Pedestrian Level of Service Calculator
The level of service on a footpath, corridor or platform from the pedestrian flow and the effective width — the Highway Capacity Manual’s A to F scale — and the width needed to reach a chosen level.
Divide the pedestrian flow by the width actually available to walk in (the paved width less kerbs, poles, shopfront zones and street furniture — about 0.
How the pedestrian level of service calculator works
Divide the pedestrian flow by the width actually available to walk in (the paved width less kerbs, poles, shopfront zones and street furniture — about 0.5 m each side) for a flow per metre per minute. Up to about 16 pedestrians per metre per minute people walk freely (LOS A); at 33 they are constrained (C); above 49 overtaking is impossible (D–E); above 75 the crowd shuffles (F). Invert it for the width a target level needs.
Formula: unit flow = pedestrians per minute ÷ effective width; LOS bands: A ≤ 16, B ≤ 23, C ≤ 33, D ≤ 49, E ≤ 75, F > 75 ped/min/m
Worked examples
| Inputs | Level of service | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 120 a minute on a 4 m path with 1 m lost | LOS D | 40 ped/min/m — LOS D; LOS C needs 3.6 m |
| A quiet street: 20 a minute, 3 m | LOS A | LOS A |
| A station exit: 500 a minute, 6 m | LOS F | 91 — LOS F |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is effective width?
The part of the footpath people actually walk in: subtract about 0.5 m beside a wall or shopfront (people shy away from it), 0.5 m at the kerb, and the width of poles, bins, seats and café tables. A 4 m footpath is often 2.5 m effective.
What level should a street be designed for?
LOS C at the peak is the usual target for shopping streets and stations — busy but free-moving. Platforms and event exits are designed to LOS D or E for short peaks, and A–B for parks and promenades.
Where do the bands come from?
The Highway Capacity Manual, from Fruin’s studies of pedestrian flow: they relate flow per unit width to the space each person has and the freedom to choose speed and path. Other standards use similar thresholds.
What about bidirectional flow?
The bands assume mixed two-way flow; a strongly one-way stream (a station exit) carries about 10–15% more at the same level. Counter-flow with a 50/50 split is the worst case and matches the figures here.
Where these figures come from
- UN-Habitat — Urban Indicators Guidelines — density, green space and public space benchmarks
- World Health Organization — Urban green spaces — the 9 m² per person minimum
- ITE — Parking Generation Manual — parking demand rates by land use
- Office for National Statistics — Population estimates — the UK's national statistics agency
Last checked: September 2026. Default per-capita rates are mid-range figures from national statistical agencies and utility reports; every one is an input you should replace with the local figure.