Traffic Safety Task Force Report

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Traffic Safety Task Force Report

September 2012

November Board of Trustees Meeting - Academic Affairs and Student Life Committee

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Jay Kasey - Administration & PlanningDr. Javaune Adams-Gaston – Student LifeMark Evans – Administration & Planning Amy Burgess – Administration & PlanningLindsay Komlanc – Administration & PlanningLynn Readey – FODKen Wayman – FODGlen Yoder - FODVern Baisden – DPSBeth Kelley- Snoke – TTMCindy Kratzer – Wexner Medical CenterSteve Volkmann – FOD Shelly Hoffman – Media Relations Liz Cook – Media Relations Julie Anstine – Office of the President Jennifer Evans- Cowley – Faculty Molly Ranz- Calhoun – Student Life

Patrick Maughan – Student LifeKellie Uhrig – Student LifeWillie Young – Student LifeTaylor Stepp – USGJosh Ahart - USGKevin Arndt – USGBrian Myers – CSAMegan Conroy – IPCDrew Price – IPCAllen Cochran – CGSAllison Sturm – CGS David Stetson – COPE Jenny Osborne – First year experience Krystyne Savarese – USAC Trudy Bartley- Government AffairsChief Paul Denton – OSUPD

Traffic Safety Task Force Members

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A special thanks goes to Jaime Pujol, College of Engineering and Allen Cochran, CGS for their efforts in illustrating and producing this report. Thanks to Tom Hetrick, a master’s in city and regional planning student, for his studies of pedestrian and cyclist behavior and for the photographs in this report. And to the students in CRP4910 for their efforts in collecting and analyzing pedestrian and bicyclist behavior.


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Traffic Safety Task Force Report- September 2012

Summary

A series of accidents occurred during the first weeks of the semester prompting the formation of a Traffic Safety Task Force, led by Jay Kasey, Senior Vice President of Administration & Planning and Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, Vice President for Student Life. While the accidents did not follow a specific pattern, feedback from the campus community suggests that students, faculty and staff feel there are significant traffic safety issues that need to be addressed. The task force was charged to provide an initial assessment of safety on campus as it relates to pedestrian and vehicular behavior and suggest both short and long term solutions. The task force reviewed safety measures and practices on other campuses and considered related research of Ohio State students and faculty before making the following recommendations.

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The following are the main concerns of the campus community as expressed through email, the task force members and on social media:

• Cyclists do not know or understand the rules of the road. Many cyclists behave as pedestrians and do not know/understand that they are considered vehicles and are subject to the same traffic laws as motorists.

• Distracted behavior by pedestrians (headphones, phone usage, etc.).

• Jaywalking and confusion regarding pedestrian rules.

• Inadequate infrastructure on campus to support multiple modes of transportation and provide safe environment for each mode.

Concerns9:00 9:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:3010:00 10:30 11:00

AU 11 Total Enrollments-Quarters

AU 12 Total Enrollments-Semesters

Many individuals in the University community commented that campus feels more congested, particularly during class changes, now that we have transitioned to semesters. The registrar’s office provided a sampling of the high volume class break times in both quarters and semesters. A semester student is registered for an average of five classes compared to an average of three classes under the quarter system. While the highest volume during a break on any given day is comparable between quarters and semesters, the additional class load results in sustained volume throughout the day and week under the semester model.

Quarter vs Semester Enrollments


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5 Traffic Safety Task Force Report- September 2012

201020112012

Auto Accident Injury Total Auto Accident NO Injury Total201020112012

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Type of Crash

Acci

dent

s Rep

orte

d

2010 2011 2012

Total Reported Accidents Involving Injury Jan-Aug 2010-2012

2010 2011 2012

Total Reported Accidents Not Involving Injury Jan-Aug 2010-2012

Auto-Bike Accident

Auto-Pedestrian Accident

Pedestrian-Bike Accident

Motor Vehicles Only

Type of Crash

Acci

dent

s Rep

orte

d

Auto-Bike Accident



Motor Vehicles Only

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

0

1

2

201020112012

Auto Accident Injury Total Auto Accident NO Injury Total201020112012

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Type of Crash

Acci

dent

s Rep

orte

d

2010 2011 2012

Total Reported Accidents Involving Injury Jan-Aug 2010-2012

2010 2011 2012

Total Reported Accidents Not Involving Injury Jan-Aug 2010-2012

Auto-Bike Accident



Motor Vehicles Only

Type of Crash

Acci

dent

s Rep

orte

d

Auto-Bike Accident



Motor Vehicles Only

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

0

1

2

Accidents involving vehicles, bycicles and pedestrians can occur because of distracted behavior, failure to follow traffic laws, and inadequate infrastructure. Short term education alone is not enough to change behavior. The task force recommends prolonged educational efforts combined with defined periods of enforcement.

