A mobilidade urbana e o pedestre : estudo de caso de travessias da cidade de Maceió-AL

Abstract

Walking is the oldest, simplest and universal way of traveling. However, it is also the most vulnerable one, once it has one of the highest fatal accident rates among transport modes, with 4.7 deaths per 100,000 habitants in 2018. With focus on investments resources in public transport and individual motorized transport, pedestrians are not prioritized in the Brazilian urban mobility system’s scope. This fact can be exemplified by the presence of high lane widths and high traffic speeds, not to mention the enlargement of traffic lanes, which are all conditions that complicate the crossing of individuals in lanes with motorized vehicles conflict. Besides, there is also the matter of responsibility for the sidewalks, which usually it is the property owners. To understand this issue, there are walkability evaluation systems, which were developed to assess the range of factors that makes a place adequate to pedestrians. If these systems are studied together with the concepts of Safe Approach Systems and the appropriate elements, it is possible to achieve higher safety standards and consequently increase the attractiveness of pedestrian crossings. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the quality of pedestrian crossings on the main traffic lanes from Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil, by means of walkability indicators, and propose adequate solutions in accordance with the principles of the Safe Approach System. During the development of this study, it was possible to identify that the city´s infrastructure is focused on individual motorized vehicles, due to the presence of streets with (i) high traffic speeds, (ii) high vehicle traffic, (iii) large widths for the pedestrian crossing, and (iv) few traffic lights for pedestrian crossings. Finally, when analyzing the signaled and non-signaled crossings, it was possible to conclude that the accessibility indicator is the item that requires more attention, because this item presented low levels of quality, evidencing that accessibility is not taken into account in the planning of the pedestrian crossing.