Preliminary ideas for dynamic estimation of pedestrian origin-destination demand within train stations

This article provides preliminary ideas for the dynamic estimation of pedestrian origin- destination (OD) demand within train stations. In particular, a methodology is outlined that can predict OD demand as function of the train time table and train track assignment. At the example of a simple case study, the methodology is concretized and elaborated

Modeling and estimation of pedestrian flows in train stations

This thesis addresses two modeling problems related to pedestrian flows in train stations, namely that of estimating pedestrian origin-destination demand in rail access facilities, and that of describing the propagation of pedestrians in walking facilities. For both problems, a mathematical framework is developed at the aggregate level, describing pedestrians in terms of groups with the same departure time, origin and destination. The proposed demand estimator is probabilistic and accounts for within-day dynamics as well as for natural fluctuations across days. It is inspired by estimation methodologies that are used in the context of vehicular traffic. Critically, the proposed methodology takes the train timetable and ridership data into account, significantly improving the accuracy of the estimates. Other information sources, such as link flows or sales data, can also be incorporated. To describe the propagation of pedestrians, walkable space is considered as a network of pedestrian streams that interact locally. Based on the continuum theory for pedestrian flow and the cell transmission model, a computationally efficient model is obtained that can be used under a wide range of traffic conditions. An optional extension allows considering anisotropic flow, where the walking speed depends on the walking direction. Such a formulation is advantageous in particular at high densities. Throughout the thesis, a case study of Lausanne railway station is considered. A detailed discussion of the usage and level-of-service of its rail access facilities is provided, underlining the performance and practical applicability of the proposed modeling framework. The contribution of the thesis is fourfold. First, it provides a dedicated estimation methodology for pedestrian OD demand in train stations. Second, it proposes a novel macroscopic network loading model for congested and multi-directional pedestrian flows. Third, it presents a detailed case study of a Swiss train station, for which a rich data set is collected. Finally, it applies the aforementioned modeling framework to that case study, and provides practical guidance for its use in the planning and dimensioning of rail access facilities. Beyond train stations, the developed modeling framework can be readily applied to various other pedestrian facilities, such as airports, shopping malls, stadiums or urban walking areas. For instance, it may be used to support the organization, planning and design of such facilities, to safely and efficiently manage pedestrian flows using real-time monitoring and control, or to assess and optimize the safety both during normal use and in case of emergency

Drawing the line: balancing the spatial requirements of customer and contractor in occupied refurbishment

In planning the refurbishment of railway stations the spatial needs of the contractor and ofthe ongoing business stakeholders have to be balanced. A particular concern is thedisruptive effect of construction works upon pedestrian movement.RaCMIT (Refurbishment and Customer Movement Integration Tool) is a research projectaimed at addressing this problem through combining the knowledge of the client projectmanager, the construction planner and the pedestrian modelling expert.The objective of the research is to develop a decision protocol (based on problemsencountered in two case studies) facilitating optimisation of overall project value to theclient?s business.Research observations as well as current literature suggest that:? for overall decision-making, opportunities may be lost (under current practice) forminimising joint project cost/revenue disruption and? for spatial decision-making, temporary station configuration during construction(and not just overall pedestrian capacity) is a significant variable for both businessand safety outcomes. In planning the refurbishment of railway stations the spatial needs of the contractor and ofthe ongoing business stakeholders have to be balanced. A particular concern is thedisruptive effect of construction works upon pedestrian movement.RaCMIT (Refurbishment and Customer Movement Integration Tool) is a research projectaimed at addressing this problem through combining the knowledge of the client projectmanager, the construction planner and the pedestrian modelling expert.The objective of the research is to develop a decision protocol (based on problemsencountered in two case studies) facilitating optimisation of overall project value to theclient?s business.Research observations as well as current literature suggest that:? for overall decision-making, opportunities may be lost (under current practice) forminimising joint project cost/revenue disruption and? for spatial decision-making, temporary station configuration during construction(and not just overall pedestrian capacity) is a significant variable for both businessand safety outcomes

A Fuzzy Logic-Based Approach for Estimation of Dwelling Times of Panama Metro Stations

