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Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes in our Region
Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Crash Data Summaries
The number of motor vehicle crashes involving pedestrians and bicycles have recently risen, particularly for bicycle crashes. Using IDOT data collected from police crash reports, CMAP has prepared a summary of bicycle and pedestrian crash trends for the region, for each county in the region, and for the City of Chicago.
Pedestrian-Motor Vehicle Crash Summary for the Region, Counties, and Chicago, 2004-2009
Bicycle-Motor Vehicle Crash Summary for the Region, Counties, and Chicago, 2004-2009
Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Statistics for the Region (vs. the State), 2003-2009
Regional Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Mapping, 2003-2009
Using IDOT data collected from police crash reports, CMAP has mapped pedestrian crashes for years 2003 and 2005-2009. CMAP has also mapped bicycle crashes for years 2005-2009. These crash maps are linked below. Maps for bicycle crashes and pedestrian crash density are provided regionwide and for the City of Chicago, where many pedestrian and bicycle crashes are concentrated. 'Hotspot' maps, locating points with high crash numbers, are provided for the most severe crash types -- namely, Type "K" crashes (fatalities) and Type "A" crashes (incapacitating crashes).
Pedestrian Crash Maps
Region-wide Pedestrian Crash Map - Crash Locations and Density
Region-wide Pedestrian Crash Map - Points of High Numbers of All Type Crashes
Region-wide Pedestrian Crash Map - Points of High Numbers of Types K and/or A Crashes
City of Chicago Pedestrian Crash Map - Crash Locations and Density
City of Chicago Pedestrian Crash Map - Points of High Numbers of All Type Crashes
City of Chicago Pedestrian Crash Map - Points of High Numbers of Types K and/or A Crashes
Bicycle Crash Maps
Region-wide Bicycle Crash Map - Crash Locations and Density
Region-wide Bicycle Crash Map - Points of High Numbers of All Type Crashes
Region-wide Bicycle Crash Map - Points of High Numbers of Types K and/or A Crashes
City of Chicago Bicycle Crash Map - Crash Locations and Density
City of Chicago Bicycle Crash Map - Points of High Numbers of All Type Crashes
City of Chicago Bicycle Crash Map - Points of High Numbers of Types K and/or A Crashes
WORKSHOP: DESIGNING STREETS FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
Schaumburg, Illinois, 2 Days,
Tuesday-Wednesday, October 26-27, 2010
The workshop in Schaumburg is for IDOT and County staff and consultants. At this time, the IDOT workshop is full. Spaces are being prioritized for IDOT and County staffs members. Address questions to Tom Murtha at tmurtha@cmap.illinois.gov.
WORKSHOP: DESIGNING STREETS FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
Chicago, Illinois, 2 Days,
Thursday-Friday, October 28-29, 2010
This CMAP-sponsored workshop addresses pedestrian safety issues through design and engineering solutions. Instructors cover the significance of land-use, sidewalk and walkway design, signs, signals and crosswalks. Participants also take part in a field exercise at a nearby intersection. This course, funded by the Federal Highway Administration, will be an opportunity for planners and engineers to learn about strategies for addressing pedestrian crashes and design-related barriers to pedestrian travel in our communities. Spaces are still available for this workshop, but are prioritized for engineers and planners working in the public right-of-way. Register for the workshop at: http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/bike-ped/pedestrian-safety-workshop-registration. Here are the basic facts about the workshop:
| Workshop Date | October 28-29 |
| Workshop Class Location | Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning |
| Field Exercise Location | To Be Determined |
| Workshop Check-in | Thursday, October 28, 2010, 8:00 am |
| Workshop Hours | Thursday, October 28, 2010, 8:30 - 4:30 and Friday, October 29, 2010, 8:30- 4:30 (two full days) |
| Certificate for Engineering Professional Development Hours? | Yes, 16.4 PDH Units |
| AICP Certification Maintenance | No |
| Who Should Attend? | State, County and Local Agency Engineers, Planners, and Consultants Involved in Design Issues Involving Public Rights of Way |
| Registration Required? Registration Form | Yes |
| Transit Accessible? See www.goroo.com. | Yes (Near Union, Ogilvie, and LaSalle Metra Stations; Near Quincy Loop L CTA Station) |
| Free Parking? | No |
| Workshop Cost | Free |
| Workshop Capacity | Target 30; Maximum 35 |
| Workshop Priority | Note: an earlier version of this course had been given at CMAP in 2006 and at |
The course agenda included the following:
- Planning factors, including land use, street connectivity, access management, and site design.
