What is a wombat crossing?
Wombat crossing is a safety treatment combines two main components, a raised safety platform (or speed table) spanning across the entire width of the roadway and a zebra crossing line marking on top of the platform.
Pedestrian crossing warning signs (sign R3-1) are used at the location of the wombat crossing.
In addition, the red pavement color or amber flashing lights may also be used to further increase the visibility of the crossing.
How does it help?
The two components of a wombat crossing bring in their benefits for the wombat crossing, including:
A raised safety platform provides vertical deflection that supports the reduction of vehicle travel speed.
A zebra crossing which gives priority to pedestrian crossing.
Moreover, the combination of line marking, signage, and raised platform provides a better visibility of the pedestrian crossing, hence raise the safety awareness.
Where to use it?
The wombat crossing can facilitate pedestrian at locations where pedestrian crossing demand is high (such as commercial areas, around schools, parks, transit center, and around other points of interest)
Wombat crossing is often installed at midblock location. However, it can also be used on the intersection legs or slip lane to facilitate pedestrian movements at the intersection.
Due to the vertical deflection, wombat crossing may cause discomfort for motorists (especially truck) and noise. These impacts should be considered when selecting the location for a wombat crossing.
Cost and Crash reduction factor (CRF)
The cost of a typical wombat crossing is at medium range compared to other pedestrian crossing treatments.
However, based on the Benefit-Cost-Ratio (BCR) calculation form, wombat crossing can achieve a crash reduction factor of 63% for all casualty crashes and 73% for pedestrian crashes.
Design notes
Road characteristics such as pavement width, speed limit, bus route, emergency vehicle route, and drainage should be considered when choosing an appropriate design for wombat crossing.
Detailed technical requirements for wombat crossing in Victoria are provided in the Road Design Note 03-07 - Raised Safety Platforms (RSP) by Department of Transport and Planning.
International reference
Wombat crossing is widely applied across the globe. It is often referred as raised crosswalk. The design and functionality of it share some similarities with the Australian standard. For example, a technical note on raised crosswalk in the US can be found in here.
Updated on 20/11/2023
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