RECOMMENDATIONSTOIMPROVEPEDESTRIAN&BICYCLISTSAFETYINLOSANGELESCHINATOWN

October2016

ByTonyDang,CaroJauregui,JaimeFearer,WendyAlfsen,CaliforniaWalks;JillCooper,KatherineChen,UCBerkeleySafeTREC

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RecommendationstoImprovePedestrian&BicyclistSafetyinLosAngelesChinatownB Y T O N Y D A N G , C A R O J A U R E G U I , J A I M E F E A R E R , W E N D Y A L F S E N , C A L I F O R N I A WA L K S ; J I L L C O O P E R , K AT H E R I N E C H E N , U C B E R K E L E Y S A F E T R E C

INTRODUCTIONIncollaborationwiththeAsianandPacificIslanderObesityPreventionAlliance(APIOPA),theChinatownneighborhoodofLosAngeleswasidentifiedasasitefortheCommunityPedestrianandBicyclistSafetyTrainingprogrambasedontheresidents’interestinandneedfortechnicalassistanceandresourcestoimprovepedestriansafety,bicyclistsafety,walkability,andbikeability,particularlyasitrelatestosaferoutesforseniors.FollowingplanningconversationswiththeAARPLosAngelesChapter,AmericanHeartAssociation/AmericanStrokeAssociation,ChinatownServiceCenter,LosAngelesWalks,andtheSoutheastAsianCommunityAlliance(SEACA),thecommunityinvitedtheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeley’sSafeTransportationResearchandEducationCenter(SafeTREC)andCaliforniaWalks(CalWalks)totheChinatownneighborhoodtofacilitateacommunity-drivenpedestrianandbicyclistsafetyaction-planningworkshop.CalWalksfacilitatedtheworkshoponSeptember24,2016,whichconsistedof:1)anoverviewofmultidisciplinaryapproachestoimprovepedestrianandbicyclistsafety;2)threewalkabilityandbikeabilityassessmentsalongtwokeyrouteswhereresidents,visitors,andseniorswalkandbiketo/fromhome,businesses,andothercommunityservices;and3)avotingexercisetoidentifyresidents’topprioritiestoinformtheCity’sactivetransportationefforts.Thisreportsummarizestheworkshopproceedings,aswellasideasidentifiedduringtheprocessandrecommendationsforpedestrianandbicyclistsafetyprojects,policies,andprograms.

BACKGROUND

CommunityPedestrian&BicyclistSafetyTrainingProgram

TheCommunityPedestrianandBicyclistSafetyTraining(CPBST)programisajointprojectofUCBerkeleySafeTRECandCalWalks.FundingforthisprogramisprovidedbyagrantfromtheCaliforniaOfficeofTrafficSafety(OTS)throughtheNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration(NHTSA).ThepurposeoftheCPBSTistotrainlocalneighborhoodresidentsandsafetyadvocatesonhowtoimprovepedestrianandbicyclistsafetyandtoeducatethemonhowtocollaborateeffectivelywithlocalofficialsandagencystafftomakecommunitiessaferandmorepleasanttowalkandbike.Thehalf-daytrainingisdesignedtoprovideparticipantswithbothpedestrianandbicyclistsafetybestpracticesandarangeofprovenstrategies(the6E’s:Empowerment&Equity,Evaluation,Engineering,Enforcement,

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Education,andEncouragement)toaddressandimprovepedestrianandbicyclistsafetyconditionsandconcerns.Participantsarethenguidedonawalkabilityandbikeabilityassessmentofnearbystreetsbeforesettingpedestrianandbicyclistsafetyprioritiesandactionablenextstepsfortheircommunity.ForasummaryofoutcomesfrompastCPSTworkshops,pleasevisit:www.californiawalks.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CPST-Annual-Report-2015.pdfhttps://safetrec.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/cpst_annual_report_2015_nov20_1.pdf

SelectedPedestrian&BicyclistSafetyConditionsintheLosAngelesChinatownNeighborhoodHighTrafficSpeeds&WideStreets

