Identification of the Determinants of the Effectiveness of On-Road Chicanes in Transition Zones to Villages Subject to a 70 km/h Speed Limit

Alicja Sołowczuk and Dominik Kacprzak
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Alicja Sołowczuk: Road and Bridge Department, West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, 71-311 Szczecin, Poland
Dominik Kacprzak: Road and Bridge Department, West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, 71-311 Szczecin, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-31

Abstract: In recent decades traffic calming, especially in villages situated on through roads, has become an urgent issue. Various schemes are applied in the transition zones to reduce the inbound traffic speeds and thus improve the traffic safety. The studies conducted in several countries point to different determinants of the speed reduction obtained in this way. This article deals with the schemes including a central island horizontally deflecting one lane, located in transition zones to villages with 70 km/h speed restriction on two-lane roads (6 m carriageway width). In order to identify the speed reduction determinants, the speeds before and after chicanes were measured and the effect of the three criteria was investigated, characterising: the traffic management scheme, road design parameters, landscape elements present in the surroundings of the transition zone and visibility conditions. Based on the confirmation of logical tautology of many pre-selected factors, one aggregate parameter was proposed for the assessment of the practicable level of speed reduction, combining the effect of the selected factors in the above-mentioned criteria. Statistical analysis of the obtained results confirmed a statistically significant relationship between both the speed reduction value and the speed reduction index, and the aggregate parameter proposed by the authors. Factors related to the surrounding landscape and visibility conditions were found to have the greatest direct effect on speed reduction. The chicanes chosen in the final step of the proposed design process should be enhanced by additional solar-powered elements ensuring their improved visibility. These devices should not, however, require any additional energy supply and should not increase the construction or maintenance costs.

Keywords: traffic calming; transition zone; chicane; speed restriction; speed reduction; solar cells (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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