Traffic calming solutions “beyond speed humps”.
In the search for solutions to improve road safety and quality of life in urban environments, the traditional approach of installing speed humps as a traffic calming measure is evolving towards a model that also improves the city from the pedestrian’s perspective. To this end, urban planning is emerging as an innovative strategy that goes beyond traditional solutions, achieving traffic calming in a way that is virtually imperceptible to the driver. However, despite the proven effectiveness of these measures in urban environments, it is crucial to consider the role of public transport in city centers, and it is always necessary to evaluate all bus routes to avoid conflicts at turns and ensure the passage of heavy vehicles, in addition to considering loading and unloading zones or other heavy vehicle generating points.
LANE NARROWING
One of the best-known strategies for reducing speeds and promoting safety in urban areas is lane narrowing. By limiting the space for traffic, it encourages driver caution and minimizes accidents.This approach also offers opportunities to improve the quality of the urban environment by allocating additional space for wider sidewalks, bicycle facilities and green projects. This measure, properly implemented, creates safer and more efficient streets, benefiting the users of the environment.
Lane narrowing
RADIUS MODIFICATION
This measure decreases the space available for vehicles to make high-speed turns, promoting more careful and conscious driving. Drivers are forced to reduce their speed before the intersection, improving reaction time in case of unexpected situations.
Radius modification
PINCHPOINT
A “pinchpoint” or “pinch point” is another technique that involves narrowing a street at a specific point through the use of features such as alternate parking, curb extensions or curb islands.
Pinchpoint
CHICANES AND LANE SHIFTS
Chicanes consist of a series of “S” shaped obstacles or curves that are installed along the roadway, alternating the side of the road on which they are located. These obstacles can be formed by elements such as curb extensions, curb islands, or even parked vehicles.
Chicanes and lane shifts
ROUNDABOUTS
By forcing drivers to slow down and yield to those already traveling in the traffic circle, they provide a calmer, more controlled environment compared to traditional intersections. This minimizes the possibility of collisions, average road speeds and encourages more attentive and aware driving.
Roundabouts
PAVEMENT CHANGE
When a different pavement is used in a specific area of the street, it creates a perceptible sensation for drivers. For example, you can change from asphalt to cobblestones or rough pavement. This acts as a subconscious signal to drivers to slow down as they perceive a change in the texture and sound of the tires.
Change of pavement
DIVERTERS
Diverters or redirection devices are an effective tool for traffic calming in urban areas. These elements are used strategically to modify the flow of traffic, discouraging the circulation of vehicles in certain directions or restricting access to certain streets. This has several beneficial effects for urban traffic, such as reducing speeds, prioritizing pedestrian and cycling space, and encouraging alternative routes that redirect vehicles to less congested areas.
Diverters
SHARED STREETS
Shared streets are an effective strategy for calming traffic and improving safety in urban environments. The presence of other road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, encourages drivers to slow down.
Shared streets
In addition to these measures, which permanently modify the configuration of a roadway, there are other strategies that use only paint to reduce vehicle speed, creating an optical illusion that influences driver behavior through visual perception. A common technique is the creation of visual patterns on the pavement that, although they are simply paint, create the illusion of obstacles or narrowing of the road. These visual elements provoke a psychological reaction in drivers, inducing them to reduce their speed in a natural way, without requiring physical changes in the road structure. In conclusion, numerous studies globally have shown that smart city planning can actually make our streets safer. The combination of permanent changes and temporary visual tricks becomes a comprehensive way to improve road safety in a creative way, making it virtually unnoticeable to the driver while improving pedestrian perception.