N.BroadwayStreetandN.HillStreetarethemainthoroughfaresthattraversetheneighborhood.Bothstreetsare4-lanearterialswithparkinglanesareonbothsidesandanoccasionalfifthlanethatdedicatedforleftorrightturningtrafficatintersections.BothstreetshavebeenidentifiedaspartoftheCityofLosAngeles’HighInjuryNetwork1bytheLADepartmentofTransportationVisionZeroinitiative.StreetsthatcomprisetheHighInjuryNetworkrepresentonly6%oftheCityofLosAngeles’streetsbutaccountfor65%oftheCity’ssevereandfataltrafficcollisions.Trafficspeedsalongbothstreetspresentchallengestopedestrianandbicyclistsafetyinthearea;particularlyN.HillStreet,whichactsasafeederto/fromtheCA-110highway.

1SeeLosAngelesDepartmentofTransportation,HighInjuryNetwork,Availableathttp://geohub.lacity.org/datasets/4ba1b8fa8d8946348b29261045298a88_0

LOS ANGELES HIGH-INJURY NETWORK, SOURCE: LOS ANGELES DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION

LOS ANGELES HIGH-INJURY NETWORK STREETS WITH CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD, SOURCE: LOS ANGELES DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION

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DRIVERS RECORDED TRAVELING AT 49 MPH AFTER ENTERING CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THE CA-110 OFF-RAMP

Researchhasdemonstratedthatwidestreetsandwidetravellanesareassociatedwithhighervehiclespeeds,2whichaffectsafetyforpeoplewalkingandbicycling.Inadditiontoencouraginghighervehicletravelspeeds,widestreetscreatelongercrossingdistancesforpedestrians.Portionsofbothstreetswheretheoccasionalfifthturninglaneexistscreateextra-longcrossingdistancesforpedestriansintheneighborhood,particularlyseniorresidentsandvisitors.Duringoursitevisit,weobservednumerousseniorswhowereunabletocompletecrossingthestreetwithintheallocatedtimeduetothewidthofthestreet.

SENIOR UNABLE TO COMPLETE CROSSING N. BROADWAY IN ALLOTTED TIME

2SeeKayFitzpatrick,PaulCarlson,MarcusBrewer,andMarkWooldridge,“DesignFactorsThatAffectDriverSpeedonSuburbanArterials":TransportationResearchRecord1751(2000):18–25.

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LackofCurbRampsWhilethesidewalksintheneighborhoodaregenerallylevel,numerousintersectionslackedcurbramps,whichcreatechallengesforpeopleattemptingtocrossthestreet,particularlyseniorsandthosewithdisabilities.Wherecurbrampsdidexist,therampsweregenerallytheolder-stylecornerapexrampsratherthanthetwodirectionalrampspercornerthatarerecognizedascurrentbestpractice.Furthermore,weobservedparticularlyhighcurbscoupledwiththelackofcurbrampsthatcreatedespeciallychallengingcrossingconditionsforthosewithmobilityissues.

AggressiveDriverBehaviors&TurningConflictsDuringoursitevisitandwalkabilityassessment,weobserveddriversfrequentlyencroachingintocrosswalksatintersections,aswellasfailingtoyieldtopedestrianswhilemakingleftandrightturns.Thoughdedicatedturnlanesexistatintersections,mostintersectionsalongHillandBroadwaylackeddedicatedturningsignalphases,whichmayencouragemoreaggressiveturningbehaviorbydrivers.CrowdedSidewalks&VendorEncroachmentTheChinatownneighborhoodenjoysahighlevelofpedestrianactivitythroughouttheday;accordingly,thecurrentsidewalkwidthmaynotbesufficienttoaccommodatethehighnumberofpeoplewalking,particularlyatbusstoplocations.Additionally,themajorityofvendorsalongBroadwaydisplaygoodsandwaresonthesidewalk,creatingcrampedconditionsforresidentsandvisitorstraversingthesidewalks.Atbusstops,thehighnumberofpeoplewaitingtoboardcombinedwithvendors’useofsidewalkcreateschallengingwalkingconditionsgiventhecurrentsidewalkwidth.

