Modeling links as pedestrian areas

You can define links as pedestrian areas and thus model the interaction between vehicles and pedestrians. Pedestrians become part of the network via pedestrian inputs that you position in areas (Modeling pedestrian inputs). These areas must overlap the links that are used as pedestrian area so that pedestrians can use these links. Pedestrians can use the link defined as pedestrian area in both directions. For this purpose, a further link is automatically defined Vissim as pedestrian area for the opposite direction. Both links have the same position in the Network Editor and are displayed in the Links list in each row.

In addition, you can define additional construction elements for pedestrian flows, e.g. areas, ramps or obstacles (Modeling construction elements).

Using the default settings, you can edit and delete pedestrian areas. When you delete a pedestrian area, the pedestrian link generated for the opposite direction is also automatically deleted. When copying and pasting in the Network Editor, the pedestrian route automatically generated in the opposite direction is also copied and pasted.

For pedestrians on links that serve as a pedestrian area, the same mechanisms are used as for vehicles: At an intersection where a vehicle path and a pedestrian path cross, a Vissim link forms the basis for the automatically generated pedestrian area.

In contrast to walkable pedestrian areas, on pedestrian links, pedestrian flows can be controlled via link-based Vissim network objects.

Differences between road traffic and pedestrian flows

For links used as pedestrian areas the following applies:

• They cannot be split.
• They cannot contain any intermediate points.
• They have no pedestrian inputs.
• They cannot be the start or end of a connector.

Using the default settings, you can define links as pedestrian areas and edit them (Modeling links for vehicles and pedestrians).

Differences between walkable construction elements and link-based pedestrian areas

The differences between walkable construction elements (e.g. areas, ramps) and links used as pedestrian areas are as follows:

For links used as pedestrian areas the following applies:

• They cannot be edited as an area.
• They cannot be a ramp.
• The links cannot be the start, end or intermediate point of a pedestrian route.
• A pedestrian area can be positioned on a pedestrian link. There you can define start, destination and intermediate points of pedestrian routes.

Modeling obstacles on links

An obstacle cannot only be added to an area, but also to a link that serves as a pedestrian area. For this link you must select the attribute Is pedestrian area (Attributes of links). The steps for adding an obstacle as a polygon or rectangle to a link correspond to the steps for adding an obstacle to an area (Defining construction elements as polygons), (Defining construction elements as rectangles).

Network objects for pedestrian links

You can define the following Vissim network objects for a pedestrian link and model the interaction between vehicles and pedestrians or pedestrian flows:

• Conflict areas with road traffic (Defining the right of way at conflict areas), (Modeling conflict areas for pedestrians)
• Signal Heads (Defining signal groups in the signal controller editor), (Modeling signal controls for pedestrians)
• Detectors (Defining detectors), (Modeling detectors for pedestrians)
• Priority Rules (Defining priority rules), (Modeling priority rules for pedestrians)