INVESTIGATING STRUCTURAL RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PEDESTRIAN PERCEPTION, BEHAVIOR, TRAFFIC, AND LEVEL OF SERVICE

Sidewalk performance can be assessed by many ways, such as based on pedestrian/vehicle traffic, physical geometry, environment, and user perceptions. Most of previous sidewalk performance studies were performed using quantitative variables such as pedestrian space, pedestrian and/or vehicle traffic, and sidewalk width. Pedestrian opinions can be used for determining adequate levels of service from the road user’s perspective. Some previous studies considered qualitative variables to determine level of service. For instance, Tan et al. collected pedestrian perceptions about their feelings of safety and comfort, although the pedestrian level of service model was proposed based on quantitative variables, including bicycle traffic, pedestrian traffic, vehicle traffic, driveway access quantity, and distance between sidewalk and vehicle lane. Sarkar introduced some theoretical guidelines for qualitative evaluation of the levels of comfort offered along walkways in major activity centers (urban areas). Observations from urban design, environmental psychology, landscape architecture and urban planning were utilized in the study. The method is expected to offer a useful framework to assess comfort requirements in order to efficiently provide pedestrian circulation system in major activity centers. In a similar vein, Jaskiewicz proposed a method for evaluating pedestrian LOS based on trip quality. Nine specific items were measured for evaluating pedestrian systems in terms of pleasantness, safety and functionality. The research revealed that pedestrian level of service needs more than volumes and capacities. To make walking a more attractive mode of transportation, it was essential to pay more attention to pedestrian comfort and safety in addition to volume and capacity factors. Rahaman tried to explore the qualitative level of comfort of pedestrians in Dhaka City by offering six broad categories of roadside walking environment in terms of safety, security, convenience and comfort, continuity of the walkway, system coherence and attractiveness of some specific facilities. Similarly, Kim et al. studied the impact of street furniture on pedestrian level of service in Waikiki, Hawai. The impact of fourteen differences furniture was observed and results revealed that the larger the dimension of the street furniture, the greater the impact on pedestrian level of service. Generally, studies described above considered pedestrian opinions regarding sidewalk performance; however, such opinions did not include as one of the variables in the level of service model. In some studies, only safety and comfort of pedestrian were considered as important aspects. Considering pedestrian opinions about behavior, traffic, and sidewalk performance as qualitative variables, this paper attempts to examine potential relationships among those variables and level of service. In this study, field observations are performed in the sidewalk where street vendors exist along the sidewalk. Therefore, pedestrian opinions would incorporate street vendors presence in correlation with sidewalk level of service. Street vendors are considered important factors in the present research because it is a unique characteristic in the sidewalk particularly in some developing countries. Therefore, this research can be considered the first step to establish the level of service model that considers qualitative variables based on pedestrian perception, especially regarding the existence of street vendors. The key objective of this study is to examine relationships among pedestrian traffic, behavior, perception, and pedestrian level of service in the sidewalk performance context. Data collection was performed in Bang Rak area, one of the commercial areas in Bangkok, Thailand. This paper contains five chapters. Chapter one introduces the research problem, followed by chapter two that explains theoretical background. Chapter three describes proposed methodology that comprises hypothesis, analytical tools, and research method used in this research. Research results are discussed in chapter four. Finally, chapter five describes discussion and conclusion.