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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Understanding The Resiliency Of The Kalamazoo Mall, Emily Szymanski Apr 2020

Understanding The Resiliency Of The Kalamazoo Mall, Emily Szymanski

Masters Theses

The Kalamazoo Mall is the first pedestrian mall in the United States. Since then the Mall has gone through many changes. The Mall was first created to be a completely pedestrian-friendly space closed off to cars and to help revitalize the downtown after suburban mall competition. However, the Mall did not keep people downtown as expected, resulting in the reintroduction of automobile traffic in two of the four blocks of the Mall. In spite of these changes Although there have been several changes, the Mall still exists today while many pedestrian Malls have closed. This thesis seeks to understand the …


A Comparison Of The Efficacy Of Gutter Pan And Curb Top Placement With A Full Gateway Configuration Of The In-Street Sign On Driver Yielding To Pedestrians, Erik Newton Dec 2019

A Comparison Of The Efficacy Of Gutter Pan And Curb Top Placement With A Full Gateway Configuration Of The In-Street Sign On Driver Yielding To Pedestrians, Erik Newton

Masters Theses

Driver yielding behavior at crosswalks directly affects pedestrian safety. In this study we examined whether the placement of the signs in the gutter pan or on top of the curb, while using a full gateway configuration of the in-street sign, influenced the efficacy of the treatment. Data were collected at sites using both in gutter and on top of curb full gateway configurations. The gutter pan configuration resulted in a higher percentage of driver yielding behavior to pedestrians in the crosswalk. The gateway treatment was shown to be more effective in the gutter pan configuration than the curb top configuration …


The Effects Of Gateway Width On Driver Yielding To Pedestrians: A Systematic And Parametric Analysis, Jonathan M. Hochmuth Aug 2018

The Effects Of Gateway Width On Driver Yielding To Pedestrians: A Systematic And Parametric Analysis, Jonathan M. Hochmuth

Masters Theses

The gateway in-street sign treatment has been demonstrated to be a cost-effective method for increasing driver yielding behavior at crosswalks. In the present study, wide and narrow gateway widths were compared at two sites to determine if there was a differential effect on driver yielding behavior. Then, the relationship between width and yielding was refined with a parametric analysis at one of these sites. Gateway width was varied in two-foot intervals from 12ft to 18ft. The results indicated an inverse relationship between gateway width and driver yielding behavior. There are likely two variables related to this effect. First, because drivers …


Spatial Factors Impacting Non-Motorized Exposures And Crash Risks, Farhad Abasahl Jun 2013

Spatial Factors Impacting Non-Motorized Exposures And Crash Risks, Farhad Abasahl

Masters Theses

This research investigates spatial factors, that impact non-motorized exposures and crashes, and examines the relationship between exposure at signalized intersections and crash frequencies involving pedestrians and bicycles at a census tract level. The four Michigan cities of Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Flint and Grand Rapids are examined. After completing an extensive literature review to provide a list of required data, 92 intersections are selected from the four cities to collect pedestrian and bicyclist counts. Five-year crash records, special attractions, non-motorized facilities and transportation infrastructure data for the four cities are gathered for the four cities. This data are later mapped …


A Comparison Of The Effect Of In-Street Pedestrian Signs Alone, The Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon Alone And Both Together On Yielding Behavior, Hana Sahar Manal Jun 2012

A Comparison Of The Effect Of In-Street Pedestrian Signs Alone, The Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon Alone And Both Together On Yielding Behavior, Hana Sahar Manal

Masters Theses

This study examined the effectiveness of a rectangular rapid-flashing beacon (RRFB) alone, in-street signs alone, and the RRFB plus in-street sign together on motorist yielding to pedestrians. Participants consisted of drivers in Oakland County, Michigan. Pedestrians were confederate data collectors. The target behavior was driver yielding. The two treatments utilized were the RRFB and the instreet sign. A reversal design was used in which the first set of conditions included baseline, the RRFB alone, two in-street signs alone and the combination of the two in-street signs with the RRFB. All of the treatments affected yielding in the predicted direction, except …