- Sidewalk design elements that affect safety, including basic sidewalk design, width, clearances, accessibility and the need for buffers.
- Street crossing principles and countermeasures
- Intersection geometry
- Freeway interchanges
- Signalized intersections
- Roundabouts
- Transit
- "Road diets," to reduce street width without compromising highway performance
- Field trip
- Problem solving and policy changes
- Prioritizing
This workshop was taught by Hillary Isebrands, P.E., and Rudy Umbs, P.E. Ms. Isebrands is a Highway Safety Specialist with the Federal Highway Administration. Mr. Umbs recently retired, and is the former Chief Highway Safety Engineer at the Federal Highway Administration.
Pedestrian Safety Initiative
IDOT Bureau of Design and Environment Manual: Suggested Changes to Address Pedestrian Safety
Using information from federal pedestrian safety workshops, consultant-provided information, safety documents, and current research, CMAP has recommended a number of changes to the Bureau of Design and Environment Manual to improve pedestrian safety on Illinois highways, for consideration by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The changes were developed in the context of the recently passed "Complete Streets" laws requiring the accommodation of non-motorized travel for most IDOT projects. These proposed changes were transmitted to IDOT over the summer of 2008.
The recommended changes to IDOT procedures, outlined in the attached documents, are focused on improving pedestrian safety. Pedestrian safety is enhanced primarily by installing sidewalks, reducing highway crossing distances, and controlling vehicle speeds. Changes to Chapter 17 of the manual, comprising the core policy for pedestrian accommodations, are shown in the form of an Adobe Acrobat document showing text markups. The changes for the remaining document sections are in the form of Adobe Acrobat document with comments; the recommended changes are in the form of comments on the original text. To view the comments/recommendations, click on the comments icon on your Adobe reader.
Chapter 17: Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations. In this chapter, numerous recommendations are set forth for all aspects of accommodating pedestrians. The proposed changes are focused on this chapter.
Chapter 5: Our 2007 recommendations have been obviated by IDOT "complete streets" implementation activities.
Chapter 11: Phase I Studies. There is only one proposed change to this chapter, referencing Chapter 5.
Chapter 12: Phase I Engineering Reports . There are several proposed changes to this document. Most of the proposed changes focus on documenting project scoping procedures relative to walking, bicycling, and access for people with disabilities.
Chapter 14: Intersection Design Studies. The recommended changes in this chapter focus on the consideration of pedestrians in intersection design studies. Pedestrian crossing distances at intersections should be minimized not only to improve pedestrian safety, but to reduce the amount of "green time" allocated to the pedestrian movement. The recommendations include full documentation of the pedestrian considerations in the intersection design process.
Chapter 34: Cross Section Elements. Numerous references and clarifications were recommended to be added to this chapter, including references to additional required width and shelf width for sidepaths and bikeways. In addition, a specific crosswalk definition is proposed for this chapter.
Chapter 36: Intersections. Specific exceptions to design vehicles are suggested, allowing direct consideration of the tradeoff between high-type design and pedestrian safety. For example, documentation is suggested to show the trade-off between encroachment frequencies and lower pedestrian crossing distances, pedestrian crossing times, and traffic signal cycle lengths. Specific consideration of effective right turn radii (design allowances for turning into the left rather than the curb lane where multiple lanes exist downstream) is also recommended. Turning road design changes, providing a safer crossing to the island, are also included in the recommendations. Dual turn lanes are discourages in areas with pedestrian activity.
Chapter 37: Interchanges. There are very few changes recommended for this chapter, mostly referencing Chapter 17.
Chapter 39: Structure Planning/Geometrics. Specific barriers between traffic lanes and sidewalks or bikeways are recommended. Bikeway width minimums are recommended to be reduced to 8' (10' recommended) on structures where barriers are provided. Minimum sidewalk widths are recommended to remain at 5' with a barrier, or increased to 7' without such a barrier.
Chapter 46: Strategic Regional Arterials. Many changes are recommended for this chapter, reflecting the reality that many SRA's travel through urban and suburban neighborhoods and business districts with substantial pedestrian activity.
Chapter 48: Urban Highways and Streets. Many changes are recommended for this chapter, reflecting urban and suburban neighborhoods with substantial pedestrian activity.
Chapter 56: Highway Lighting. Reference is made to recent research in lighting strategies for safer pedestrian crossings, with recommendations for due consideration of these strategies.
Chapter 58: Special Design Elements. In this chapter, there are many recommendations. Most of the recommendations are focused on providing accessible sidwalks and crossings of the public right-of-way.
