•An evaluation of speed tables with other traffic calming devices has been carried out.•Speed data was collected using an android speedometer application.•Speed profiles have demonstrated ...effectiveness of the TCMs.•Community acceptance survey has indicated positive attitude of public towards TCMs.•Speed tables with pinch points should be considered when implementing pedestrian crossings.
Traffic Calming Measures (TCMs) are believed to be most effective in mitigating road safety issues when combined together as part of a traffic calming scheme. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of speed tables in combination with other TCMs in reducing vehicle speed while simultaneously assessing their acceptance by the community in Mauritius. Four speed table design combinations implemented at identified high risk road segments were analysed in this research. These are: (1) Speed table in combination with rumble strips and changed surfacing; (2) Speed table in combination with pinch points and changed surfacing; (3) Speed table and changed surfacing; and (4) Two speed tables in combination with round-top humps and changed surfacing. On-site surveys were carried out using the moving car method and android speedometer application for spot speed measurements and face-to-face questionnaire interviews to gauge community acceptance. All four design combinations were found to result into a speed reduction of between 30 and 50% at the centre of the traffic calmed zone. However, it was observed that rumble strips did not have the desired effect of reducing vehicular speed and were not favoured by people in the community due to noise and vibration associated with them. Additionally, the community acceptance survey indicated that the public generally viewed speed table combinations as having positive impact on road user safety, with people finding that a pavement with rough surface texture and a change in colour would provide the highest impact for speed reduction. The study has shown that policy makers should consider speed tables in combination with pinch points for implementation where pedestrian crossings are required while speed tables with humps should be considered outside residential areas to minimise disturbance.
Complete Streets projects can bring multifaceted benefits but before-and-after analysis regarding their mobility and accessibility outcomes is quite limited in practice. This study used emerging data ...sources to conduct longitudinal project outcome evaluations. Two projects from Louisiana were selected as case studies for demonstration. The two projects did not induce heavier congestion in a pilot analysis region. One project with sidewalks/bike lanes contributes to traffic calming in an urban context, while the other project consisting only of a widened shoulder marked for bicycle use may raise speeding concerns in a rural context. Both projects are likely to bring accessibility benefits as they attract more businesses and longer visits. The authors also noted data source and outcome measure challenges in different contexts. The proposed evaluation approach and identified data gaps will benefit the private sector in diversifying/improving their data products and facilitate the public sector in making more data-driven decisions.
Altering micro-scale features of neighborhood walkability (e.g., benches, sidewalks, and cues of social disorganization or crime) could be a relatively cost-effective method of creating environments ...that are conducive to active living. Traditionally, measuring the micro-scale environment has required researchers to perform observational audits. Technological advances have led to the development of virtual audits as alternatives to observational field audits with the enviable properties of cost-efficiency from elimination of travel time and increased safety for auditors. This study examined the reliability of the Virtual Systematic Tool for Evaluating Pedestrian Streetscapes (Virtual-STEPS), a Google Street View-based auditing tool specifically designed to remotely assess micro-scale characteristics of the built environment.
We created Virtual-STEPS, a tool with 40 items categorized into 6 domains (pedestrian infrastructure, traffic calming and streets, building characteristics, bicycling infrastructure, transit, and aesthetics). Items were selected based on their past abilities to predict active living and on their feasibility for a virtual auditing tool. Two raters performed virtual and field audits of street segments in Montreal neighborhoods stratified by the Walkscore that was used to determine the 'walking-friendliness' of a neighborhood. The reliability between virtual and field audits (n = 40), as well as inter-rater reliability (n = 60) were assessed using percent agreement, Cohen's Kappa statistic, and the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient.
Virtual audits and field audits (excluding travel time) took similar amounts of time to perform (9.8 versus 8.2 min). Percentage agreement between virtual and field audits, and for inter-rater agreement was 80% or more for the majority of items included in the Virtual-STEPS tool. There was high reliability between virtual and field audits with Kappa and ICC statistics indicating that 20 out of 40 (50.0%) items had almost perfect agreement and 13 (32.5%) items had substantial agreement. Inter-rater reliability was also high with 17 items (42.5%) with almost perfect agreement and 11 (27.5%) items with substantial agreement.
