city planning 700 design studio traffic calming

Traffic CalmingMyrna Rodriguez

Traffic CalmingPurpose

• reduce vehicle speeds

• encourage motorists to drive carefully

• remove heavy car and unnecessary traffic

• enhance the environment

• reduce accidents and their severity

• Create walkability and pedestrian friendly spaces

Started in Europe

European traffic calming began as a grassroots movement in the late 1960s in Danish, German and French towns. The goal was to reduce traffic speed in walkable areas to 20-30mph.

Traffic Calming

France

History

Design for Human Scale

Signs Lights Landscaping Crosswalks Streets Public Art

Traffic Calming

Traffic calming started in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Berkeley, CA, Seattle, WA and Eugene ,OR in order to reduce the affects of motor vehicles.

U.S.

New York

Los AngelesBeverly Hills

Florida

Curitiba, Brazil

Long Beach, CADel Mar, CA

Vancouver

Speed Hump

Vertical Traffic Calming

Speed HumpsSpeed Tables

Raised CrosswalksRaised IntersectionsTextured Pavements

Speed Hump

Portland, Oregon

Speed Hump

Raised Hump

Speed TablesSafe for larger vehicles

Greater visibility

Safe for small vehicles including bikes

Decreased accidents by 45%

Cost $2K

Raised Crosswalk

Puts the pedestrian and vehicles at the same scale

Clearer visibility of one another

Raised IntersectionSlows traffic in all directionsDrainage issuesNot as affective as other traffic calming measuresMore expensive

Textured Pavements

Seattle, WA

Materials/Form

Cobblestone

Brick

Stamped

Horizontal Traffic Calming

Traffic Circles

Roundabouts

Chicanes

Realigned Intersections

Traffic Circles

Boulder, CO

Roundabouts

Higher volume streets

Chicanes

NeckdownsNubsBulboutsKnucklesNarrowingCorner BulgesSafe Crosses

Cost: $80-90K

Center Islands

Mid-Block MediansMedian SlowpointsMedian ChokersPedestrian Refuges

Portland, OR

Street Closure

Cost: $120K+

Block Party!