Assessing present status and development strategies of pedestrian bridge in Hanoi

. Pedestrian bridge is the optimal transport solution when crossing roads in large cities, especially suitable for Hanoi's transport system, and the bridge is also considered as an architectural work of urban landscape. Currently, with 70 Pedestrian bridges in Hanoi, it is still not enough to meet the demand for use and ensure urban traffic safety in the city. Especially, traffic violations when crossing roads are also common, pedestrians sometimes hesitate to use pedestrian bridges, and this shows the ineffective development of the pedestrian bridge system. In this study, based on the results of 300 social questionnaires with different walks of life and age brackets, and used that result to analyze the causes of ineffective use of pedestrian bridges. At the same time, giving directions on the construction and development of the pedestrian bridge system in the city to increase the efficiency and function of the pedestrian bridge, socialize the management and exploitation of pedestrian bridges in the Hanoi capital. We believe these outcomes would help support policymakers and service providers in improving the Pedestrian bridge projects' efficiency.


Introduction
Pedestrian bridges are a type of pedestrian facility which guarantees complete safety for road crossing. Pedestrian bridges play an important role in ensuring traffic safety for pedestrians, significantly reducing traffic accidents and as a means to reduce traffic congestion [1,12]. The pedestrian bridges not only functions of transport, it also needs an architecture to suit the face of urban architecture [4], especially with urban areas with heavy traffic like in Hanoi. Although the pedestrian bridges are a transport work to solve the conflict of the intersection but it is also a part of the urban landscape [2]. Around the world, in big cities, there are iconic pedestrian bridge for the city, or a highlight for the urban landscape. There has been a number of studies on pedestrian overpasses in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and some other countries. In study Rizati, H. et al (2013) [15], indicating that the utilization rates at school and residential are high as compared to the business and amenity areas. Several factors such as fence installation, directional flow, existing of median, vehicle volume and the distance of this facility that have found significant affecting the utilization of the crossing bridges. The distance of this facility from interested place or to save time was the most influential factors for pedestrian to decide on utilizing the crossing bridge. Signalized crossing is chosen as the most favourable type of crossing facility by a majority of the respondents. Phung, M. T. et al. (2007) [16] analized some ideas about urban planning of the pedestrian bridges in the city, this study evaluated the strong and weak points relating to the built pedestrian bridges. Wang, W., et al.(2014) have investigated and summarized the diverse roles of pedestrian bridges in Hong Kong, this study should provide inspiration for public place making and public infrastructure design and management [17]. Nguyen Minh Ngoc and Vu Anh (2019) [7] presented the significance and importance of footbridges in the urban, this study pointed out factors to limit the use of flyovers and the management of the footbridge today. At the same time, offering some solutions on planning and managing effective footbridges in urban.
Although there have been many studies on the pedestrian bridges, but assessing present status and development strategies of pedestrian bridge in Hanoi is a new choice has still concealed.
Hanoi city has been interested in investing in construction of many pedestrian bridges. Survey of a number of pedestrian bridges in Hanoi showed that some bridges have been effective, the number of participants is quite large such as the bridge at Giai Phong -Le Thanh Nghi Street in Bach Mai Hospital Area; pedestrian bridge at the University of Transport, pedestrian bridge at Military Hospital 103 area helps students move from the academy to the Practice Hospital in Hospital every day and so on. These pedestrian bridges are effectively exploited because of the quite suitable placement of bridges, and the barrier of separation in this area is quite high, people have no other choice to cross the road, so in this area is not congested and minimizes traffic accidents compared to the past [11].
Currently, Hanoi city does not have a detailed planning for the pedestrian system. But on the main roads of the city with large traffic volume, the bridges are constructed to reduce traffic conflicts.
There are 4 units of pedestrian bridge management: Department of Traffic Management; Urban Transport Management Board; The Management Board of Urban Transport Infrastructure Project and the Office of Traffic Safety Department are under the management of the Hanoi Department of Transport. These units manage the pedestrian bridge system at different stages in the process of construction investment, exploitation and use, which leads to the implementation of projects, unsynchronous exploitation management and ineffective.
Thus, the pedestrian bridges in Hanoi has changed the form of management, the bridges itself has revenue, cost reduction, and budget burden for the city. Going forward, new pedestrian bridges also need to be socialized for construction investment, calling for social resources to create an appearance of urban transport worthy of the capital. But then, there should still be policies and solutions in the design, planning and function of bridges to ensure investors are able to recover the lost benefits. This study is a suggested part of the process of privatizing the construction of a pedestrian bridge in Hanoi's public transport system.
For the purpose of investigating and evaluation factors that affect the use of pedestrian bridges by some demographics such as: Old retired people; People live in the area near the pedestrian bridges; Student; Civil servants. We believe that the results of this study will help to better understand some of the factors that influence the use of pedestrian bridges. At the same time, giving directions on the construction and development of the pedestrian bridge system in the city in order to increase the efficiency and function of the pedestrian bridge, socialize the management and exploitation of pedestrian bridges in the Hanoi capital.
The remaining part of the study consists of three sections. Section 2 presents the Survey assessment of using pedestrian bridge. Section 3 presents the Development orientations for pedestrian bridges, Finally, himitations and conclusions.

