Simulation Based Analysis of Scramble Crossings at Signalized Intersections

This paper conducts an analysis of the effect of scramble crossings in comparison with that of normal ones on the intersection performance by using simulation models. Based on real data collected at a signalized intersection with normal crossings, the research firstly designs and simulates the scenario of scramble crossings at the studied intersection. The paper secondly analyses the effects of the scramble crossings and that of the normal ones under various situations of traffic flow and pedestrian demand. The paper results show that the scramble crossings keep the intersection level of service more stable than the normal ones once the situations of traffic and pedestrian change. In terms of vehicle delay reduction, the pedestrian demand plays an important role in the decisions of choosing the crossing type. The higher the pedestrian demand is, the more advantageous the scramble crossings are. The scramble crossings can reduce the vehicle delay significantly, by up to 35.74% compared with the normal pedestrian crossings.