Campus Accidents


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Total Before Campaign 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000

102030405060708090100

19%5%

11%

Total after Campaign 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000

102030405060708090100

20%3%

14%

Brick

er H

all

Derby Hall

Hopkins Hall

Brick

er H

all

Derby Hall

Hopkins Hall

Brick

er H

all

Derby Hall

Hopkins Hall

Total Before Campaign 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000

102030405060708090100

19%5%

11%

Total after Campaign 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000

102030405060708090100

20%3%

14%

Brick

er H

allDerby Hall

Hopkins Hall

Brick

er H

allDerby Hall

Hopkins Hall

Brick

er H

all

Derby Hall

Hopkins Hall

Jaywalking is a common concern on campus. For example, in observing 1,200 pedestrians on 17th Avenue at three buildings, there were significant rates of jaywalking. Even after an educational effort, significant jaywalking persisted crossing 17th.

Jaywalking


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7 Traffic Safety Task Force Report- September 2012

SolutionsShort termAdopt a clear and strong set of rules of the road for all modes which can be enacted through education, regulation and enforcement to raise awareness and reduce accidents on campus. The task force recommends the following to achieve this short term goal:

Action 1A comprehensive, layered, educational campaign for all modes of transportation aimed at establishing expectations for pedestrian, cyclist and motorist behavior. Elements of

the campaign would include enhancing the Share the Road website, resident advisor centered education in the residence

halls, use of Buckeye TV for public service announcements and outreach education, such as a video, for international students and their parents. Education is important to achieve short term goals but is also a long term strategy.

New York City’s Look campaign could be adapted and applied to OSU, encouraging greater attention when moving through campus.


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A layered enforcement strategy consisting of information blitzes followed by warning blitzes (no citations) then enforcement blitzes (citations).

Partnership with the City of Columbus would be ideal to ensure consistency East and West of High St. Enforcement by OSUPD could be supplemented by a student led “Safety Patrol” reinforcing safe behaviors and suggesting corrective action for unsafe or unlawful behavior.

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Adding crossing guards early in the term at high traffic intersections could promote and instill safe behaviors.

Action 2


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Enhancing signage at crosswalks. Current signage is aimed at motorists. Painted “Look” messages or the like would alert

pedestrians to be on the lookout for motorists and not “blindly” step into the street.

Action 3

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Establishing the Oval as a dismount zone for cyclists. This would be the beginning of a “cultural” shift on campus and could be expanded to a larger area (e.g., between Neil and College in the academic core).

Action 4


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Reduce traffic congestion on campus. Evaluate delivery, maintenance and construction traffic to streamline procedures with the goal of reducing overall traffic and eliminating unnecessary deliveries, particularly on core campus, by better utilizing Stores & Receiving

Action 5

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SolutionsLong termCreate a campus culture accommodating and respectful of all modes of transportation to ensure the safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus. The task force recommends the following to achieve this long term goal:

Action 6A comprehensive study of the campus’ multimodal circulation patterns and behaviors. This would involve looking at desire lines for pedestrians, bikes and autos; identifying a hierarchy of paths and streets; and then developing use typologies for each corridor on campus. From this analysis a strategy for design, regulation and enforcement could be crafted.

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Empower campus groups such as COPE, DPS and Student Government to lead efforts across campus implementing short and long term goals of the Safety Task Force.

Continued education and enforcement that becomes part of the campus culture.

Orientation and Welcome Week activities will be included in the educational efforts going forward.

Action 7

Action 8


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The task force recommendations are intended to be realistic, sustainable and impactful. The short term action items can be planned and implemented over the next four to six months. The results of the short term actions will help identify and inform the steps needed to achieve the long term cultural change in traffic safety behaviors on campus. In the next 30 days, the following steps will be taken to develop a strategy for implementation:

• Collaborate with the City of Columbus to coordinate enforcement activities and address infrastructure needs. Infrastructure enhancements to crosswalks on High St. (signage and signals) and the addition of sidewalks on Kinnear Rd. are the highest priorities

• Evaluate resources needed to accomplish goals and identify funding sources.

• Engage campus community to develop an action plan for short and long term goals.

• Develop and implement metrics to measure success.

• Develop a communications plan for both internal and external audiences.

RecommendedNext Steps


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Traffic Safety Task Force Report

Documents

Transcript of Traffic Safety Task Force Report