Integrated optimization of location and signal timings for midblock pedestrian crosswalk

Finding the optimal location and signal timing plan is one of the most critical operational issues for a signalized midblock crosswalk on an arterial section, which is increasingly being installed in highly populated areas in developing countries such as China. This paper presents a multiobjective optimization model and an efficient solution algorithm for a one‐ or two‐stage midblock crosswalk on an arterial section. The proposed model aims to produce the optimal location and corresponding signal settings to balance the trade‐off between pedestrian delays and vehicular bandwidth when the signals of the crosswalk and adjacent intersections are coordinated. The proposed model has three distinguishing features: (i) the costs for both pedestrians and vehicles are considered in a unified framework; (ii) the location and signal settings of the midblock crosswalk are simultaneously optimized; and (iii) a multiobjective optimization approach is developed to study the effectiveness of the midblock crosswalk under conditions in which the priorities between pedestrian and vehicle flows differ. A nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA II)‐based algorithm is developed to solve the model efficiently. The results of the case study showed that the proposed model would help traffic practitioners, researchers, and authorities properly locate and signalize a one‐ or two‐stage midblock pedestrian crosswalk on an arterial section. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.