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"Traffic calming"
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Managing Road Traffic Speed: Challenges, Opportunities, and New Developments
Nowadays, speeding has become a primary concern globally because of its significant impact on increasing the frequency and severity of road crashes, fuel consumption, and environmental pollution. These problems have created an urgent need for advancements in managing vehicle speeds to mitigate the negative impacts of speeding. Concerning this, strategies such as setting speed limits, traffic calming measures, police enforcement, and spot speed camera enforcement (SSCE) have been widely investigated for their suitability and impacts on speed management. Although such conventional measures are effective, depending on circumstances, in reducing vehicle speed in the vicinity of the interventions, studies have shown that their impact is limited in space, leading to the problem of event migration. The promising approaches to solving such limitations are the use of variable speed limits (VSLs), intelligent traffic calming devices, sectional speed enforcement systems (SSES), and intelligent speed adaptation (ISA) systems. Despite their limitations, conventional speed management measures are continuing to be implemented predominantly around the world because of their lower initial cost of installation and implementation. This paper provides an overview of the scientific evidence regarding the impact of state-of-the-art speed management measures on speed-related outcomes. Furthermore, it presents the current progress and prospects for advancing speed management strategies to improve road safety and environmental protection.
Journal Article
A Driving Simulator-Based Assessment of Traffic Calming Measures at High-to-Low Speed Transition Zones
Effective speed management at urban entry points is essential for ensuring traffic safety and supporting sustainable mobility in smart cities. This study contributes to urban mobility planning by using a high-fidelity driving simulation to evaluate gateway designs that enhance safety and behavioral compliance at built-up entry zones. Seven gateway configurations, comprising physical (i.e., chicanes, road narrowing) and psychological (i.e., transverse markings, avenue planting) speed calming measures, were evaluated against a reference scenario. A total of 54 participants completed a 14 km simulated route under standardized conditions, with vehicle speed, acceleration/deceleration, and lateral position continuously recorded. The strongest effects were observed in designs featuring chicanes, which achieved the largest speed reductions but also induced abrupt deceleration. In contrast, the combination of road narrowing and transverse markings resulted in a smoother and more gradual deceleration, minimizing driver discomfort and lateral instability. Psychological measures alone, such as avenue planting, had a limited impact on speed behavior. These findings highlight the importance of combining physical and psychological traffic calming measures to create effective, perceptually engaging transitions that promote safer and more consistent driver responses.
Journal Article
Traffic Calming Measures in Urban Environment: A Systematic Review
Speed is a key determinant of crash risk and injury severity, particularly on urban and secondary roads with frequent interactions between vulnerable road users. Traffic calming measures (TCMs) encompass physical, regulatory, perceptual, and technological interventions and aim to reduce operating speeds and improve safety and liveability. This study systematically evaluates the effectiveness of TCMs in reducing speed and improving safety outcomes on urban roads, following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. It encompasses the identification, screening, and synthesis of articles from the Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink databases, published between January 2020 and February 2026. Risk of bias in the included studies was assessed qualitatively by the co-authors. The assessment was conducted independently, with discrepancies resolved through discussion. A total of 91 studies were included in the review. Evidence from field studies, driving simulator experiments, and analytical, simulation, and computation-based evaluations is reviewed and structured within a three-cluster taxonomy comprising physical and geometrical measures, regulatory and perceptual interventions, and digital and technological approaches. The synthesis indicates that physically self-enforcing measures yield the most consistent reductions in speed. At the same time, regulatory and digital interventions can deliver meaningful safety benefits when implemented at scale with credible governance. Perceptual and advisory measures show more varying and context-dependent effects. The evidence base is limited by heterogeneity in study designs, short-term evaluations, and inconsistent reporting across studies.
Journal Article
Effect of Traffic Calming in a Downtown District of Szczecin, Poland
The increasing use of road vehicles has caused a number of transport and environmental issues throughout the world. To cope with them, traffic calming schemes are being increasingly implemented in built-up areas. An example of such schemes are Tempo-30 zones. The traffic calming measures applied as part of this scheme must be carefully planned in terms of location and design details in order to obtain the desired reduction in speed, traffic volume and exhaust emissions and, last but foremost, to increase the safety and facilitate the movement of vulnerable road users. The coexistence and combined effect of these measures and their design details must also be taken into account. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the applied traffic calming measures had a considerable bearing on the reduction in speed to the desired level, as assumed in the traffic calming plan. Three street sections starting and ending with different intersection types were chosen to examine the synergy of the applied traffic calming measures. The numbers and speeds of vehicles were measured in three day-long continuous surveys. As it was expected, the amount of speed reduction depended on the hourly traffic volume on a one-way street and various other traffic engineering aspects. The obtained results may be used to modify the existing speed profile models and can guide traffic engineers in choosing the most effective traffic calming measures.
