Principal Investigator(s)
Shirley Shiqin Liu, Researcher, Center for Transportation Studies
Co-Investigators
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Eric Lind, AO Director, Center for Transportation Studies
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Andrew Owen, Lead Researcher, Accessibility Observatory, Center for Transportation Studies
Project Summary
Pedestrian Level of Traffic Stress (PLTS) provides a critical framework for evaluating where pedestrians feel safe and comfortable navigating urban environments. Accessibility measures the ease of reaching essential destinations within reasonable time/cost thresholds using real transportation networks. Modeling pedestrian access with respect to safety and comfort is essential for developing meaningful metrics of walkability and equitable access to opportunities. This project implements the PLTS framework, building on a research report by the Center for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety to characterize pedestrian networks with OpenStreetMap data infrastructure. The PLTS-informed network will be used to evaluate pedestrian accessibility for Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways in Illinois. The work includes: 1) A county-wide OpenStreetMap network extract with PLTS scores (1?4) for roadway segments and crossings; and 2) Custom routing engine modifications enabling PLTS-informed accessibility calculations. This pilot implementation aims to establish a replicable and scalable model for translating pedestrian stress theory into actionable planning insights for pedestrian infrastructure improvement.