TAPSStreetCrossingPresentation9:00-10:00,10:15-11:45

WendyScheffersandLindaMyers

Overview of TAPS Street Crossing Supplement

Intersection analysis:

  • Reducing risk; Extra arcs
  • Intersection analysis for unfamiliar and familiar intersections for traveler with low vision

Street crossing timings

  • Important reminders
  • Safe times to cross an uncontrolled street
  • Safe times to cross a stop-controlled street

Scanning: left/right and lane-by-lane

Charting for low vision traveler

Short and long term solutions for unsafe crossings / modifications of intersections

Intersection analysis for unfamiliar and familiar intersections for traveler who is functionally blind

Street crossing timings

  • Safe time to cross a signalized street
  • Exceptions to near parallel timing at signalized crossings

Charting for traveler who is functionally blind

Channelized turn lanes

Tabs for your TAPS Part 4: Supplement: Street Crossings for Travelers Who Are Visually Impaired

  • Buy 26 removable tabs - suggested wording is listed below for tabs
  • Attach tabs on the pages listed below
  • Once familiar with the content, modify the tabs as desired

Page 31Intersection Analysis Blind Unfamiliar

Page 33Intersection Analysis Blind Familiar

Page 39Chart Blind

Page 59Intersection Analysis Low Vision Unfamiliar

Page 61Intersection Analysis Low Vision Familiar

Page 67Chart Low Vision

Page 69Risks

Page 81Uncontrolled Criteria

Page 101Teaching APS

Page 119Important Reminders

Page 125Terminology

Page 133Timings Uncontrolled

Page 137Timings Crossing Stop Controlled

Page 147Timings Stop Sign, Crossing Uncontrolled

Page 153Timings 4-way Stop

Page 163Timings Signalized

Page 191Timings CTL

Page 199Quick Reference Timings

Page 201Quick Reference Uncontrolled, Stop controlled

Page 203Quick Reference Signalized

Page 217Lane-by-lane Parallel Street on Right

Page 219Lane-by-lane Parallel Street on Left

Page 233Modifications

Page 239APS Request Letter

Page 241Sequence

Page 251Types of Intersections

Quick Reference – Intersection Analysis at Unfamiliar Crossings for the Traveler with Low Vision (8-10 Items)

This quick reference page includes the intersection analysis items for unfamiliar crossings. The Analysis and Street Crossing Chart for the Traveler with Low Vision includes both street crossing mechanics and intersection analysis and can also be used as a quick reference page.

It helps to group the intersection analysis steps into "countable" groups – intersection analysis (1 + 2 + 3 items and additional 2 item if crossing is uncontrolled) and street crossing plan (2 items).

Intersection Analysis

Start with the 3 items that must be analyzed at all crossings (unfamiliar or familiar):

1 item:

  • Traffic control(s)

2 items that affect corner position:

  • Visibility – Reposition if necessary. (Especially critical to evaluate at an uncontrolled crossing: is it possible to obtain a crossable gap where the detection time of approaching vehicles – the length of time from the detection of the approaching vehicle to when the vehicle arrives at the crossing position - is longer than the time needed for the traveler to complete the crossing with a safety buffer of extra seconds without relying on drivers yielding to the pedestrian?)
  • Crosswalk zone – Reposition if necessary.

3 items that affect the scanning plan:

  • Shape of intersection
  • Width of street to be crossed
  • 1-way vs. 2-way streets

2 additional items if crossing is uncontrolled:

  • Speed of traffic on street to be crossed
  • Volume of traffic on street to be crossed

Street Crossing Plan

2 options if unsafe place to cross:

  • Select alternate route, or
  • Solicit public assistance.

2 components if safe place to cross:

  • Street crossing timing(s)
  • Scanning plan

Street Crossing (if determined to be a safe place to cross presently)

  • When a safe timing is detected, move cane in two extra arcs (if the traveler uses a cane).
  • Begin crossing after confirming the timing. If in doubt for any reason, wait for the next safe time to cross.
  • Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic and adjust pace if needed.

TAPS 58-59

Quick Reference – Intersection Analysis at Familiar Crossings for the Traveler with Low Vision (5–7 Items)

This quick reference page includes the intersection analysis items for familiar crossings.

The Analysis and Street Crossing Chart for the Traveler with Low Vision can also be used as a quick reference page. It includes both street crossing mechanics and intersection analysis (with notation for items to be analyzed at familiar intersections).

