A numerical model for estimating pedestrian delays at signalized intersections in developing cities

Considering the traffic situations in developing cities like Xi'an, China, a numerical model is developed to estimate pedestrian delays at signalized intersections. In the model, signal cycle is divided into a series of subphases, and each subphase lasts 1 second. The model estimates the average conflicting vehicle flow rate for each subphase firstly, and next estimates the average delay of pedestrians arriving during each subphase using probability theory and gap acceptance theory, and then estimates the overall average delay by aggregating the average delay of pedestrians arriving during each subphase. Finally, field data collected from a crosswalk at a signalized intersection in Xi'an are used to validate the numerical model, and the validation results indicate that the model is able to estimate pedestrian delays accurately.