HIGH CURB AND LACK OF CURB RAMP AT N. BROADWAY AND CESAR CHAVEZ AVENUE

DRIVERS FREQUENTLY ENCROACH IN CROSSWALKS AT INTERSECTIONS

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CROWDED BUS STOP DUE TO VENDOR USE OF SIDEWALK AND SIDEWALK WIDTH

LackofBicycleFacilitiesMarkedbicyclefacilitiesdonotexistwithinthecoreoftheneighborhood,thoughbicyclefacilitiesskirttheedgeofChinatownonN.SpringStreet,N.MainStreet,andCesarChavezAvenue.Manyolderadultvisitorsandresidentsridingbicyclesintheneighborhoodwereobservedridingonthesidewalk,whichcancauseconflictswithpeoplewalkingparticularlyinthemorecrowdedportionsoftheneighborhood.

PERSON BICYCLING ON SIDEWALK ON A STREET THAT LACKS ON-STREET BICYCLE FACILITIES

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LAChinatown’sPedestrianCollisionHistoryBetween2006-20153,therewere136pedestriancollisions,including2fatalitiesand8severeinjuriesintheLAChinatownneighborhood,withcollisionsconcentratedonAlpine,College,andMainstreets,aswellasonBroadway.Overhalf(55.1%)ofpedestriancollisionscanbeattributedtodrivers’failuretoyieldtoapedestrianwiththeright-of-wayinacrosswalk.4Whileamajorityofcollisionsinvolvedpedestrianscrossinginacrosswalkatanintersection(62.5%),14%ofpedestriancollisionsinvolvedapedestriancrossingnotinacrosswalk5and10.3%involvedapedestrianwalkingontheroadway.One-thirdofpedestriancollisionsintheChinatownneighborhoodinvolvedadultsaged65andolder,whileolderadultsaged65andolderaccountedforhalfofthepedestrianfatalitiesand37.5%ofseverepedestrianinjuriesbetween2006-2015.Forpedestriancollisionsinvolvingadults65andolder,themajorityofcollisions(60.6%)canbeattributedtodrivers’failuretoyieldtoapedestrianwiththeright-of-wayinacrosswalk.

SEPTEMBER24WORKSHOPCommunity-basedorganizationsrequestedaworkshopto1)provideCity/Countystaff,communityorganizations,andresidentswithatoolkitforpromotingpedestrianandbicyclistsafetytoinformcurrentandfutureactivetransportationeffortsfortheChinatownneighborhood;2)strengthentheopenandcollaborativerelationshipbetweencommunity-basedorganizations,residents,andCity/Countyagencies;and3)developconsensusregardingpedestrianandbicyclistsafetyprioritiesandactionablenextsteps

3Pleasenotethat2014and2015collisiondataisprovisionalandnotyetfinal.4PedestrianRight-of-WayViolationsaredefinedasinstanceswhereadriverfailstoyieldtoapedestrianinamarkedorunmarkedcrosswalkwhenthepedestrianhastherightofway(e.g.,whenthepedestrianhasa“Walk”signalatasignalizedintersection).5Pedestrianshavetheright-of-wayinmarkedandunmarkedcrossings,anddriversarelegallyrequiredtoyieldtopedestriansintheseinstances.However,whenpedestrianscrossoutsideofmarkedorunmarkedcrossings,pedestriansmustyieldtheright-of-waytodrivers.Thisisnotthesameastheterm“jaywalking,”whichreferstocrossingoutsideofamarkedorunmarkedcrossingbetweentwosignalizedintersections.Apedestrianislegallyabletocrossoutsideofamarkedorunmarkedcrossingbetweentwointersectionswhereoneornoneoftheintersectionsissignalizedbutonlyifthepedestrianyieldstheright-of-waytooncomingdrivers.