At familiar street crossings previously determined to be a safe place to cross, the intersection shape, width of street to be crossed, and direction of traffic flow are known information, and therefore, do not need to be analyzed again. While travelers will know the traffic control, they need to confirm that the traffic is moving as expected. Visibility and the best crosswalk position can change and must be analyzed at familiar crossings. At a familiar uncontrolled crossing, traffic speed and volume must also be analyzed. The number of items to be analyzed at a familiar stop sign or signalized crossing is reduced to five components, with two additional components required at uncontrolled crossings.

It helps to group the required steps into "countable" groups – intersection analysis (1 + 2 items – and 2 additional items at uncontrolled crossings), and street crossing plan (2 items).

Intersection Analysis

1 item

  • Traffic control(s) – Verify traffic is moving as expected (or traffic signal is operating).

2 items that affect corner position

  • Visibility – Reposition if necessary. (Especially critical to evaluate at an uncontrolled crossing – is it possible to obtain a crossable gap where the detection time of approaching vehicles - the length of time from the detection of the approaching vehicle to when the vehicle arrives at the crossing position - is longer than the time needed for the traveler to complete the crossing with a safety buffer of extra seconds without relying on drivers yielding to the pedestrian?)
  • Crosswalk zone – Reposition if necessary.

2 additional items if the crossing is uncontrolled:

  • Speed of traffic on the street to be crossed
  • Volume of traffic on the street to be crossed

TAPS 60

Street Crossing Plan

2 options if unsafe place to cross (due to changes in visibility, traffic patterns, etc.):

  • Select alternate route, or
  • Solicit public assistance.

2 components if safe place to cross:

  • Street crossing timing(s)
  • Scanning plan

Street Crossing (if determined to be a safe place to cross presently)

  • When a safe timing is detected, move cane in two extra arcs (if the traveler uses a cane).
  • Begin crossing after confirming the timing. If in doubt for any reason, wait for the next safe time to cross.
  • Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic and adjust pace and line of travel as needed.

TAPS 61

Quick Reference – Safe Times to Cross an Uncontrolled Street

After determining through intersection analysis that the uncontrolled crossing is presently a safe place to cross with a crossable gap (the detection time of approaching vehicles is longer than the time needed for the traveler to complete the crossing with a safety buffer of extra seconds without relying on drivers yielding to the pedestrian), use one of the following sequences.

  • Safe times to cross an uncontrolled street (a through street or bottom of a T):

1.With an all clear, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).

2.Begin to cross after confirming an all clear.

3.Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic and adjust pace and line of travel as needed.

  • Additional near parallel timing when crossing the uncontrolled bottom of a T- intersection (the through street on the top of the T is also uncontrolled):

1.When a near parallel vehicle is approaching and there is no perpendicular vehicle present, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).

2.Begin to cross the uncontrolled street just before or as the near parallel vehicle (same direction or oncoming) enters the intersection. Be sure to confirm that the near parallel vehicle is driving straight through the intersection on the top of the T, making sure that it is holding its speed and isn't slowing to make a turn.

3.Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic, and adjust pace and line of travel as needed.

  • Additional time when crossing the uncontrolled bottom of a T-intersection (the through street on the top of the T is stop-controlled)

1.When a near parallel vehicle is approaching or just as it surges from an idle, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).

2.Begin to cross with the surge of the near parallel vehicle (same direction or oncoming) that is driving straight through the intersection on the top of the T, making sure that it isn't making a right-turn. There should be no uncontrolled perpendicular vehicle present.

3.Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic, and adjust pace and line of travel as needed.

Before using these timings, cautions and other information from the documents listed on (page 131) should be understood by the traveler as, applicable.

TAPS 200-202

Quick Reference – Safe Times to Cross a Stop-Controlled Street

After determining through intersection analysis that the stop sign controlled crossing is presently a safe place to cross, use one of the following sequences.

  • Safe times to cross a stop-controlled street:

1.With an all clear, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).

2.Begin to cross after confirming an all clear.

3.Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic, and adjust pace and line of travel as needed.

  • Additional near parallel timing when crossing a stop-controlled street (parallel street is uncontrolled):

1.When a near parallel vehicle is approaching, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).

2.Begin to cross the stop-controlled street just before or as the near parallel vehicle (same direction or oncoming) enters the intersection. Make sure that the vehicle is holding its speed and is not slowing to make a turn, but is continuing straight through the intersection. Perpendicular traffic may be present.

3.Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic, and adjust pace and line of travel as needed.

  • Additional time when crossing the uncontrolled bottom of a T-intersection (thethrough street on the top of the T is stop-controlled)
  1. When a near parallel vehicle is approaching or just as it surges from an idle, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).
  2. Begin to cross with the surge of the near parallel vehicle (same direction or oncoming) that is driving straight through the intersection on the top of the T, making sure that it isn't making a right-turn. There should be no uncontrolled perpendicular vehicle present.
  3. Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic, and adjust pace and line of travel asneeded.