Virtual-STEPS is a reliable tool. Tools that measure the micro-scale environment are important because changing this environment could be a relatively cost-effective method of creating environments that are conducive to active living.
In this study, six residential areas within Klang valley in Malaysia were selected to evaluate the perceptions of the residents on whether road humps had actually improved the living environment ...through reduction in traffic speed and noise level of the moving vehicles. About 480 duly filled-in questionnaires were used in this study. Two binary logistic regression models were developed, one evaluating factors that influence residents’ perceptions on whether road humps had any effect on improving living environment through reduction in the noise level of the vehicles (model 1) and the other on improving living environment through reduction in the speed of the vehicles (model 2). Overall, the results show that the residents were more likely to agree that road humps had, indeed, improved their living environment through reduction in traffic speeds as compared to traffic noise.
Speed bumps are a common speeding prevention measure used to protect vulnerable road users, i.e. pedestrians and cyclists, near crosswalks in urban areas. They are also used to reduce traffic ...volumes, prevent overtaking, and allow a change in driving routine. However, conventional speed bumps have certain shortcomings, such as reduced driving comfort for all road users, potential vehicle damage and associated repair costs, delays for emergency vehicles and public transport vehicles, longer travel times and congestion, difficulties with snow removal in winter, the formation of ruts and potholes before or after such obstacles, and an increase in fuel consumption, traffic noise, and emissions of harmful gasses during braking and accelerating. Consequently, in recent years, intensive work has been done to solve the above problems by developing so-called intelligent speed bumps. Although evaluating the performance of these intelligent speed bumps in real-world environments is not yet widely available in scientific research, numerous patents have been filed in this field over the years. This paper provides an overview of several intelligent speed bumps that have been developed in recent years and discusses the results of investigations conducted on one such speed bump that is already widely used in practice.
The aim of this study is to assess the potential of Spherical Cap Studs (SCS) as a substitute for conventional speed bumps, with a focus on limiting two wheeler speed while minimizing discomfort to ...riders by comparing the speed reduction capabilities and discomfort levels associated with SCS and speed bumps.
The study uses experimental approach to compare the speed limiting ability and discomfort caused to rider by the proposed SCS and a standard speed bump. Speed profiles were developed for two wheelers passing over both SCS and speed bump. The parameter employed to compare speed profiles is the Mean Absolute Percentage Difference (MAPD), offering valuable insights into how effectively the two traffic calming measures reduce two wheeler speeds. To compare discomfort, the study calculates the 'Vibration Dose Value' (VDV) experienced by riders when traversing both speed bump and SCS. Additionally, 'Static Compressive Stress' (S
e
) applied to the spinal cord is also calculated in both scenarios.
The analysis of speed profiles reveals an MAPD value of 13.70% indicating that SCS exhibits speed reduction capabilities comparable to traditional speed bump. In terms of discomfort, the VDV for two wheelers passing over a speed bump is measured at 5.92 m/s
1.75
, whereas the VDV for SCS is found to be 5.16 m/s
1.75
. Similarly, the Static Compressive Stress (S
e
) experienced at a speed bump is 0.60 MPa, in contrast to the 0.33 MPa recorded for SCS. This data underscores a noteworthy 12.8% reduction in VDV and a substantial 45.57% reduction in S
e
.
The study's findings support the potential adoption of SCS as an effective alternative to conventional speed bumps for controlling two wheeler speeds. SCS demonstrate a speed reduction capability similar to that of traditional speed bumps while significantly alleviating discomfort for riders. SCS is expected to be a promising solution for traffic calming purposes in various settings, such as markets, residential areas, institutional campuses, and parking lots.
•Analysis of fatal nighttime pedestrian collisions 2002–2017 using FARS data.•Post-2009 fatality increase most strongly correlated with infrastructure factors.•Unmarked non-intersections saw 80.8% of ...additional fatalities and arterials 81.1%.•40–45 mph roads (54.6% of additional); five-lane roads (40.7%); urban (99.7%).•SUVs involved in 39.7% of additional fatalities, overrepresenting fleet share.•Age of pedestrians killed increased more (18.1%) than the national average (3.2%).
