| dc.description.abstract | Signalized urban intersections are key components of urban transportation networks. They are traditionally viewed and designed as primarily motorized traffic facilities thus their physical and operational designs are aimed at maximizing traffic throughput. However, seen from a holistic viewpoint, they are transport and community facilities with direct and indirect impacts on traffic functionalities, the environment, public health and community wellbeing. Thus this study proposed a new rating system, a Holistic Intersection Rating System (HIRS), that is necessary to analyze the comprehensive operational performance of these intersections from a holistic viewpoint. This performance, in essence, covers traffic functionality, sustainability, and public health and community wellbeing. Additionally, this rating system can be used as a guide to design new intersections or revamp existing ones. HIRS is designed to rate signalized urban intersections based on all technologies, physical design, and operational features that allow those intersections to operate holistically. The proposition behind this study is that incorporating and/or enhancing certain technologies, physical design, and operational features as proposed in HIRS, would lead to a more human-centric and sustainable operational performance of the enhanced intersections. Holistic operational performance can be measured through five quantifiable indicators: enhanced traffic performance, reduced air pollution, reduced noise pollution, enhanced user’s physical and mental health, and better safety performance. HIRS was created via an extensive literature review and validated using a panel of experts in the field of construction, transportation, and public health. HIRS was used to collect field data sample based on twenty intersections within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Relative Importance Index (RII) method was used to weigh the HIRS indicators. The analysis results showed noticeable gaps in services provided to pedestrians, cyclists, and nearby households. The tested intersections scored a mean of 32% on “Public health and community wellbeing section”. This section is dedicated to the service provided for those users, (mean of 37% on pedestrians sub-section and 15% on cyclist sub-section). Via HIRS, these services can be improved considerably to combine design and operational features and technologies. | en_US |
