A capacity framework for pedestrian infrastructures under physical distancing regulations: A guide for crowd monitoring and management

At the end of 2019, SARS-CoV-2 rapidly spread across the globe within a few months. Since then, tackling the virus has been high on national agendas for over three years. As with other respiratory viruses, physical distancing (i.e., requiring sufficient space between individuals) became a key measure to prevent airborne virus transmission between individuals. However, this measure significantly reduces the capacity of pedestrian infrastructure, as more space is needed between people. This paper develops a capacity framework designed to calculate the capacity of pedestrian infrastructure, evaluate its state, and propose tailored interventions when physical distancing regulations are enforced. The framework is founded on the current state-of-the-art in pedestrian operational movement dynamics and determines capacity using three independent key performance indicators: flow rate, density, and interactions. Through two case studies from the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper demonstrates how the framework identifies when and why pedestrian infrastructures become unsafe and enables targeted interventions. The framework’s relevance extends beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, offering insights into crowd management and resilient pedestrian infrastructure design for future airborne disease outbreaks.