PRESENTATION ON PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLIST SAFETY BEST PRACTICES VIA SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION IN CANTONESE AND MANDARIN

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fortheChinatownneighborhood.TheSeptember24workshopwashostedfrom9:30am-2:30pmattheChinatownServiceCenterwithbreakfast,lunch,andtranslatedworkshopmaterialsinChinese(Traditional)providedtoencouragecommunityresidentparticipation.TheworkshopwasfacilitatedinEnglishwithsimultaneousinterpretationprovidedinCantoneseandMandarinbyfourinterpretersviaheadsets.Fifty-two(52)individualsattendedtheworkshop,representingawidevarietyoforganizations,City/Countyagencies,andthecommunity-at-large,including:

• AARPCalifornia;• AmericanHeartAssociation/AmericanStrokeAssociation• AsianandPacificIslanderObesityPreventionAlliance(APIOPA)• CaliforniaHighwayPatrol;• ChinatownServiceCenter;• CityofLosAngelesCouncilDistrict1Office;• LADepartmentofTransportation—VisionZeroInitiative;• LAMetro;• LosAngelesWalks;and• LocalResidentSeniors.

ReflectionsfromWalkability&BikeabilityAssessment

WalkabilityassessmentswereconductedalongN.BroadwayandN.HillStreet,twokeyrouteswhereresidents,visitors,andseniorswalkandbiketo/fromhome,businesses,andothercommunityservices.Participantswereaskedto1)observeinfrastructureconditionsandthebehaviorofallroadusers;2)applystrategieslearnedfromthe6E’spresentationthatcouldhelpovercomeinfrastructuredeficienciesandunsafedriver,pedestrian,andbicyclistbehaviorinandaroundtheChinatownneighborhood;and3)identifypositivecommunityassetsandstrategieswhichcanbuildupontheseassets.Followingthewalkabilityassessment,theparticipantssharedthefollowingreflections:

• TrafficSpeeds&TurningConflicts:WorkshopparticipantsrepeatedlyhighlightedtheirdiscomfortwiththespeedoftrafficonBroadwayandHillStreet,aswellastheirpersonalexperienceswithbeinghitornearlyhitbyturningtraffic.Participantsidentifiedthe

PARTICIPANTS DISCUSSING WALKING CONDITIONS DURING WALKABILITY ASSESSMENT VIA CANTONESE AND MANDARIN INTERPRETERS

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intersectionsofOrdandBroadwayandOrdandHillStreetsasparticularlyunsafe.Theseniorsrecountednumerousstoriesofthemselves,friends,orfamilymembersbeinghitornearlyhitatbothintersections.ParticipantsalsoreportedthatthebusstopatBroadwayandOrdisfrequentlycrowdedduetothesidewalkwidthandvendorencroachment,pushingwaitingbusriderstowardthecurbanduncomfortablyclosetofast-movingtraffic.

• VendorUseofSidewalks:Participantsreiteratedthechallengesofnavigatingsidewalksobstructedbymerchantstalls,merchandise,andwaresthroughouttheneighborhood.ParticipantsidentifiedBroadway,OrdStreet,andbusstoplocationstobeparticularlydifficulttonavigate.

• Trees&Benches:Participantsvoicedappreciationfortheshadetreesandbenchesthatexistthroughouttheneighborhoodandstronglysupportedinstallationofmoreshadetrees/structures,aswellasbenches.

• InsufficientCrossingTime:Participantssharedthatitwasdifficulttocrossthemajorstreets(BroadwayandHill)inthetimecurrentlyprovidedbythepedestriansignal.

• Trash/BlightConcerns:Numerousparticipantsvoicedconcernswithlitteringandothertrash/blightintheneighborhood.Someparticipantsalsoexpressedconcernswiththehomelesspopulationintheneighborhoodasachallengetofeelingsafewalking.