Passenger flow modeling and station dwelling time estimation are significant elements for railway mass transit planning, but system operators usually have limited information to model the passenger flow. In this paper, an artificial-intelligence technique known as fuzzy logic is applied for the estimation of the elements of the origin-destination matrix and the dwelling time of stations in a railway transport system. The fuzzy inference engine used in the algorithm is based in the principle of maximum entropy. The approach considers passengers’ preferences to assign a level of congestion in each car of the train in function of the properties of the station platforms. This approach is implemented to estimate the passenger flow and dwelling times of the recently opened Line 1 of the Panama Metro. The dwelling times obtained from the simulation are compared to real measurements to validate the approach.The authors of this paper want to express their gratitude to the National Secretary of Science and Technology (SENACYT) of the Government of the Republic of Panama for funding this study through the R & D project (MDEPRB09-001). Additionally, they want to thank the support received from Technological University of Panama (UTP), the University of Granada, the Fundación Carolina and the Secretaría del Metro de Panamá (SMP)

Balancing operating revenues and occupied refurbishment costs 1: problems of defining project success factors and selecting site planning methods

In planning the refurbishment of railway stations the spatial needs of the contractor and of the ongoing business stakeholders have to be balanced. A particular concern is the disruptive effect of construction works upon pedestrian movement. RaCMIT (Refurbishment and Customer Movement Integration Tool) was a research project aimed at addressing this problem. The objective of the research was to develop a decision protocol facilitating optimisation of overall project value to the client's business. This paper (the first of two) presents a framework for considering public disruption in occupied refurbishment using two case studies in large railway stations as examples. It briefly describes new tools which (combined with existing techniques) assist decision making in the management of disruption. It links strategic with sitebased decision making and suggests how public disruption may be treated as a variable to be jointly optimised along with traditional criteria such as time, cost and quality. Research observations as well as current literature suggest that for overall decision-making, opportunities may be lost (under current practice) for minimising joint project cost/revenue disruption, and, for spatio-temporal site decision-making, effective and efficient tools now exist to model both sides of the construction site boundary

PASSENGER DETECTION THOUGH VIDEO PROCESSING AND SIGNAL SENSORS IN THE BOSTON SUBWAY TO ADDRESS LEFT-BEHIND PASSENGERS

Crowding is one the most common problems for public transportation systems worldwide. It has been proven to cause anxiety to commuters and create reliability problems when commuters are not able to board on the first train or bus that arrives. These commuters are referred as left-behind passengers, and their number is directly related to various basic performance measures of public transportation systems that represent the user’s experience. Among these measures the most significant are ridership, service quality and, more importantly, travel time. Identifying left behind passengers is a tool to address crowding in stations and respond appropriately, by applying various operational strategies such as decreasing headways. The methodology proposed in this study has been applied to two stations with high probability of left behind passengers, Sullivan Square and North Station on the MBTA Orange Line in Boston, Massachusetts. Two types of technologies were used to detect passengers being left behind in the platform. The first one was an object detection software, namely You Only Look Once (YOLO), using surveillance cameras. The second type was a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi sensor mounted on the two selected stations. Moreover, manual counts of left behind passengers were collected in the two stations. Both technologies will be individually compared with the manual counts to test accuracy and precision. Finally, the two technologies are compared with the manual counts to determine a best way to detect left behind passengers

Understanding Transit Ridership Demand for a Multi-Destination, Multimodal Transit Network in an American Metropolitan Area, Research Report 11-06

This study examines the factors underlying transit demand in the multi-destination, integrated bus and rail transit network for Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta provides an opportunity to explore the consequences of a multi-destination transit network for bus patrons (largely transit-dependent riders) and rail patrons (who disproportionately illustrate choice rider characteristics). Using data obtained from the 2000 Census, coupled with data obtained from local and regional organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area, we estimate several statistical models that explain the pattern of transit commute trips across the Atlanta metropolitan area. The models show that bus riders and rail riders are different, with bus riders exhibiting more transit-dependent characteristics and rail riders more choice rider characteristics. However, both types of riders value many of the same attributes of transit service quality (including shorter access and egress times and more direct trips) and their use of transit is influenced by many of the same variables (including population and employment). At the same time, the factors that influence transit demand vary depending on the type of travel destination the rider wishes to reach, including whether it is the central business district (CBD) or a more auto-oriented, suburban destination. The results of the study offer new insights into the nature of transit demand in a multi-destination transit system and provide lessons for agencies seeking to increase ridership among different ridership groups. The results suggest that more direct transit connections to dispersed employment centers, and easier transfers to access such destinations, will lead to higher levels of transit use for both transit-dependent and choice riders. The results also show that the CBD remains an important transit destination for rail riders but not for their bus rider counterparts. Certain types of transit-oriented development (TOD) also serve as significant producers and attractors of rail transit trips