KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND BUILDING ENGINEERING

COURSE: HIGHER DIPLOMA IN CIVIL AND BUILDING ENGINEERING

COURSE UNIT: PAVEMENT DESIGN

TOPIC: TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES

 GROUP MEMBERS

Name Registration Number

KAPIYA PAUL 18/U/HDC/18417/PE

WATUM HILLARY 18/U/HDC/21597/WKND

BIRUNGI EDGAR 18/U/HDC/21569/WKND

LUGONVU TIMOTHY 18/U/HDC/18459/PE

MUGANZI ALLAN 18/U/HDC/18429/PE

KABUGO DENIS 18/U/HDC/18351/PE

GIKANGE GRACE 18/U/HDC/18409/PE

KAYE ENOCK 18/U/HDC/18367/PE

KIGONGO MUSAH RAYMOND 18/U/HDC/21602/PE

BUWAGUZIBWA JOEL 18/U/HDC/21586/WKND

OTEBBA VICTOR 18/U/HDC/18441/PE

OLUKA EMMANUEL 18/U/HDC/18435/PE

 TRAFFIC CALMING
Traffic calming refers to various design features and strategies intended to reduce
vehicle traffic speeds and volumes on a particular road to improve safety for
motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.
BACKGROUND
In its early development in the UK in the 1930s, traffic calming was based on the idea that residential areas should
be protected from through-traffic. Subsequently, it became valued for its ability to improve pedestrian safety and
reduce noise and air pollution from traffic.
For much of the 20th century, streets were designed by engineers who were charged only with ensuring smooth
motor vehicular traffic flow and not with fostering the other functions of streets. Traffic calming initiatives have
grown to consider other design functions as well. For example, it has been shown that car traffic severely impairs
the social and recreational functions of public streets.
Traffic engineers refer to three "E's" when discussing traffic calming:

1. Engineering,

2. Education(community), and

3. Enforcement(police).

Because neighborhood traffic management studies have shown that residents often contribute to the perceived
speeding problem within their neighborhoods, instructions on traffic calming stress that the most effective traffic
calming plans entail all three components that engineering measures alone will not produce satisfactory results.
Transport is an essential component of today’s society. It brings huge benefits, but it also has many costs. One of
the major costs is the cost related to and due to road accidents
Road based traffic calming measures have, amongst other measures, been proven to be successful in many parts of
the World in reducing the number of accidents and consequently costs to society. Definitions of traffic calming,
and the use of design features vary, but they all share the goal of
• Reducing vehicle speeds,
• Improving safety,
• Mobility for non-motorized transport and
• Enhancing quality of life by context specific design.
TYPES OF TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES
Road based traffic calming measures can be separated into two groups based on the main impact intended.
1) Volume control measures
are primarily used to address cut through traffic problems by blocking certain movements, thereby diverting traffic to
streets that are able to handle it.
1) Speed control measures
Are primarily used to address speeding problems by changing vertical alignment, changing horizontal alignment, or
narrowing the roadway.
The distinction between the two types of measures is not as clear as their names suggest, since speed control measures
frequently divert traffic to alternate routes, and volume control measures also slow down traffic flows.
Table below provides an overview of the different types of measures.
 SPEED CONTROL MEASURES
1. SPEED HUMPS
Speed humps are raised areas placed across the roadway. They are often tapered as they reach the kerb on each end to allow unimpeded drainage.
Speed Humps are good for locations where very low speeds are desired.

Advantages of speed humps

• Relatively inexpensive
• Relatively easy for bicycles to cross if designed appropriately
• Effective in slowing travel speeds.

Disadvantages of speed humps

• Causes a "rough ride" for all drivers, and can cause severe pain for people with certain skeletal disabilities.
• Forces large vehicles, such as emergency vehicles and those with rigid suspensions, to travel at slower speeds.
• May increase noise and air pollution.
• Questionable aesthetics.
2. SPEED TABLES
Speed tables are flat-topped speed humps often constructed with brick or other
textured materials on the flat section. Speed tables are typically long enough for the entire wheelbase of a passenger car to rest on the flat section.
Their long flat fields give speed tables higher design speeds than speed humps. The brick or other textured materials improve the appearance
of speed tables, draw attention to them, and may enhance safety and speed-reduction. Speed tables are good for locations where low speeds are
desired but a somewhat smooth ride is needed for larger vehicles

Advantages of speed tables.

• Smoother for large vehicles (such as fire trucks) than speed humps.
• Effective in reducing speeds, though not to the extent of speed humps.

Disadvantages of speed tables.

• Questionable aesthetics, if no textured materials are used.
• Textured materials can be expensive.
• May increase noise and air pollution.
3. ROUNDABOUTS
Roundabouts require traffic to circulate around a center island. Roundabouts are used on higher volume streets to allocate right-of-way between
competing movements. Roundabouts promote traffic calming at high accident locations, intersections where queues need to be minimized,
intersections with irregular approach geometry, providing inexpensive-to-operate traffic control as an alternative to a traffic signal, handle a high
proportion of U-turns and locations with abundant right-of-way.

Advantages of roundabouts
• Can moderate traffic speeds on an arterial.
• Generally, aesthetically pleasing if well landscaped.
• Enhanced safety compared to traffic signals.
• Can minimize queuing at the approaches to the intersection.
• They are less expensive to operate than traffic signals.