Journal Article
Analysis of the efficiency of traffic lights turning red in case of exceeding speed limit
Due to the presence of various traffic calming measures (TCM) and traffic lights in urban areas, the speed of vehicles is maintained low. Nevertheless, a problem arises in the frontier between urban and non-urban areas because drivers must adapt their speed and behavior to new conditions. This risk becomes even greater in rural roads that penetrate small villages without a bypass and with a short urban segment, since drivers do not normally speed down in these segments. Various measures can be installed, but traffic lights that turn red if the speed limit is exceeded is not usually considered as a TCM in the literature. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the efficiency of traffic lights turning red in case of exceeding speed limit. The village of Ábalos in Spain was selected for this research, with an urban area of 630 m and this type of traffic lights in both directions. Results showed that drivers do not respect the speed limit - and hence, the red light - when they are placed separately. However, if they are placed next to a crosswalk, their effect is increased. Consequently, it is recommended to place these traffic lights with a crosswalk to reinforce the efficiency of both TCMs.
Journal Article
EFFECT OF TRAFFIC CALMING DEVICES ON IMPROVEMENT OF ACOUSTIC CLIMATE
Constant increase of traffic volumes exacerbates transportation problems and causes deterioration of safety and life conditions of village inhabitants in the vicinity of throughways. To reduce the adverse effect of road traffic, introduction of traffic calming devices in entry zones has been used for years. Their success in speed reduction and improvement of acoustic climate were dependent on the type of devices, their location and how frequently they were distributed along the pedestrian crossing across the throughway. The author conducted measurements of road conditions in several villages located along throughways, where single-sided chicanes were introduced in entry zones. Examination were performed on entry zones, following a long stretch of a straight road in plan view. Examinations aimed at estimating the effect of the applied traffic calming devices in village entry zones on the improvement of acoustic climate in the vicinity of the road. Measurements of traffic volume, speed and road noise were carried out at the same time on five road sections, before and after the traffic calming devices that posed physical obstacles for motorists and required bending the trajectory and then returning to the original trajectory. Measurements determined 'before' and 'after' speeds, i.e. speed reduction in free and continuous traffic. Similar noise measurements revealed noise change before and after the chicane. An analysis of results was conducted and the effect of speed reduction on noise reduction was assessed. Consequently, the effect of traffic calming devices on the improvement of acoustic climate within their effective range was concluded on the effect of chicane on speed reduction. The difference between 'before' and 'after' traffic noise is proportional to the obtained speed reduction. Hence, to reduce the adverse effects of traffic noise on inhabitants of neighboring houses located in entry zones, it is important to reduce speed to maximum levels permitted by traffic calming devices.
Conference Proceeding
Cycling through the COVID-19 Pandemic to a More Sustainable Transport Future: Evidence from Case Studies of 14 Large Bicycle-Friendly Cities in Europe and North America
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.
Journal Article
The Effect of Road Features on Vehicle Travelling Speed on Federal Roads within Malaysia
Speed is influenced by numerous roadway factors and plays a critical role in determining the operational efficiency of road facilities as well as the quality of the surrounding environment. However, excessive speeds generally result when environmental and operational elements are incompatible, sending motorists a mixed message about appropriate behaviour. This study investigated the impact of 10 specific road attributes on vehicle speed across various road conditions. Findings revealed significant associations between certain road features and vehicle speeds. Notably, the number of lanes, median width, and shoulder width were positively correlated with higher speeds, while the presence of a median, distance to hazards, streetlights, number of access points, posted speed limits, and time were negatively correlated with speed. However, average lane width did not significantly influence vehicle speed in this analysis. These findings highlight the complex interplay between road characteristics and driver behaviour, emphasizing the importance of road design in influencing speed and safety outcomes. While higher speeds may improve travel efficiency, they also increase the risk of accidents and severity of collisions. Therefore, road design should carefully balance the need for efficient traffic flow with safety considerations. Understanding these relationships can inform road design and traffic management measures aimed at optimizing traffic flow while ensuring road safety. Measures such as speed limits, traffic calming devices, and enforcement may be necessary to manage vehicle speeds effectively and enhance overall road safety.
Journal Article
Advancing Health Equity through 15-min Cities and Chrono-urbanism
Implementing the 15-min city and chrono-urbanism aims to improve sustainability and quality of life by ensuring residents’ proximity to essential services. The 15-min city model is gaining global traction, with localized adaptations to suit communities’ needs. Beyond environmental motivations, 15-min cities can benefit public health through enhanced walkability, social cohesion, and universal accessibility. However, research examining the intersection of health and equity among chrono-urbanism and the 15-min city remains limited. This study aims to develop a framework to integrate health and equity into chrono-urbanism and 15-min city plans. We describe the potential benefits and risks of the 15-min approach for urban planning, daily behaviors, and health outcomes. Potential benefits of 15-min cities for health equity include proximity to destinations, increased physical activity, strengthened social capital, reduced emissions, and traffic calming. Risks that must be mitigated include gentrification, variable proximity definitions, infrastructure upgrades, and inadequate cultural sensitivity. Recommendations to integrate 15-min cities into planning activities include conducting comprehensive baseline assessments, aligning goals with sustainability, economic development, flexible zoning, inclusive public spaces, and diverse community engagement tactics. We recommend interventions targeting marginalized communities and developing standardized measurement tools for comparison, monitoring, and evaluation. A nuanced, equitable approach to implementing 15-min cities can help urban plans support health equity across diverse populations.
Journal Article