2
Survey assessment of using pedestrian bridge

Investigative method
In order to analyze and assess the situation and propose solutions for effective management and use of pedestrian bridges in districts of Hanoi city, the authors have surveyed the situation of pedestrian traffic in a number of pedestrians at different times. The authors have distributed 300 sociological questionnaires with following contents: Objective of investigation: How often to use pedestrian bridge; Purpose of using the pedestrian bridge; Subjects using the pedestrian bridge; Time to use the pedestrian bridge; The importance of factors affecting the efficiency of using pedestrian bridges (Bridge location; Facilities of bridges; Traffic conditions at the place where the bridges is placed); Assessing the quality of using pedestrian bridge; Efficient use of pedestrian bridges; Causes of ineffective use of pedestrian bridges; Solutions to improve the efficiency of using pedestrian bridges.
Subject of sociological investigation: Old retired people; People live in the area near the pedestrian bridges; Student; Civil servants; Housewife. According to the table above, the number of people using pedestrian bridges for road crossing purpose accounts for the most with 70%; sightseeing and walking for 22%, the rest are other purposes such as sales, advertising hanging and so on. Therefore, the use of pedestrian bridges to meet the set objectives mainly serves urban transport.  From the statistics table, the survey results show that the percentage of people who regularly use and often use pedestrian bridge is much lower than the number of people who occasionally or never use this system. Especially, the number of people who have never used is 59.7%. From the above results, it shows that the use of pedestrian bridges system in inner city area is not effective. The main users of the pedestrian bridge system are travelers (40%) because Hanoi has a large number of vehicles and on the other hand, they are not familiar with the road, so they are well aware of traffics law's implementation.

Assessment based on the time of using the pedestrian bridges
With the purpose of using pedestrian bridges to ensure traffic safety and minimize traffic congestion. Therefore, at different times the density of traffic is different and the need to use pedestrian bridges for different purposes. The time people use the pedestrian bridge is mainly during the peak hours of the day (70%), because at this time, the number of vehicles participating in traffic is too many and traffic congestion often happens, the risk of losing large traffic safety. At other times, the number of people using the pedestrian bridge is low due to the low awareness of people. The number of people using the pedestrian bridges varies widely due to the location of the bridge and traffic flow at different routes.
Based on the actual survey at some typical pedestrian overpasses, such as a flyover at Bach Mai Hospital; University of Transport and communications, Trade Union University; Giang Vo roads in peak and non-peak hours, obtaining the following results: The above survey results show that the number and proportion of pedestrians using the pedestrian bridges are very different, at the peak hour in the afternoon there is a higher rate of using the pedestrian bridges than different times.

Assessment on the basis of factors affecting the planning, construction and using pedestrian bridges
There are many factors affect the efficiency of using the pedestrian bridge system, the author made a questionnaire to evaluate impact factors on efficiency of using the pedestrian bridge, the survey results such as: The questionnaire has shown the basic factors to evaluate the importance of planning, construction investment and exploitation using the pedestrian bridge system in Hanoi, including location pedestrian bridges; facilities of the bridge and traffic conditions in pedestrian bridges place. According to the summary of the survey results, people rated the level of very important and important to the criteria related location of bridge. At locations with large volumes of traffic, or in intersections, or on roads with wide cross sections, or in densely populated areas, it is very important to install the pedestrian bridge system.
People are quite interested in the facilities of the bridge and evaluate the level of importance of this criterion. The bridges with good facilities, aesthetics and environmental sanitation will attract more people to use.
Regarding the factors of traffic conditions at the place where the bridge was placed, the author gained a lot of opinions, but basically people are aware that the pedestrian overpass is very important in minimizing traffic accidents in areas with heavy traffic, the fast-moving vehicles and in areas where congestion often happens.

Assessing the quality of using pedestrian bridges
In exploitation and use, the quality of the pedestrian bridges play an important role in attracting people to use, as shown by the level of convenience, the deterioration of the bridge over time, the quality of the works (lights, hygiene at bridge, material durability and so on). The main findings can be summarized as follows: The above table shows that people assess the quality of using pedestrian overpasses is not good: 50% and normal: 29%, the level of evaluation for pedestrian bridge is not high.

Assessing the efficiency of the pedestrian bridge system
With the random survey, the author obtained people's comments on the effectiveness of the pedestrian bridge system in Hanoi as follows: The city's bridge system is in-efficient (35%) and no effect (34%). The effectiveness of the pedestrian bridge is being underestimated, less attractive for users (only 4% saw the usefulness of pedestrian bridge). This shows that the purpose of constructing the bridge is not meeting its original expectations.

