19. The Access Board seeks additional information on the number of roundabouts with multilane pedestrian street crossings that are newly constructed on an annual basis by state and local transportation departments, and the costs to provide pedestrian activated signals at newly constructed roundabouts with multi-lane pedestrian street crossings.