The Federal Highway Administration estimates that 17% of work zone fatalities involve pedestrians. Are you making every accommodation for pedestrians during your construction projects? Follow these tips when designing your plans:

Avoid the problem. Whenever practical, close off the construction area to pedestrians and provide a well-signed detour. Make sure the detour route is safe to walk on and does not have broken, cracked, or stop and start sidewalks.

Provide temporary cross­walks at areas where you want pedestrians to cross.

Install temporary ped heads or schedule permanent pedestrian signals for early installation so they can be utilized during construction. Don’t wait until the end of the project to install them all.

Coordinate with impacted transit agencies (bus, rail, taxi companies). Do you under­stand their customer needs and have you accommodated these?

Understand pedestrian travel patterns. Know where dormitories, schools, senior living centers, YMCAs, bus stops, and other high volume pedestrian generators are and the travel patterns that are being used.

Evaluate how phased construction will impact pedestrian travel patterns. Sequence sidewalk installations.

Evaluate nighttime pedestrian needs. Are there movie theaters or nightlife hubs in the area? Will street light removal or installation temporarily effect pedestrian visibility at night? If so, can temporary street lighting be provided?

Will right-on-red provisions impact pedestrians? Funneling an increased number of pedestrians to specific crossing locations may require the installation of temporary ‘No Right on Red’ signs.

Are safe walkways provided to restaurants, offices, and other businesses within construction limits? Provide clear and understandable information to pedestrians so they can safely access these areas.

Educate businesses, residents, and other pedestrian generators about the construction schedule. Provide fliers or mailings at key construction intervals.

Divert pedestrians away from construction yards where construction vehicles frequently enter and exit.

Construction activities can change the landscape daily. We recommend that you assign an MPOT inspector to evaluate pedestrian travel paths daily to answer these questions: Are the sidewalks blocked or too narrow? Is it easy to cross the streets? Is visibility for both pedestrians and drivers adequate at crossings? Do vehicles backing out across sidewalks have sufficient visibility? Is the walkway well lit?

No one wants a fatality on a project. Following these guidelines will minimize the potential for unsafe conditions and improve pedestrian safety in construction zones.

For more information on accommodating pedestrians, contact Dennis Judson at (585) 334-1310, ext. 226 or djudson@fisherassoc.com.