Find out the causes of the in-efficient use of the pedestrian bridge
In order to find out the causes of ineffective use of bridges, the survey questionnaire provides the contents related to the planning of the bridge construction location, the design work and issues of construction, management, sanctions, awareness of road users. The illuminating results are provided in the table below. Table 9. Assessment of causes in in-effective using pedestrian bridges in Hanoi Degree evaluation Number of votes Rate (%)

1.
Design and location of construction are not suit the particular needs of the users. 180/300 60%

2.
There has been no sanction for violations of traffic laws that are appropriate if crossing the road. 210/300 70%

3.
The management of pedestrian bridge is not good. 105/300 35%

4.
Awareness of people in traffic is poor 207/300 77%

Total 300 100%
The above table shows that the main causes of the ineffective use of the pedestrian bridge systems are mainly due to the low awareness of road users (77% of the respondents), no sanctions and sanctions enforcement (70% of studies) is not serious. At the same time, the planning of the location and design of the bridges did not meet the demand (60% of surveys).
The survey results show that: • Pedestrian bridge system in Hanoi city is not used its all designed capacity (from 300 -800 pedestrians/hour). There are only some pedestrian bridges which attracted pedestrians. Many pedestrian bridges have very low pedestrian traffic, waste and affect general landscape. Only the Y-shaped bridge at the intersection of Nguyen Thi Thap and Hoang Minh Giam street is considered to create a highlight in landscape architecture and become a symbol of the urban area, this is also a highlight of attracting overpass users.
• The flow of pedestrians using the bridges during rush hour is higher than during the off-peak hours due to the greater traffic volume of traffic at peak hours.
• Covered bridges attract more users than uncovered bridges.
• On sections with small cross-sections or without barriers, many people do not use pedestrian bridges. Jaywalking is common.
• The management of exploitation and use of the pedestrian overpass system is neglect and people's awareness are not high.

Development orientations for pedestrian bridges
A bridge connecting two sides enhances the communication and becomes the connection of what so far might have separated the local communities [6].
For realization of such a task, the latest technological and material selection solutions are used and the structure becomes a great representation of human possibilities of the city or the region. A bridge co-creates the image of an area being in the new space and sometimes can become a very distinct and recognizable icon of the city [5].
Some directions on the planning and construction of pedestrian bridges in Hanoi, as shown here: • There should be a survey, assessment and planning for the necessary locations to build the pedestrian bridges, At the same time, creating a roadmap for the development of the pedestrian bridge system until 2030, with vision to 2050.
• Use materials suitable to each type of bridge (pedestrian overpass structure uses steel or concrete materials, not asphalt as the temperature is prone to melting and damaging bridge surface) [7,14].
• The bridges must meet for using multi-purpose. At the same time, it is possible for handicapped to use this type of the bridges [3,8,9].  • Each new pedestrian bridges must be considered a symbolic building for the capital and can create a highlight to attract tourists. Architecture of pedestrian bridges must be suitable to the regional landscape. Consider pedestrian bridges as a component of the urban landscape [2,6,10,13].
• Work out legal mechanisms to achieve economies of pedestrian bridges. At the same time, using this funding to maintain and developing pedestrian bridges system in Hanoi.
• Call for socialization for each pedestrian bridge project, assigning investors to build by themselves according to the design, management, exploitation and operation to ensure the interests between investors and the use of the people.
• There must be specific actions to encourage the people of the capital to actively use the bridges as prescribed, promulgating legal documents for each act of violating road traffic law and have self-governing mechanism to each clusters and resident groups (Fig 4).

Limitations and conclusions
The study investigated 300 subjects including: Old retired people; People live in the area near the pedestrian bridges; Student; Civil servants; Housewife on the following aspects: How often to use pedestrian bridge; Purpose of using the pedestrian bridge; Subjects using the pedestrian bridge; Time to use the pedestrian bridge; The importance of factors affecting the efficiency of using pedestrian bridges (Bridge location; Facilities of bridges; Traffic conditions at the place where the bridges is placed); Assessing the quality of using pedestrian bridge; Efficient use of pedestrian bridges; Causes of ineffective use of pedestrian bridges; Solutions to improve the efficiency of using pedestrian bridges. Survey studies show that the utilities and benefits of overpasses, but the use efficiency is still low, this requires further pricing in planning and architecture of overpasses to meet the needs of people. Although initially socializing on management, use and maintenance of pedestrian bridges (assigned to a private unit for exploitation and management), but the initial investment still uses budget capital, so the efficiency is not high. With the current urban planning, it is necessary to provide a roadmap for the development of the pedestrian bridges network for Hanoi capital, mechanisms and sanctions to ensure the sustainable use of the pedestrian bridges system in urban areas.
There are some limitations in the study, including the number of questionnaires and the scope of the survey area. Due to the short survey time, the survey subjects mainly concentrated on some pedestrian bridges in the inner city. This limitation may affect the quality of assessments of factors affecting the use of pedestrian overpasses. Therefore, in the future we plan to expand the scope and size of surveys. Hopefully, some of these research results will contribute to the development of the pedestrian overpass system in Hanoi.