VotingExerciseFollowingthewalkabilityassessmentdebrief,residentswerethenaskedtoprioritizethestrategiestheywouldliketoseetheCitypursuetoimprovepedestrianandbicyclistsafetyinChinatown.Residentswereprovidedwith3votingstickersandaskedtovoteon

thefollowingstrategiesidentifiedasmostappropriateforChinatownbytheworkshopplanningcommitteemembers:• ImplementingPedestrianScramble(s)• InstallingDedicatedTurnSignalsforVehicles• InstallingHigh-VisibilityCrosswalks• ImplementingLeadingPedestrianIntervalsatIntersections• ExtendingWalkingTimes

PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFYING PRIORITY STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WALKING AND BIKING IN CHINATOWN

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• EnhancingExistingBusStops:Creatingabusbulbout/boardingarea,installingbusshelters,benches,andreal-timearrivalinformation

• DevelopinganEducationCampaignTargetingAggressiveDriverBehaviors• ImplementingaCompleteStreetsReconfiguration:Implementingaroaddietwithwidersidewalks,

bikelanes,turninglanes,andtransitlanes)• Other?

PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFYING PRIORITY STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WALKING AND BIKING IN CHINATOWN

Thetop3strategiesprioritizedbyresidentswere:1)pedestrianscramble;2)educationcampaigntargetingaggressivedrivers;and3)completestreetsreconfiguration.

Strategy VotesPedestrianScramble 26

EducationCampaignTargetingAggressiveDriverBehaviors 24CompleteStreetsReconfiguration 15DedicatedTurnSignalsforVehicles 13

High-VisibilityCrosswalks 11ExtendedWalkingTimes 8EnhancedBusStops 8

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LeadingPedestrianIntervals 6Other 0

Duringthedebriefofthisprioritizationexercise,communitymembersidentifiedspecificlocationstheywouldlikeexploredforapedestrianscramble(Broadway/Ord;Broadway/Bernard;andBroadway/Alpine)andvoicedsupportforaneducationalcampaignfocusedonyieldingtheright-of-waytopedestrians(modeledafterSanFrancisco’s“ItStopsHere”Campaign).TheAsianandPacificIslanderObesityPreventionAlliance(APIOPA)hascommittedtocontinuingtoworkwiththeChinatownServiceCenter,Chinatownresidents,andvisitorstodisseminatetheresultsoftheworkshopandtofacilitateadditionalactionplanningsessionstoimplementtheparticipants’identifiedpriorities.

CaliforniaWalks/SafeTRECRecommendations

CaliforniaWalksandSafeTRECsubmitthefollowingrecommendationsforconsiderationbycommunityadvocates,theCityofLosAngeles,andLAMetro:• ImplementBusBulbOutsalongN.Broadway:Toreducecrossingdistancesforpedestrianswhile

alsoprovidingmorespaceforpatronstowaitforMetrobuses,CalWalksandSafeTRECrecommendLAMetroworkwiththeCityofLosAngelestoprioritizeimplementationofcurbextensionsatbusstoplocationsalongN.Broadway.ThebusbulboutsmayhelpalleviatethecrowdedsidewalkconditionsforMetrocustomersandimprovebusboarding/alightingbyeliminatingtheneedtoweaveinandoutoftrafficatbusstops.

• Evaluate&AdjustPedestrianSignalTimingonN.BroadwayandN.HillStreet:DuetothehighproportionofolderadultresidentsandvisitorstotheChinatownarea,CalWalksandSafeTRECrecommendtheLADepartmentofTransportationevaluateexistingpedestriansignaltimingalongN.BroadwayandN.HillStreettodeterminewhetheradditionalcrossingtimeisneededforolderadultpedestrians.ThelatestCaliforniaManualonUniformTrafficControlDevices(CA-MUTCD)allowsfortheuseoftheslower2.8feetpersecondcrossingspeedinlocationswithhighconcentrationsofseniors,personswithdisabilities,andchildren.

• ExploreDedicatedTurnSignalsand/orLeadingPedestrianIntervalsalongN.BroadwayandN.HillStreet:Duetothehighincidenceofpedestriancollisionsarisingfromconflictswithturningvehicles,CalWalksandSafeTRECrecommendtheLADepartmentofTransportationprioritizetheimplementationofdedicatedturnsignalsand/orleadingpedestrianintervalsalongN.BroadwayandN.HillStreetaspartoftheDepartment’sVisionZeroprogram.Theseinterventionsarerelativelylow-costandareeffectivestrategiesforreducingturningconflictsbetweendriversandpedestrians.

