The walking speed of pedestrians on various pavement surface conditions during winter

• Published in: Transportation research. Part D, Transport and environment Transport and environment, 2021-08, Vol.97, p.102934, Article 102934
• Main Authors: Fossum, Magne, Ryeng, Eirin Olaussen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Average Travel Time; Cost-benefit Analyses; Pedestrians; Walking Speed; Winter Operations and Maintenance
• ISSN: 1361-9209; 1879-2340
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2021.102934

•The data capture naturalistic walking behavior in a winter environment.•Pedestrians walk approximately 1 min/km slower on compact snow than on asphalt.•Pedestrians walk approximately 1 min/km slower on clean ice than on gritted ice.•Pedestrians walk approximately 2 min/km slower on clean ice than on asphalt.•Average travel times can be used to assess winter operation measures economically. This study aims to quantify the relationship between pedestrians’ walking speeds and various surface conditions typically associated with a winter environment. The purpose is to enable assessments of the effects of different winter operation and maintenance regimes on pedestrians’ average travel times. The results show that there is a significant relationship between surface conditions and average walking speeds. When comparing a bare-pavement level of service (LOS) with the practically best obtainable winter-pavement LOS it is expected that the average travel times of an average pedestrian will be approximately 1 min/km longer on the latter than the former when walking on flat ground. On clean ice, compared to a bare pavement, we can expect the average travel times to be approximately 2 min/km longer. Data on average travel times should be implemented in cost-benefit analyses that evaluate the effects of different winter operation and maintenance regimes and measures.