North Carolina Goes With the Flow(chart)

to Identify Countermeasures 

North Carolina Department of Transportation

KEY ELEMENTS:

Uniform decision-making

Organizational training

The North Carolina Department of Transportation 

(NCDOT) guidance uses roadway characteristics and 

pedestrian data to uniformly recommend pedestrian 

countermeasures at signalized and unsignalized 

crossing locations. NCDOT adopted the "North Carolina 

Pedestrian Crossing Guidance" in 2015 to guide crash 

countermeasures across the State's 14 divisions. 

OVERVIEW OF THE CROSSING GUIDANCE 

The guidance is a four-step procedure that 

is a culmination of research, policy analysis, 

and interviews.1

 For example, an extensive 

literature review provides guidance for when 

to recommend the installation of marked 

crosswalks. Similarly, the Manual on Uniform 

Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) informs when 

to install pedestrian signal heads. A flowchart 

walks the practitioner through sequenced 

assessments that result in a recommended or 

required action or no action (see Figure 1).

The guidance acknowledges several limitations 

to its process. It provides recommendations 

and considerations—not requirements—for 

most scenarios, and potential improvements 

are limited by engineering judgment and 

availability of funds.

Figure 1. Excerpt from NCDOT Pedestrian Crossing Guidance.1

STEP 1: DOCUMENT EXISTING CHARACTERISTICS/

SIGNALIZED CROSSING ASSESSMENT

The guidance’s first step includes gathering 

relevant data such as traffic volumes, 

posted and operating speeds, number of 

lanes, pedestrian volumes, sight distances, 

and activity generators at the crossing 

location under analysis. The guidance 

recommends the practitioner does the 

following: 

• Conduct a site visit to gather data

on vehicle volumes, number of lanes,

crossing distance, and traffic speeds.

• Consult with transit agencies for ridership

information (if applicable).

• Consult local plans for the near-term

For more information, please contact:

North Carolina DOT, Traffic Safety Unit, 919.814.5000, 

https://www.ncdot.gov/

 SAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR EVERY PEDESTRIAN CASE STUDY
Case Study: North Carolina Goes With the Flow(chart) to Identify Countermeasures 

EDC-4 STEP: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_4/step.cfm

References

1. North Carolina Department of Transportation, “Pedestrian Crossing Guidance,” (2015) https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/safety/Teppl/TEPPL%20All%20Documents%20

Library/Pedestrian_Crossing_Guidance.pdf

2. Federal Highways Administration, “PEDSAFE: Pedestrian Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System.” http://www.pedbikesafe.org/PEDSAFE/index.cfm

3. O’Brien, Sarah, Program Manager, Institute for Transportation Research and Education, Document review, 11 Oct. 2017 

presence of sidewalks if they do not 

currently exist. 

If collected correctly, information from 

these sources will be sufficient to evaluate 

a candidate location. 

STEP 2: UNSIGNALIZED CROSSING OR MIDBLOCK 

CROSSING ASSESSMENT

The second step assesses the crossing 

treatment options for unsignalized 

crossing locations. This part of the process 

considers the number of lanes, roadway 

configuration, speed, and vehicles and 

pedestrian volumes. Results will either 

elevate the location to Step 3, recommend 

a crosswalk marking, or end in no action. 

STEP 3: ADDITIONAL/ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS 

ASSESSMENT 

The third step examines new considerations 

such as peak pedestrian volumes, 

pedestrian delay, and MUTCD guidance. 

Here, the potential outcomes include 

geometric improvements, supplemental 

traffic control devices, or moving 

to Step 4. For locations that receive 

recommendations for additional 

treatments, the guidance directs the 

practitioner to countermeasure resources 

such as FHWA’s “PEDSAFE.”2 

STEP 4: PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON ASSESSMENT

The final step is intended for crossing 

locations with high vehicle and pedestrian 

volumes, travel speeds, or pedestrian 

delay. Potential outcomes for this step 

include a recommendation to either 

install a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) 

or supplemental warning signs, marking, 

actuated beacons, or Rectangular Rapid 

Flashing Beacons. The guidance’s PHB 

recommendation is ultimately dependent 

on MUTCD minimum criteria, installation 

costs, and engineering judgment. 

SUMMARY

NCDOT’s “Pedestrian Crossing Guidance” 

merges research and design consideration 

into an easy-to-follow process for 

recommending crossing treatments. Since 

2015, more than 250 people from the State 

DOT, municipalities, county governments 

have received the training.

Figure 2. NCDOT workshop field data exercise.3

“We needed to consistently recommend 

pedestrian crossing treatments across the 

state, so we created the guidance to help local 

agencies and NCDOT engineers ask the right 

questions and gather the right data to make the 

most appropriate decision.” 

–Brian Mayhew, NCDOT State Traffic Safety 

Engineer