Disadvantages of roundabouts
• May be difficult for large vehicles (such as fire trucks) to circumnavigate.
• Must be designed so that the circulating lane does not encroach on the crosswalks.
• May require the elimination of some on-street parking.
• Landscaping must be maintained, either by the residents or by the municipality.
4. RAISED CROSSWALKS
Raised crosswalks are speed tables outfitted with crosswalk markings and signage to channelize pedestrian crossings, providing pedestrians with a le
Also, by raising the level of the crossing, pedestrians are more visible to approaching motorists. Raised crosswalks are good for locations where
pedestrian crossings occur at haphazard locations and vehicle speeds are excessive.

Advantages of raised crosswalks

• Improves safety for both pedestrians and vehicles.
• If designed well, they can have positive aesthetic value.
• They are effective in reducing speeds, though not to the extent of speed humps.

Disadvantages of raised crosswalks

• Textured materials can be expensive.
• Impacts on drainage need to be considered.
• They may increase noise and air pollution.
RUMBLE STRIPS
Rumble strips are essentially low bumps on the road surface that produce a noise when ridden over. They are usually formed by the use
of common road marking paint.
The spacing of the bumps is conventionally used to reduce speeds particularly when approaching a hazardous area.

Advantages of rumble strips

• Very effective at reducing vehicle speeds over a desired length.
• Are generally inexpensive
• Are not obstructive to emergency vehicles or non-motorized transport

Disadvantages of rumble strips

• Causes a "rough ride" for all drivers, and can cause severe pain for people with certain skeletal disabilities.
• Forces large vehicles, such as emergency vehicles and those with rigid suspensions, to travel at slower speeds.
• Increases noise and air pollution.
6.SPEED CUSHIONS
Speed cushions can be described essentially as being speed humps with gaps to ease access for emergency vehicles
whilst still being close enough to reduce speed of normal vehicular traffic.
7.TRAFFIC CIRCLES
Traffic circles (mini circles or mini roundabouts) are raised islands, placed in
intersections, around which traffic circulates. They are good for calming intersections, especially within
neighborhoods, where large vehicle traffic is not a major concern but speeds, volumes, and safety are problems
Advantages of traffic circles
• Very effective in moderating speeds and improving safety.
• If designed well, they can have positive aesthetic value.
• Placed at an intersection, they can calm two streets at once.
Disadvantages of traffic circles
• They are difficult for large vehicles (such as fire trucks) to circumnavigate.
• Must be designed so that the circulating lane does not encroach on the crosswalks.
• May require the elimination of some on-street parking.
8.CHICANES
Chicanes are kerb extensions that alternate from one side of the street to the other, forming S-shaped curves. Chicanes can also be created by
alternating on street parking, either diagonal or parallel, between one side of the street and the other. Each parking bay can be created either by
re-striping the roadway or by installing raised, landscaping islands at the ends of each parking bay. Good for locations where speeds are
a problem but noise associated with speed humps and related measures would be unacceptable.

Advantages of chicanes
• Discourage high speeds by forcing horizontal deflection.
• Easily negotiable by large vehicles (such as fire trucks) except under heavy traffic conditions

Disadvantages of chicanes
• Must be designed carefully to discourage drivers from deviating out of the appropriate lane.
• Kerb realignment and landscaping can be costly, especially if there are drainage issues.
• May require the elimination of some on-street parking.
9.TIGHT RADII
The radius of streets, especially corners affects traffic turning speeds. The tighter the radius, the slower the
traffic speed. Tighter radii are particularly useful for intersections with numerous pedestrians
10.BIKE LANES
The introduction of bike lanes on existing roads narrows traffic lanes thereby reducing traffic speeds and
facilitating cycling. Jinja Road around UMI is an example of a ugandan road with bike/cycle lanes
11.NECKDOWNS
Neckdowns are kerb extensions at intersections that reduce the roadway width from kerb to kerb. They
‘pedestrianise’ intersections by shortening crossing distances for pedestrians and drawing attention to
pedestrians via raised peninsulas. They also tighten the kerb radii at the corners, reducing the speeds of turning
vehicles. They are good for intersections with substantial pedestrian activity and areas where vertical traffic
calming measures would be unacceptable because of noise considerations
 ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION MEASURES
Enforcement and education measures for traffic calming include:
• Reducing speed limits near institutions such as schools and hospitals
• Vehicle activated sign, signs which react with a message if they detect a vehicle exceeding a pre-determined speed.
• Embedded pavement flashing-light systems which react to pedestrian presence at crossings to signal drivers and increase
awareness.
• Watchman, traffic calming system

SPEED LIMITS
Road speed limits are used in most countries to set the legal maximum or minimum speed at which road vehicles may travel on a
given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum or minimum permitted expressed as
kilometers per hour (km/h) and/or miles per hour (mph). Speed limits are commonly set by the legislative bodies of national or
provincial governments and enforced by national or regional police and judicial authorities. Speed limits may also be variable, or in
some places unlimited Traffic speeds of 30 km/h (20 mph) and lower are said to be more desirable on urban roads with mixed traffic as
they are found to be effective at reducing crashes and increasing community cohesion.

Speed limit enforcement techniques include: direct police action, automated systems such as speed cameras or vehicle activated signs
or traffic lights triggered by traffic exceeding a preset speed threshold. One cycling expert argues for placing direct restrictions on
motor-vehicle speed and acceleration performance
 REFERENCES

• Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limit_enforcement
• Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_calming
• Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Polizei_laser_messung.jpg