Traffic Calming: Introduction and Applications June 21st, 2007 by Indraneel Kumar, AICP

Traffic Calming:Traffic Calming:

Introduction and ApplicationsIntroduction and ApplicationsJune 21st, 2007June 21st, 2007

bybyIndraneel Kumar, AICPIndraneel Kumar, AICP

Transportation Planning and Traffic Transportation Planning and Traffic Calming- Part 2Calming- Part 2

• 3 Es- Education, Enforcement, and Engineering

• Police enforcement-engineering options- street closure

• Management of traffic by volume and speed

• Part of “Context Sensitive Design”

• Flexible design standards

IntroductionIntroduction

What is Traffic Calming?What is Traffic Calming?

Several definitions- ITE, VTPI,

Source: VTPI.org

HistoryHistory• 1960s first experiment commenced in Holland

• 1970s- Implementation in Germany (Verkehrsberuhigung or Transportation Calming)

• 1980s- Livable Streets by Appleyard, UC Berkeley

• Institute of Transportation Engineer’s Guidebook

• 1990s- Traffic Calming: State of the Practice, Reid Ewing, ITE

• Thousands of Traffic Calming projects

Control Speed; Control Volume; Control Volume / SpeedControl Speed; Control Volume; Control Volume / Speed

Applications: Traffic Calming to Control SpeedApplications: Traffic Calming to Control Speed

Bulb-Outs/Bulb-Outs/

Curb Extensions/Curb Extensions/

NeckdownsNeckdowns

• Bulbs, Chokers, Neckdowns are Bulbs, Chokers, Neckdowns are interchangeable termsinterchangeable terms

• Extension of the curb and Extension of the curb and sidewalk to narrow the roadwaysidewalk to narrow the roadway

• Physical constraintPhysical constraint

• Visual traffic calming effectsVisual traffic calming effects

• Pedestrian crossing Pedestrian crossing

Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Dan Burden


Bulb-OutBulb-Out

http://www.pedbikeimages.org/


• Extension of the curb and Extension of the curb and plantingplanting

• Midblock or intersection Midblock or intersection cornerscorners

• Parallel, angled chokers, etc.Parallel, angled chokers, etc.

• Planting to alert the motoristPlanting to alert the motorist



Source: Making Streets That Work

ChokerChoker


ChokersChokers


Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Michael King




• Chicanes- staggered curves Chicanes- staggered curves

• Alternate extension of the curbAlternate extension of the curb

• Shift in alignmentShift in alignment


• Visual traffic calming effectsVisual traffic calming effectsChicanesChicanes Source: ITE


Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Portland

Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Portland Office of Transportation





Speed Tables, and CushionsSpeed Tables, and CushionsSource: www.pedbikeimages.org / Dan Burden

Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Mark Lavergne


• Cushions- Convenient for Cushions- Convenient for emergency vehiclesemergency vehicles





Speed Bumps and HumpsSpeed Bumps and Humps

Source: PCRD / Kumar


Curb Radius, Raised Crossings and IntersectionsCurb Radius, Raised Crossings and IntersectionsSource: www.pedbikeimages.org / City of Portland

Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Dan Burden Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Peter Lagerway


• Tighter curb radius Tighter curb radius

• Raised crossing and Raised crossing and intersection- alerts driversintersection- alerts drivers

• Paving treatment + Raised Paving treatment + Raised surfacessurfaces






Paving TreatmentsPaving Treatments




• Delineate users Delineate users






Paving TreatmentsPaving TreatmentsSource: PCRD / Kumar


• Delineate the edge Delineate the edge

• ADA GuidelinesADA Guidelines


Applications: Traffic Calming to Control VolumeApplications: Traffic Calming to Control Volume

Diverters, Partial Street ClosuresDiverters, Partial Street Closures

Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Dan Burden Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Dan Burden

• Diagonal diverters create two Diagonal diverters create two unconnected streets- unconnected streets- intersection intersection

• Partial closure for motorized Partial closure for motorized traffic traffic

Source: Delaware DOT



Applications: Traffic Calming to Control VolumeApplications: Traffic Calming to Control Volume

Full Street ClosuresFull Street Closures

• Full closures- reroute Full closures- reroute the trafficthe traffic

• Partial/ Full closures Partial/ Full closures and diverters are used to and diverters are used to retrofit neighborhoods retrofit neighborhoods for traffic calmingfor traffic calming


Gateways, Lane ReductionGateways, Lane Reduction

Applications: Traffic Calming to Control Volume/SpeedApplications: Traffic Calming to Control Volume/Speed


Source: www.pedbikeimages.org / Michael Cynecki

• Lane reduction is also Lane reduction is also known as road diets; lane known as road diets; lane narrowing- visual traffic narrowing- visual traffic calmingcalming

• Gateways- visual traffic Gateways- visual traffic calmingcalming




Refuge Islands, Roundabouts / Traffic CirclesRefuge Islands, Roundabouts / Traffic Circles

Applications: Traffic Calming to Control Volume/SpeedApplications: Traffic Calming to Control Volume/Speed



• Roundabouts are Roundabouts are popular techniquespopular techniques

• Comprehensive traffic Comprehensive traffic management plan / management plan / retrofitretrofit



Applications: Traffic CalmingApplications: Traffic Calming

Traditional Neighborhood / Narrow StreetsTraditional Neighborhood / Narrow Streets

• Congress for the New UrbanismCongress for the New Urbanism

• Wider street standards are giving Wider street standards are giving way to narrower streets, way to narrower streets, particularly in residential areasparticularly in residential areas

• More asphalt = More vehiclesMore asphalt = More vehiclesSource: www.pedbikeimages.org / Dan Burden

• A grassroots effort for A grassroots effort for narrow street standards narrow street standards is happeningis happening

Source: FHWA


Applications: Traffic Calming- Streets for Living Applications: Traffic Calming- Streets for Living

WoonerfWoonerf

• Streets designed to be Streets designed to be shared by pedestrians, shared by pedestrians, motorists, and the community motorists, and the community

• Sidewalks, planters, Sidewalks, planters, benches are merged into the benches are merged into the streetstreet

• Physical constraints Physical constraints

• Speed < 10 miles per hour Speed < 10 miles per hour

• Public realm Public realm

• Higher costs Higher costs

• Emergency vehicles ?Emergency vehicles ?