Before using these timings, cautions and other information from the documents listed on (page 131) should be understood by the traveler as, applicable.

TAPS 200

Quick Reference – Safe Times to Cross A Stop-Controlled Street

After determining through intersection analysis that the stop sign controlled crossing is presently a safe place to cross, use one of the following sequences.

  • Safe times to cross a stop-controlled street:
  1. With an all clear, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).
  2. Begin to cross after confirming an all clear.
  3. Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic, and adjust pace and line of travel as needed.
  4. Additional near parallel timing when crossing a stop-controlled street (parallel street is uncontrolled):
  1. When a near parallel vehicle is approaching, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).
  2. Begin to cross the stop-controlled street just before or as the near parallel vehicle (same direction or oncoming) enters the intersection.
  3. Make sure that the vehicle is holding its speed and is not slowing to make a turn, but is continuing straight through the intersection. Perpendicular traffic may be present.
  4. Use visual and/or auditory scanning (left/right or lane-by-lane) before and during the crossing to monitor traffic, and adjust pace and line of travel as needed.
  5. Additional near parallel timing at an all-way stop-controlled intersection (both streets are stop-controlled).
  1. When a near parallel vehicle is approaching or just as it surges from an idle, move cane in two extra arcs (if traveler uses a cane).
  2. When the near parallel lane is same direction, begin to cross the stop-controlled street with the near parallel surge after confirming that the near parallel vehicle is not turning right.

Quick Reference: Visual and/or Auditory Scanning: Left/Right; Lane-by-lane

Wendy Scheffers, 2016

Left/Right Scanning

Teach/use left/right scanning first – when crossing a typical 2-way street:

  • Look/listen left before and during first half of crossing.
  • Look/listen right before and during second half of crossing.

If appropriate, move to lane-by-lane scanning if appropriate.

Left/right scanning is the foundation for lane-by-lane scanning!

If confused, use left/right scanning (and then within left/right scanning plan, sort out the correct lane-by-lane scanning).

Lane-by-lane Scanning – when going counterclockwise around the intersection(parallel street on the left)

Look/listen left before and during the first half (in this order) for:

1 – right turners

2 – straight cars

3 – left turners

Look/listen right before and during the second half for:

4 – “anybody” (any vehicle coming from the right will cross your path)

Excerpted from TAPS 221-229

Lane-by-lane Scanning – when going clockwise around the intersection(parallel street on the right)

Look/listen left before and during the first half for:

1 – “anybody” (any vehicle coming from the left will cross your path)

Look/listen right before and during the second half (in this order) for:

2 – left turners

3 – straight cars

4 – right turners

Excerpted from TAPS 221-229 11

ANALYSISAND STREETCROSSINGCHART FORTHETRAVELER WITHLOW VISION

StudentName:

Year:
Date:
Typeof TrafficControl – seecodesbelow:
Parallelstreetonleft/right
CHARTON APPROACHCORNER:
Analyzesintersection todetermine:
1 item / DTrafficcontrol(s)
Selectsbestcornerpositionafterconsidering:
2 items / DVisibility (ability to see and/or hear vehicles from a sufficient distance) ✦
DCrosswalk zone (clear ofobstructions)
Intersectionfeaturesthat affectscanningplan:
3 items / Shapeofintersection
Widthofstreettobecrossed✦
1-wayand/or2-waystreets
Ifanuncontrolledcrossing,analyzes:
Speedof trafficonstreettobecrossed✦
Volumeof trafficonstreettobecrossed✦
Determinesthestreetcrossing plan:
DIfanunsafeplace to cross:
Selectsalternateroute– or
Solicitspublicassistance
DIfa safeplace tocrosspresently:
Statessafetiming(s)tocross
Statesand/orpointsscanningpattern
CHARTREMAINING ITEMSON DESTINATIONCORNER:
Begantwoextraarcswithsafetiming(ifcanetraveler)
Begancrossing afterconfirming timing:
Allclear(stopsignorsafeuncontrolled)
Nearparallelvehicleholdingitsspeed(2-waystop)
Nearparallelsurge(all-waystop)
Pressedpedestrianbutton,ifpresent (trafficsignal)
Nearparallelsurge,afterconfirmingnorightturnersor“red-lightrunners”(trafficsignal)
Visualfreshgreen/WALKsign,afterconfirmingnorightturnersor“red-lightrunners”(trafficsignal)
APSwalkindication,afterconfirmingnorightturnersor“red-lightrunners”(trafficsignal)
Usedgoodjudgmentto waitforsafetiming
Usedcorrectvisualandauditoryscanning
Walked a fasterthannormalpace
Adjusted pace orstoppedpertrafficseen/heard
Clearedwithcane(ifcanetraveler)
Steppedout ofstreetatdestinationcorner

