CMI3 Corozal Metric for Intersection Improvement and Implementation

A Tool to Improve Vulnerable Road User Safety in a Developing Country

Abstract

As the town of Corozal, Belize has developed along the Philip Goldson Highway, the increase in traffic has led to increased issues with the safety of drivers and vulnerable road users (VRUs). In September 2021, the town experienced its first VRU fatality, which led to the town council searching for a solution. This research, therefore, first made use of limited crash data provided by the Town Council to develop a heat map using a Geographic Information System (GIS). Next, based on the critical intersections from the heat map, pneumatic tube counters were transferred from The University of Texas at Tyler to Corozal to be placed at the critical intersections in Corozal for three weeks in February and March 2022 to collect traffic pattern data such as volume, speed, and vehicle classification. Then, two simulation models were developed using Synchro and VISSIM for microscopic and macroscopic modeling, respectively. Overall, this research is centered around a scoring matrix, CMI3: Corozal Metric for Intersection Improvement and Implementation, which has been developed based on the collected data and simulation models, and in close collaboration with the Town Council. The CMI3 tool considers cost, operational performance, and safety to prioritize possible intersection improvements and recommendations, which includes traffic signal installation, positioning of a traffic officer at an intersection, improved pavement striping and traffic signage, and no action. In this research, the CMI3 tool is applied to six intersections in Corozal, and recommendations are provided to improve VRU and driver safety in the developing country.