• ImplementHillStreetGatewayTreatmentatCA-110:Gatewayscanbeusedasavisualcuetodriversthattheyareenteringadifferentenvironmentthatwillrequirethemtodrivemoreslowly.Additionally,gatewaysareoftenusedtoconveyasenseofneighborhoodidentityandsenseofplace.Generally,gatewaytreatmentsalonecannotdiscouragespeedingtrafficwithoutadditionaltrafficcalmingmeasures.AgatewaytreatmentatHillStreetattheCA-110on/offrampcouldprovidesomeminortrafficcalmingbenefitsandcouldbedesignedtomirrortheexistingChinatowngatewayatBroadwayandCesarChavezAvenue.Thegatewaytreatmentcouldbeusedasasupplementaltrafficcalmingstrategytocomplementtheexistingspeedfeedbacksigns.

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• InstallBikeLanesAlongBroadway:Currently,therearenobikelanesinChinatown,andbicyclistswereobservedridingonthesidewalk.ToavoidadditionalconflictswiththehighnumberofpedestriansandtofurtherconnectChinatownwithotherpartsoftheCity,theLADepartmentofTransportationshouldaccelerateinstallationofbikelanesaspartofalargerroaddietprojectalongN.Broadway.BikelanesinChinatownalongBroadwayandAlpineStreethavealreadybeenstudiedinLAMetro’sConnectUSActionPlan.6

• Follow-upEducationandEmpowermentofResidents’onRoadSafetyImprovements:Duringtheworkshopwhenaskedhowpedestriansafetyintheneighborhoodcouldbeimproved,residentsreportedthatimprovementswereoutoftheircontrolandwhenaskedwhy,theyrespondedwith“thisisjusthowitis.”Thecommunityisnotdisengagedwiththeissues,butratherneedstobeeducatedandempoweredtoadvocateforthemselves.WecommendtheAsianPacificIslanderObesityPreventionAlliance(APIOPA)forcommittingtocontinuethisdialoguewithresidentsandrecommendthatLAMetroandCitystaffcontinuetomeetwithresidentstorefineimplementationofstrategiesidentifiedwithintheConnectUSActionPlan,aswellastheprioritiesidentifiedbyparticipantsduringtheworkshop.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSWewouldliketothanktheLosAngelesChinatownneighborhoodforinvitingusintotheircommunityandforhostingtheCommunityPedestrianandBicyclistSafetyTraining.ThankyoutoScottChan,PeterNg,SusanWang,StephanieRamirez,DianeValencia,CevadneLee,RickEng,EugeneMoy,NeHungHom,andEmiliaCrottyfortheirfullcommitmenttoandleadershipofcommunity-driventransportationplanningandmeaningfulengagementwithcommunityresidents.WewouldalsoliketothanktheChinatownServiceCenterforgenerouslydonatingthemeetingspacefortheworkshop,theAsianandPacificIslanderObesityPreventionAlliance(APIOPA)forgenerouslydonatinglunchforworkshopparticipants,andAARPCaliforniaforprovidingpedestriansafetylightsandsunscreentoparticipants.WewouldliketoacknowledgethecommunitymembersandCity,County,andStateagencystaffwhoseattendanceatandparticipationintheworkshopand dedicationtopedestrianandbicyclistsafetymeaningfullyinformedandstrengthenedtheworkshop’soutcomes.FundingfortheCommunityPedestrianandBicyclistSafetyTrainingprogramwasprovidedbyagranttotheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeleySafeTransportationResearch&EducationCenter(SafeTREC)fromtheCaliforniaOfficeofTrafficSafetythroughtheNationalHighwayTrafficSafetyAdministration.

6LosAngelesMetro,ConnectUSActionPlan,Availableathttps://www.metro.net/projects/linkages/