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Assessment of Pedestrian Connections Around Transport Terminals

Abstract

Pedestrian connections around transport terminals are essential for providing safe, convenient, and continuous movement between terminal buildings, surrounding streets, parking areas, public spaces, and other transportation facilities. Effective pedestrian networks can improve accessibility, reduce conflicts with vehicles, and support the integration of terminals with their surrounding urban environments. However, inadequate sidewalks, unsafe crossings, poor lighting, discontinuous pathways, and limited accessibility provisions can discourage walking and create safety concerns. Assessing pedestrian connections is therefore important for improving the overall functionality and accessibility of transport terminals. This study assesses pedestrian connections around selected transport terminals, focusing on the continuity, accessibility, safety, and efficiency of pedestrian movement. The study examines sidewalks, walkways, pedestrian crossings, entrance routes, footbridges, ramps, drop-off connections, and links between terminals and nearby streets or public facilities. It also evaluates the relationship between pedestrian routes and vehicular circulation. The assessment seeks to determine how effectively existing pedestrian connections support the movement of different categories of terminal users. Particular attention is given to the physical characteristics of pedestrian routes and their influence on movement. Factors such as walkway width, surface condition, route continuity, crossing locations, gradients, obstructions, drainage, shade, seating, lighting, and signage are examined. The study also considers the provision of ramps, tactile surfaces, handrails, and other features that support users with mobility, visual, or other accessibility needs. Well-designed pedestrian connections can improve movement efficiency while encouraging safer and more inclusive access to transportation facilities. The study further considers the relationship between pedestrian connectivity and user experience. The convenience of routes, perceived safety, ease of wayfinding, protection from weather conditions, and proximity to major terminal functions are evaluated. Potential conflicts between pedestrians, buses, taxis, private vehicles, motorcycles, and service vehicles are also examined. These interactions are important because poorly coordinated movement systems can increase congestion and accident risks while reducing the overall quality of the terminal environment. Challenges affecting pedestrian connections may include discontinuous sidewalks, inadequate crossing facilities, encroachment, poor maintenance, insufficient lighting, limited weather protection, and weak connections to surrounding neighbourhoods. These conditions may particularly affect elderly users, children, persons with disabilities, and passengers carrying luggage. Addressing these challenges requires integrated pedestrian planning that considers accessibility, traffic management, urban connectivity, environmental comfort, safety, and the operational requirements of transport terminals. The study concludes that effective pedestrian connections are essential for creating safe, accessible, and well-integrated transport terminal environments. It recommends continuous pedestrian networks, clearly defined crossings, accessible pathways, adequate lighting, appropriate signage, weather protection, and effective separation between pedestrian and vehicular movement. The findings are expected to provide useful guidance for architects, urban planners, transportation planners, traffic engineers, and terminal managers in improving pedestrian accessibility and strengthening connections between transport terminals and their surrounding urban areas.

Keywords: Pedestrian connections, transport terminals, pedestrian circulation, accessibility, pedestrian safety, urban connectivity, walkability, pedestrian pathways, traffic integration, universal design, wayfinding, pedestrian crossings, terminal planning, urban transportation.