Introduction: Pedestrian fatalities in the United States increased 45.5% between 2009 and 2017. More than 85% of those additional pedestrian fatalities occurred at night. Method: We examine Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data for fatal pedestrian crashes that occurred in the dark between 2002 and 2017. Within-variable and before/after examinations of crashes in terms of infrastructure, user, vehicle, and situational characteristics are performed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and two-sample t-tests. We model changes in crash characteristic proportions between 2002–2009 and 2010–2017 using linear regressions and test for autocorrelation with Breusch-Godfrey tests. Results: The increase in fatal nighttime pedestrian crashes is most strongly correlated with infrastructure factors: non-intersection unmarked locations (saw 80.8% of additional fatalities); 40–45 mph roads (54.6%); five-lane roads (40.7%); urban (99.7%); and arterials (81.1%). In addition, SUVs were involved in 39.7% of additional fatalities, overrepresenting their share of the fleet. Increased pedestrian alcohol and drug involvement warrant further investigation. The age of pedestrians killed increased more (18.1%) than the national average (3.2%). Conclusions: By identifying factors related to the increase in nighttime pedestrian fatalities, this work constitutes a vital first step in making our streets safer for pedestrians. Practical Applications: More research is needed to understand the efficacy of different solutions, but this paper provides guidance for such future research. Engineering solutions such as road diets or traffic calming may be used to improve identified infrastructure issues by reducing vehicle speeds and road widths. Rethinking vehicle design, especially high front profiles, may improve vehicle issues. However, the problems giving rise to these pedestrian fatalities are likely a result of not only engineering issues but also interrelated social and political factors. Solutions may be correspondingly comprehensive, employing non-linear, systems-based approaches such as Safe Systems.
Traffic calming merupakan salah satu cara yang dapat digunakan untuk mengelola kecepatan. Salah satu jenis traffic calming yang terbukti efektif mereduksi kecepatan dan mengurangi volume lalu lintas ...adalah chicane. Namun sayangnya chicane tidak popular digunakan di Indonesia. Untuk itu penelitian ini bermaksud untuk menguji efektivitas chicane dalam mereduksi kecepatan kendaraan agar dapat menjadi alternatif traffic calming di Indonesia. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah simulasi lapangan dengan menggunakan taffic cone dan rambu portable dalam mengimplementasikan chicane. Model chicane yang digunakan adalah model chicane dari Pedoman Perencanaan Fasilitas Pengendali Kecepatan Lalu Lintas (model 1) dan Pennsylvania’s Traffic Calming Handbook (model 2). Lokasi studi merupakan jalan lokal yang menjadi blacksite, yaitu Jalan Pemuda Kabupaten Kebumen, Jawa Tengah, Indonesia. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kedua model chicane efektif dalam mereduksi kecepatan. Chicane model 1 mampu mereduksi kecepatan pada masing-masing arah sebesar 20% dan 17%, sedangkan pada model 2 sebesar 38,2% dan 39,6%. Namun demikian, kapasitas jalan pada saat implementasi chicane model 2 mengalami penurunan yang sangat drastis, dari kapasitas jalan sebesar 1.516,54 smp/jam pada kondisi eksisting menjadi sebesar 1.527 smp/jam. Oleh karena itu, chicane model 1 lebih disarankan untuk diimplementasikan pada lokasi studi dengan kombinasi pita penggaduh sebelum memasuki chicane
This article examines the impact of COVID-19 on cycling levels and government policies toward cycling over the period 2019 to 2021. We analyze national aggregate data from automatic bicycle counters ...for 13 countries in Europe and North America to determine month-by-month and year-to-year changes in cycling levels in 2020 and 2021 compared to 2019. That aggregate analysis is complemented by case studies of 14 cities in the USA, Canada, the UK, Belgium, France, Spain, and Germany. Although there was much variation over time, among countries, and among cities, cycling levels generally increased from 2019 to 2021, mainly due to growth in cycling for recreation and exercise. In contrast, daily trips to work and education declined. All 14 of the cities we examined in the case studies reported large increases in government support of cycling, both in funding as well as in infrastructure. Bikeway networks were expanded and improved, usually with protected cycling facilities that separate cyclists from motorized traffic. Other pro-cycling measures included restrictions on motor vehicles, such as reducing speed limits, excluding through traffic from residential neighborhoods, banning car access to some streets, and re-allocating roadway space to bicycles. Car-restrictive measures became politically possible due to the COVID-19 crisis.
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