Source: Maricopa County Government

Travel Impacts-Travel Impacts-

• Pre and post Traffic Calming Pre and post Traffic Calming travel impacts- motorized / non travel impacts- motorized / non motorized travelmotorized travel

• Assumption- 10-20 % increase Assumption- 10-20 % increase in non motorized travel- half of in non motorized travel- half of that substitute motorized travel that substitute motorized travel

Traffic Calming Impacts- Benefits and Costs Traffic Calming Impacts- Benefits and Costs

Advocates- Advocates-

• Traffic Calming protects Traffic Calming protects residents, bicyclists, and residents, bicyclists, and pedestrianspedestrians

• Multiple and safe use of Multiple and safe use of the street the street

Critics-Critics-

• Waste of resourcesWaste of resources

• Shifts the traffic Shifts the traffic problems from one to problems from one to another streetanother street

Source: Todd Litman; Traffic Calming: Benefits, Costs, and Equity Impacts; www.VTPI.org; Calgary health region

Traffic Calming Impacts- Benefits Traffic Calming Impacts- Benefits • Increased SafetyIncreased Safety

# Significant reduction # Significant reduction in accidentsin accidents

# Payback through lives, # Payback through lives, injuries, and insurance injuries, and insurance savingssavings• Increased non Increased non motorized and motorized and decreased decreased motorized travelmotorized travel

# Less noise and # Less noise and air pollution; air pollution; health benefits; health benefits; parking & gas parking & gas savings, etc. savings, etc.

Source: Todd Litman; Traffic Calming: Benefits, Costs, and Equity Impacts; www.VTPI.org

FatalFatal

Traffic Calming Impacts- Benefits and Costs Traffic Calming Impacts- Benefits and Costs

Benefits….. Benefits…..

•Increased public realm, Increased public realm, interaction and crime interaction and crime prevention- Crime prevention- Crime Prevention Through Prevention Through Environmental Design Environmental Design (CPTED)(CPTED)

• Defensible Space by Defensible Space by Oscar NewmanOscar Newman

• Increased property Increased property values values


CostsCosts

• Project expensesProject expenses

• Liability claimsLiability claims

• Vehicle delaysVehicle delays

• Traffic spill to other Traffic spill to other roadsroads

• Problems for Problems for emergency and emergency and service vehiclesservice vehicles

• Driver frustrationDriver frustration

• Problems for Problems for bicyclists and visually bicyclists and visually impaired impaired

Traffic Calming Impacts- Horizontal vs. Vertical Equity Traffic Calming Impacts- Horizontal vs. Vertical Equity

• Equity is important in Equity is important in Transportation PlanningTransportation Planning

• Horizontal equity is distribution of Horizontal equity is distribution of benefits and costs within groups benefits and costs within groups similar in income, wealth, and abilitysimilar in income, wealth, and ability

• Vertical equity is distribution of Vertical equity is distribution of benefits and costs within groups benefits and costs within groups dissimilar in income, wealth, and dissimilar in income, wealth, and abilityability

• A better balancing of different A better balancing of different uses of the street- motorists, uses of the street- motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, residentscyclists, pedestrians, residents

• Increased safety for pedestrians, Increased safety for pedestrians, cyclists, residents, and transit userscyclists, residents, and transit users


Traffic Calming – Planning Process Traffic Calming – Planning Process

• Public / residents must be involved Public / residents must be involved from the beginning (neighborhood-wide from the beginning (neighborhood-wide traffic management)traffic management)

• Residents petition for traffic calming Residents petition for traffic calming (street-wide)(street-wide)

• Public Works or Engineering Public Works or Engineering Department propose- traffic calming Department propose- traffic calming strategies and devicesstrategies and devices

• Community acceptance is essentialCommunity acceptance is essential

• Traffic calming device is put on placeTraffic calming device is put on place

• Project evaluationProject evaluation

• Traffic calming device is made Traffic calming device is made permanentpermanent

Traffic Calming- SourcesTraffic Calming- Sources

www.VTPI.org

www.ITE.org (Traffic Calming: State of the Practice)www.ITE.org (Traffic Calming: State of the Practice)

www.PBIC.org

www.PPS.org

www.TrafficCalming.org

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/tcalm/index.htm http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/tcalm/index.htm

www.planning.org (Traffic Calming: PAS 456) www.planning.org (Traffic Calming: PAS 456)

http://www.io.com/~bumper/ada.htm http://www.io.com/~bumper/ada.htm

http://www.vtpi.org/

http://www.pbic.org/

http://www.pps.org/

http://www.trafficcalming.org/

Thank you!!!Thank you!!!

[email protected]@purdue.edu

Traffic Calming: Introduction and Applications June 21st, 2007 by Indraneel Kumar, AICP

Documents

Transcript of Traffic Calming: Introduction and Applications June 21st, 2007 by Indraneel Kumar, AICP