Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System

 

Case Study No. 74

Daylighting

Hoboken, New Jersey

Prepared by Ann McGrane, University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center.

Problem

The high demand for on-street parking in Hoboken caused some motorists to illegally park their vehicles too close to intersections. Visibility of pedestrians at crosswalks was limited due to closely parked vehicles.

Background

With a population of 50,000 living within 1.3 square miles, parking in Hoboken, New Jersey, is limited. Hoboken has fewer than 10,000 on-street parking spaces and has sold more than 15,000 resident parking permits each year since the inception of the permit system. State laws prevented motorists from parking within 25 ft (0.61 m) of a crosswalk, but the high population density and vehicle ownership rate contributed to a situation in which vehicles were often parked too close to crosswalks. Pedestrians using uncontrolled marked crosswalks had limited visibility of oncoming vehicles.

While curb extensions could have reduced the issues associated with vehicles parking too close to the crosswalk, the City did not have adequate funds to build them. Officials wanted to find an inexpensive infrastructure improvement to prevent vehicles from parking too close to the intersection and provide adequate visibility to pedestrians as they crossed the street.

Solution

Intersection with vertical delineators installed.

Hoboken installed vertical delineators in the street to prevent vehicles from being parked too close to intersections. This treatment was called Hoboken Daylighting. Each corner leading into an intersection had two plastic delineators installed. The first delineator was placed 10 ft from the crosswalk and 4 ft from the curb. The second delineator was placed 10 ft from the first delineator and 4 ft from the curb. The delineators deterred most motorists from parking at the intersection corners.

At a price of only $40, the vertical delineators were a very cost-effective way to prevent vehicles from encroaching on the intersection.

Results

Hoboken Daylighting became a popular way to improve pedestrian safety at intersections. Target locations for vertical delineators were determined based on historical collision data and community input. Pedestrians and motorists both had improved visibility through intersections where vertical delineators had been installed. From 2009 to 2011, through a series of pedestrian safety measures that included the installation of vertical delineators, the City of Hoboken witnessed a 30 percent decrease in pedestrian injuries caused by vehicles.

Contact

Ian Sacs, P.E.
Director of Transportation and Parking
City of Hoboken
Hoboken, NJ 07030
Phone: (201) 653-1919
Email: i.sacs@hobokennj.org