28/09/2016

Traffic Calming Measures

Definition

Traffic calming is the combination of

mainly physical measures that reduce
the negative effects of motor vehicle
use, alter driver behavior and improve
conditions for no-motorized street
users.

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Main Issues
Speed and number of cars
Emergency services
School zones
Parks and recreational facilities
etc

Impacts
Residential property values
Crime reduction
Reducing noise
Speed reduction
Improve safety

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The Goal Is
Finding the balance between
The need to slow traffic on residential streets
Increase neighborhood safety and livability
And, providing prompt emergency services

The Concerns Are

Vehicle speeds
Travel / response time
Visibility of devices
Aesthetics
Maintenance practices

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Volume Control Measures

Full Closures
a.k.a. cul-de-sacs, dead ends

Full street closures are

barriers placed across a
street to completed close
the street to through-
traffic, usually leaving only
sidewalks open.

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Half-Closures
a.k.a. partial closures, one-way
closures
Half closures are barriers
that block travel in one
direction for a short
distance on otherwise two-
way streets.

Cost Estimates: $40,000 (Portland, OR)

$35,000 (Seattle, WA)
$20,500 (Austin, TX)

Half-Closures
ADVANTAGES:
Restricts movements into a street while maintaining access and movement
within the street block for residents.
Reduces cut-through traffic.
More self-enforcing and aesthetically pleasing than turn restriction signing.
Reduces crossing distances for pedestrians.
Aesthetically pleasing.
In emergency situations, emergency vehicles can travel in the restricted
direction.

DISADVANTAGES:
May divert traffic to parallel streets without traffic calming measures.
May increase trip length for some residents.
Curbside parking must be prohibited adjacent to the device.
May increase emergency response time as they maneuver around the semi-
diverter.
Maintenance responsibility.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
Bicycles are typically permitted to travel through a semi-diverter in both
directions, including the restricted direction.

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Diagonal Diverters
a.k.a. full diverters, diagonal road
closures
Diagonal diverters are
barriers placed diagonally
across an intersection,
blocking through
movement.

Median Barriers
a.k.a. median diverters, island diverters
Median barriers are islands located
along the centerline of a street and
continuing through an intersection so as
to block through movement at a cross
street.

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Forced Turn Islands

a.k.a. forced turn
channelizations, pork chops, right
turn islands
Forced turn islands are
islands on approaches to
an intersection that block
certain movements.

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Speed Control Measures

Speed Humps
a.k.a. road humps, undulations
Speed humps are rounded raised areas
placed across the road.

Cost Estimates: $2000-2500 (Portland, OR)

$2000 (Sarasota, FL)
$2000 (Seattle, WA)
$6800 (Austin, TX)

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Speed Humps

ADVANTAGES:
Reduces vehicle speed. More effective if used in a series at
300 to 500 spacing or in conjunction with other traffic calming
devices.
Can reduce vehicular volumes.
No restrictions to on-street parking.
Requires minimum maintenance.

DISADVANTAGES:
May divert traffic to parallel streets that do not have traffic
calming measures.
Increases emergency response times.
Not esthetically pleasing.

Speed Tables
a.k.a. trapezoidal humps, speed platforms
Speed tables are flat-topped speed humps
often constructed with a brick or other
textured materials on the flat section.

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Raised Crosswalks
a.k.a. raised crossings, sidewalk
extensions
Raised Crosswalks are
speed tables outfitted with
crosswalk markings and
signage to channelize
pedestrian crossings,
providing pedestrians with
a level street crossing.

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Raised Intersections
a.k.a. raised junctions, intersection humps,
plateaus
Raised intersections are flat raised
areas covering entire intersections,
with ramps on all approaches and
often with brick or other textured
materials on the flat section.

Textured Pavements
Textured Pavements, such
as brick or stone surfaces,
cause drivers to have a
slightly bumpy ride over an
extended distance, while
improving the aesthetic
quality of the street
environment.

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Traffic Circles
a.k.a. rotaries, intersection
islands
Traffic circles are islands,
placed in intersections,
around which traffic
circulates.

