Evaluation of the Radar Speed Cameras and Panels Indicating the Vehicles’ Speed as Traffic Calming Measures (TCM) in Short Length Urban Areas Located along Rural Roads
Traffic calming measures (TCMs) are implemented in urban areas to reduce vehicles’ speed and, generally speaking, results are obtained. However, speed is still a problem in rural roads crossing small villages without a bypass and with short-length urban areas, since drivers do not normally reduce th...
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Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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Series: | Energies |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/23/8146 |
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author | Heriberto Pérez-Acebo Robert Ziolkowski Hernán Gonzalo-Orden |
author_facet | Heriberto Pérez-Acebo Robert Ziolkowski Hernán Gonzalo-Orden |
author_sort | Heriberto Pérez-Acebo |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Traffic calming measures (TCMs) are implemented in urban areas to reduce vehicles’ speed and, generally speaking, results are obtained. However, speed is still a problem in rural roads crossing small villages without a bypass and with short-length urban areas, since drivers do not normally reduce their speed for that short segment. Hence, various TCM can be installed. It is necessary to maintain a calm area in these short segments to improve road safety, especially for pedestrian aiming to cross the road, and to save combustible by avoiding a constant increase-decrease of speed. Four villages were selected to evaluate the efficiency of radar speed cameras and panels indicating vehicle’s speed. Results showed that the presence of radar speed cameras reduces the speed in the direction they can fine, but with a lower effect in the non-fining direction. Additionally, a positive effect was observed in the fining direction in other points, such as pedestrian crossings. Nevertheless, the effect does not last long and speed cameras may be considered as punctual measures. If the TCMs are placed far from the start of the village they are not respected. Hence, it is recommended to place them near the real start of the build-up area. Lastly, it was verified that longer urban areas make overall speed decrease. However, when drivers feel that they are arriving to the end of the urban area, due to the inexistence of buildings, they start speeding up. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:54:29Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-994ac5f83ef143809ca2affcaeefbcb4 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1996-1073 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:54:29Z |
publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Energies |
spelling | doaj.art-994ac5f83ef143809ca2affcaeefbcb42023-11-23T02:23:22ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-12-011423814610.3390/en14238146Evaluation of the Radar Speed Cameras and Panels Indicating the Vehicles’ Speed as Traffic Calming Measures (TCM) in Short Length Urban Areas Located along Rural RoadsHeriberto Pérez-Acebo0Robert Ziolkowski1Hernán Gonzalo-Orden2Mechanical Engineering Department, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, P° Rafael Moreno Pitxitxi, 2, 48013 Bilbao, SpainFaculty of Civil and Environmental Sciences, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45A, 15-351 Bialystok, PolandDepartment of Civil Engineering, University of Burgos, c/Villadiego, s/n, 09001 Burgos, SpainTraffic calming measures (TCMs) are implemented in urban areas to reduce vehicles’ speed and, generally speaking, results are obtained. However, speed is still a problem in rural roads crossing small villages without a bypass and with short-length urban areas, since drivers do not normally reduce their speed for that short segment. Hence, various TCM can be installed. It is necessary to maintain a calm area in these short segments to improve road safety, especially for pedestrian aiming to cross the road, and to save combustible by avoiding a constant increase-decrease of speed. Four villages were selected to evaluate the efficiency of radar speed cameras and panels indicating vehicle’s speed. Results showed that the presence of radar speed cameras reduces the speed in the direction they can fine, but with a lower effect in the non-fining direction. Additionally, a positive effect was observed in the fining direction in other points, such as pedestrian crossings. Nevertheless, the effect does not last long and speed cameras may be considered as punctual measures. If the TCMs are placed far from the start of the village they are not respected. Hence, it is recommended to place them near the real start of the build-up area. Lastly, it was verified that longer urban areas make overall speed decrease. However, when drivers feel that they are arriving to the end of the urban area, due to the inexistence of buildings, they start speeding up.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/23/8146traffic calming measureradar speed cameraurban arearoad safetyrural roadspedestrian |
spellingShingle | Heriberto Pérez-Acebo Robert Ziolkowski Hernán Gonzalo-Orden Evaluation of the Radar Speed Cameras and Panels Indicating the Vehicles’ Speed as Traffic Calming Measures (TCM) in Short Length Urban Areas Located along Rural Roads Energies traffic calming measure radar speed camera urban area road safety rural roads pedestrian |
title | Evaluation of the Radar Speed Cameras and Panels Indicating the Vehicles’ Speed as Traffic Calming Measures (TCM) in Short Length Urban Areas Located along Rural Roads |
title_full | Evaluation of the Radar Speed Cameras and Panels Indicating the Vehicles’ Speed as Traffic Calming Measures (TCM) in Short Length Urban Areas Located along Rural Roads |
title_fullStr | Evaluation of the Radar Speed Cameras and Panels Indicating the Vehicles’ Speed as Traffic Calming Measures (TCM) in Short Length Urban Areas Located along Rural Roads |
title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of the Radar Speed Cameras and Panels Indicating the Vehicles’ Speed as Traffic Calming Measures (TCM) in Short Length Urban Areas Located along Rural Roads |
title_short | Evaluation of the Radar Speed Cameras and Panels Indicating the Vehicles’ Speed as Traffic Calming Measures (TCM) in Short Length Urban Areas Located along Rural Roads |
title_sort | evaluation of the radar speed cameras and panels indicating the vehicles speed as traffic calming measures tcm in short length urban areas located along rural roads |
topic | traffic calming measure radar speed camera urban area road safety rural roads pedestrian |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/23/8146 |
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