Study: Midblock pedestrian crossings are more common than we think

A new study reveals that midblock pedestrian crossings are much more common than transportation agencies typically estimate, highlighting the need for a shift in mindset when it comes to designing crosswalks and road infrastructure.

As Leslie Vasquez explains in a piece for State Smart Transportation Initiative, about one in six crossings in the study happened at places other than intersections. "In fact, 75% of the studied street segments had at least one midblock crossing per hour." On some streets, midblock crossings were more common than crossings at marked crosswalks.

According to Vasquez, "Midblock crossings were more common in areas where people had reasons to cross—higher job density, more retail activity, and proximity to bus stops. However, they were less common on roads with posted speed limits and parks." 

The study adds to a body of research that highlights a gap between road design and how people actually move. "Many planning and data collection efforts focus on intersections, even though nearly 80% of pedestrian fatalities occur elsewhere." To address this, transportation planners can use midblock crossing data to understand where they could add marked midblock crossings, traffic calming measures or signalized crossings.