$ 20,000 (Berkeley)
$3,000 to $15,000 (San
Francisco);

Traffic Circles
ADVANTAGES:
Reduces vehicle speed.
Reduces vehicle conflicts at intersection.
Provides equal access to intersection for all drivers.
Does not restrict access to residents.
When landscaped, traffic circles improve the appearance of a street.

DISADVANTAGES:
A minimum of 40 feet of curbside parking must be prohibited at each
corner of the intersection.
May increase emergency response time. The construction of a
mountable curb minimizes the impact to emergency vehicles.
Can restrict access for large trucks and longer buses, and may require
that these vehicles turn left in clockwise direction (in front of the circle,
rather than around the circle).
Maintenance responsibility, if landscaped.
Requires additional traffic control signs (8-16 signs) and pavement
markings.
May increase conflicts with cyclist and pedestrians.
May divert traffic to parallel streets.

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Roundabouts
a.k.a. rotaries
Roundabouts require traffic to circulate
counterclockwise around a center
island. Unlike traffic circles, roundabouts
are used on higher volume streets to
allocate rights-of-way among competing
movements.

Chicanes
a.k.a. deviations, serpentines,
reversing curves, twists
Chicanes are curb extensions or
islands that alternate from one
side of the street to the other,
forming S-shaped curves.

Cost Estimates: $14,000 (Sarasota, FL)

$22,500 - $37,000 (Austin, TX)

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Chicanes
ADVANTAGES:
Reduces speed.
Does not restrict access to residents.
Minimal impact to emergency vehicles.
Reduces crossing distance for pedestrians.
Can be aesthetically pleasing, if landscaped.

DISADVANTAGES:
Curbside parking must be prohibited.
Maintenance responsibility, if landscaped.
May divert traffic to parallel streets.
May increase conflicts with cyclists and pedestrians.

Realigned Intersections
a.k.a. modified intersections
Realigned intersections are
changes in alignment that
convert T-intersections with
straight approaches into curving
streets meeting at right angles - a
straight shot along the top of the
T becomes a turning movement.

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Neckdowns
a.k.a. nubs, bulbouts, knuckles, intersection
narrowings, corner bulges, safe crosses
Neckdowns are curb extensions at
intersections that reduce roadway
width curb-to-curb.

Cost Estimate: $16,500 (Austin, TX)

Neckdowns

ADVANTAGES:
Reduces crossing distance for pedestrians.
May reduce cut-through traffic.
Does not restrict access to residents.
Minimal impact to emergency vehicles.
Can be aesthetically pleasing, if landscaped.

DISADVANTAGES:
Curbside parking must be prohibited to adjacent residents.
Low impact to mid-block speeding.
Maintenance responsibility, if landscaped.

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Center Island Narrowings

a.k.a. midblock medians, median
slowpoints, median chokers
Center island narrowings are
islands located along the
centerline of a street that narrow
the street at that location.

$8,000-15,000
Cost Estimates:
(Portland, OR)
$60 per linear foot
(Berkeley);
$5,000 (Sarasota, FL)

Chokers
a.k.a. pinch points, midblock
narrowings, midblock yield points,
constrictions
Chokers are curb extensions
or islands on one or both
sides of the street that narrow
the street at that location.

$7,000-10,000
Cost Estimate:
(Portland, OR)

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Jiggle bumps
Angle points
Lateral shifts

Deflector islands
Median chokers
Split medians

Speed Hump with Choker

Diverter-Closure
Center Island with Neckdown
Raised Intersection with Neckdown
Center Island with Chokers
Center Island with Tables
Raised Crosswalk with Choker
Center Island with Humps

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Effectiveness

www.trafficcalming.org

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AADT AADT AADT

www.trafficcalming.org

www.trafficcalming.org

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Public Involvement
IS CRITICAL
Residents need to feel something is being
done for them instead of to them
Street is viewed as part of the property
People become emotional
Everyone feels strongly that they should
have a say in what happens

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More Information

More Information

www.trafficcalming.org
http://www.imtt.pt/sites/IMTT/Portugues/InfraestruturasRodoviarias/InovacaoNormalizacao

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