Methodology
This documentation explains how TES evaluates and ranks intersections based on risk to vulnerable road users. Understanding these factors and scoring methods will help you interpret pedestrian and cyclist safety concerns and prioritize high-risk locations for intervention.
🧭 What Is the Goal of This Module?
The Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) module in TES helps municipalities identify intersections where pedestrians and cyclists face elevated risk, particularly those who are more vulnerable due to age, mobility, or socio-economic status.
This module is adapted from the NCHRP ActiveTrans Priority Tool. It uses a data-driven, weighted scoring system to evaluate and rank intersections based on safety, demand, equity, and operational complexity.
⚙️ How It Works: Metrics and Calculations
The VRU evaluation follows a four-step process:
1. Select Variables
Identify a comprehensive set of indicators affecting pedestrian and cyclist safety, accessibility, and usage patterns.
2. Collect Data
Gather data from TES, open data portals, field observations, and tools like Google Street View.
3. Scale Variables
Apply appropriate scaling methods to standardize values and make them comparable (percentile, category, binary).
4. Apply Weights & Calculate Scores
Combine scaled scores using weighted multipliers to generate a final priority ranking for each location.
🧮 Variable Categories & Examples
The evaluation considers four main factors, each with specific variables:
| Factor | Example Variables |
|---|---|
| Safety | Pedestrian/cyclist collisions, PSI (collision risk from network screening) |
| Demand | Pedestrian volume, transit access, population density, nearby destinations (schools, parks). |
| Intersection Operations | Traffic volume, turning volume, lane count, speed limit, protected infrastructure |
| Equity & Accessibility | Equity index, presence of tactile surfaces (TWSIs), curb ramps, ladder markings |
📏 Scaling Methods
Each variable is scaled using one of the following methods:
-
Percentile – Used for continuous data (e.g. traffic volume, collisions)
-
Category – Used for discrete values (e.g. number of turn lanes, transit levels)
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Binary – Used for presence/absence (e.g. protected intersection: yes/no)
This ensures consistency across very different types of metrics.
⚖️ Weighting System
Each variable receives a weight based on its impact on vulnerable user safety. The total score is calculated as:
Weighted Score = Scaled Variable Value ÷ Assigned Weight
Weights are grouped by factor (Safety, Demand, Operations, Equity), which are often weighted equally. Within each factor, individual variable weights may vary to reflect local priorities or updated evidence.
🥇 Final Ranking
Each intersection receives a total score that reflects the combined weighted impact of all variables. TES then generates a ranked list of sites, where:
- Higher scores indicate higher concern for VRU safety
- Top-ranked sites should be prioritized for review or intervention
This methodology allows cities to focus limited resources where they’re most needed to protect vulnerable users.