DIntersectionAnalysisStepsforFamiliarCrossings

✦ImportantFactorstoAnalyzeifCrossingisUncontrolled

Trafficcontrolcodes: / Studentperformancecodes:
U-uncontrolledintersection / I-Independent
2SC-2waystop-crossingcontrolledstreet / V-Verbalprompt
2SU-2waystop-crossinguncontrolledstreet / P-Physical prompt
4S-4-waystop
TS-trafficsignal

TAPS66

LEFT/RIGHTSCANNINGANDLANE-BY-LANESCANNINGCHART FORTHETRAVELERWITHLOW VISION

StudentName:

Left/RightScanning

Year:Date:
Pre-scanonlyforallcleartiming:
Lookedleftandrightto verifyallclearvisually(andauditorily)
LookedandlistenedleftBEFOREsteppingintostreet
Lookedandlistenedleftfor1sthalf
Lookedandlistenedrightfor2ndhalf

Lane-by-LaneScanning – ParallelStreeton Right(CrossingClockwise Direction)

Year:Date:
Pre-scanonlyforallcleartiming:
Lookedlane-by-lane to verifyallclearvisually(andauditorily)
LookedandlistenedleftBEFOREsteppingintostreet
Lookedandlistenedleftfor1sthalf foranyvehicles
Lookedandlistenedrightfor2ndhalf for:
Leftturners
Straightthroughvehicles
Rightturners

Lane-by-LaneScanning – ParallelStreeton Left(CrossingCounterclockwise Direction)

Year:Date:
Pre-scanonlyforallcleartiming:
Lookedlane-by-lane to verifyallclearvisually(andauditorily)
LookedandlistenedleftBEFOREsteppingintostreet
Lookedandlistenedleftfor1sthalf for:
Rightturners
Straightthroughvehicles
Leftturners
Lookedandlistenedrightfor2ndhalf foranyvehicles

TAPS6713

QuickReference–IntersectionAnalysisatUnfamiliarCrossingsfortheTravelerwhoisFunctionallyBlind(10-11Items)

This quick referencepageincludesthe intersectionanalysisitems forunfamiliarcrossings.TheAnalysis andStreetCrossingChart fortheTravelerwhoisFunctionallyBlindincludes bothstreetcrossingmechanicsand intersectionanalysis andcanalsobeusedas a quickreferencepage.

It helps togroupthe intersectionanalysissteps into"countable"groups – arrivalat the approachcorner(2items),intersectionanalysis (2 +4items andadditional1 itemifcrossingisuncontrolled),andstreetcrossingplan(2 items).

1.Arrivalat theApproach Corner

2items beforecompleting intersectionanalysis:

  • Two streets present at the correct distance. (Also note how thetwo streets should be positioned in relation to the traveler after the crossing.)
  • Alignment with parallel & perpendicular traffic

2.IntersectionAnalysis

Start with the 2 items that must be analyzed at all crossings (unfamiliar or familiar):

  • Traffic control(s)
  • Visibility (Especially critical to evaluate at an uncontrolled crossing: is it possible to obtain a crossable gap where the detection time of approaching vehicles - the length of time from the detection of the approaching vehicle to when the vehicle arrives at the crossing position - is longer than the time needed for the traveler to complete the crossing with a safety buffer of extra seconds without relying on drivers yielding to the pedestrian?)

4 items that affect the scanning plan:

  • Shape of intersection
  • Width and volume of street to be crossed (width and volume group together: traffic volume helps estimate width)
  • 1-way vs. 2-way streets

1 additional item if crossing is uncontrolled:

  • Speed of traffic on street to be crossed

3.Street Crossing Plan

2 options if unsafe place to cross:

  • Select alternate route, or
  • Solicit public assistance

2 components ifsafeplaceto cross:

  • Streetcrossingtiming(s)
  • Scanningplan

4.StreetCrossing(if determined to be a safeplace to crosspresently)

  • Whenasafetimingisdetected,movecaneintwoextraarcs.
  • Begincrossingafterconfirmingthetiming.Ifindoubtforanyreason,wait forthenext safe timeto cross.
  • Useauditoryscanning (left/rightorlane-by-lane)beforeandduringthecrossing tomonitortraffic andadjust pace andline oftravelas needed.

TAPS 30-31

QuickReference–IntersectionAnalysisatFamiliarIntersectionsfortheTravelerwhoisFunctionallyBlind(6-8Items)

This quick reference page includes the intersection analysis items for familiar crossings.