What is Traffic Calming?
Traffic Calming? What is it?
According to our friends at the Instutute of Transportation Engineers:
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 non-motorized street users.1
Traffic calming goals include:
- increasing the quality of life;
- incorporating the preferences and requirements of the people using the area (e.g., working, playing, residing) along the street(s), or at intersection(s);
- creating safe and attractive streets;
- helping to reduce the negative effects of motor vehicles on the environment (e.g., pollution, sprawl); and
- promoting pedestrian, cycle and transit use.1
Traffic calming objectives include:
- achieving slow speeds for motor vehicles,
- reducing collision frequency and severity,
- increasing the safety and the perception of safety for non-motorized users of the street(s),
- reducing the need for police enforcement,
- enhancing the street environment (e.g., street scaping),
- encouraging water infiltration into the ground,
- increasing access for all modes of transportation, and
- reducing cut-through motor vehicle traffic.
1Lockwood, Ian. ITE Traffic Calming Definition. ITE Journal, July 1997, pg. 22.
This excellent article just about says it all. It not only defines what traffic calming is it also provdes the objectives and goals of traffic calming devices.
As I am sure you can tell from this excerpt, the ITE traffic calming website is an excellent resource to use when you need information about speed bumps, speed humps, speed tables or any other type of traffic calming device. So check it out!