Simulating the Impact of Traffic Calming Strategies
Many communities in the United States are using traffic calming as a means to control safety in their neighborhoods. Traffic calming can range from speed humps and traffic circles to a reduction in the number of lanes as a reactive response to the traffic and speed complaints for some residents. Other well-known traffic calming may also include raised median island, traffic circle, raised crosswalk, crosswalk refuge, road diet, choker, and chicane. Although each traffic calming strategy may be different, there are certain aspects that are crucial in the overall livability of the communities. Operations of emergency vehicles is one of the issues which can be affected by traffic calming practices. While solving many problems for local residents, many types of traffic calming measures can create problems for emergency response vehicles. The designs that create diversions or obstacles and create lower average speeds for the everyday drivers, also forces the drivers of emergency response vehicles to slow down. This study will therefore use microsimulation through VISSIM and VISUM to assess the influence of traffic calming measures on speeds, travel times, route choices, model split on the level of traffic operations, road safety, and air pollution. The influence of individual traffic calming measures will be examined at a microscopic level to quantify their impact of each of the measures and their impacts to the livability of the communities.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $96307
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Contract Numbers:
DTRT13-G-UTC60 TRC-17-10
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Sponsor Organizations:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
University Transportation Centers Program
Department of Transportation
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Managing Organizations:
Transportation Research Center for Livable Communities
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI United States 49009-5316 1903 W. Michigan Avenue
Kalamazoo, MI United States 49008-5241 -
Project Managers:
Dunn, Denise
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Performing Organizations:
Nashville, TN
United States
37209
Transportation Research Center for Livable Communities
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI United States 49009-5316 -
Principal Investigators:
Chimba, Deo
Triplett, Kimberly
- Start Date: 20170815
- Expected Completion Date: 20190630
- Actual Completion Date: 0
- USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers
- Subprogram: Research
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Air pollution; Communities; Emergency vehicles; Highway safety; Impacts; Microsimulation; Operating speed; Route choice; Traffic calming; Traffic control devices; Travel time
- Identifier Terms: VISSIM (Computer model); VISUM (Computer program)
- Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01646391
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Transportation Research Center for Livable Communities
- Contract Numbers: DTRT13-G-UTC60 TRC-17-10
- Files: UTC, RiP
- Created Date: Sep 22 2017 1:02PM