UNIVERSITY OF GRONINGEN

Faculty of Spatial Sciences

International School of Spatial Policy Studies

Spatial Problems and Spatial policies: Dutch experience

Shared space : it is safe for non-motorize modes (case study : Haren)

Student : Indra Budi Saksono

Student Number : S2683199

Professor : Paul Van Steen

8 May 2015

Groningen
 Abstract

Shared Space is a new approach to the use and design of the public space as well as to the associated
processes of planning and decision-making also it schemes are part of a continuing development over
many years to a more integrated approach to streetscape design, a reaction to the ugliness that
resulted from an exaggerated problem solving oriented approach of traffic and transport engineering
and help emphasize the function of streets as places for people to use and enjoy. However this schema
make cyclist, pedestrian, car, truck and others motorize vehicle use space together, they space never have
separation. This paper aims to determine effectiveness that spatial policy about public share in Haren,
and then to response is public share safe cyclist.

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 Table of Contents (buat daftar isi)

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 Tables of Figures (daftar gambar)

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 1. Introduction

Shared Space is a new approach to the use and design of the public space as well as to the
associated processes of planning and decision-making also it schemes are part of a continuing
development over many years to a more integrated approach to streetscape design (a scale related more to
pedestrian effort and lower vehicle speeds, with significant safety and quality of life benefits) and help
emphasize the function of streets as places for people to use and enjoy. It is defined as integrated use of
public space by both motorized and non-motorized modes, the idea of encouraging the collaborating of
slower speed, smaller mass pedestrians or cyclists with a higher speed, larger mass vehicles, particularly
after the highpoint of widespread vehicle domination in the automobile era of the twentieth century and
pervious objectives of separating vulnerable road users from vehicles. It is evolved out of the „woonerf‟
(roughly translated as ‘yard for living’) concept (Van Der Velde & Bos, 2012) ,which is a residential area
with mixed use of traffic and other activities where cars have to slow down to a walking pace and so
accommodate other usage of the public space. The municipality of Haren is one partner in Shared space
project (Goeverden & Godefrooij, 2011). Shared space in Haren begins in 2002 with road combines
integrated with a part of the center, the intended integration were remove differences in height in the
section of the road, installing street furniture like to add red color on the road (Van Der Velde & Bos,
2012).
The goals of this paper are to determine: (1) To know how effective that design about share space
in Haren, (2) To answer is public share safe for non-motorize mode especially for cyclist. This paper
begin with a description of the idea and the function of shared space, also comparison between commonly
bicycle infrastructure with share space, and particularly the problems that it should be able to solve, in
the next section deal with the delimitation of the shared space and end paper with some conclusion

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 2. History and the Vision of Share Space

2.1 History about shared space in Netherlands

Before discussed the issue of shared space more in will be discussed first the origin of shared space in the
Netherlands and how its development. The beginnings of shared space based by the idea of Hans
Monderman a traffic engineer origin of Friesland that focus on safety on the road, he began his
experiments with a simple design of the road is by removing the separation between the way a vehicle
with a pedestrian walk, then remove all traffic signs including road humps, chicanes and road markings
(Hamilton-Baillie, 2008). The experiment location is a village in Oudehaske, Friesland where provincial
finally s known for provinces successful in developing the concept of integration between and the social
protocols for the streets and public spaces. After shared space was implemented, Monderman observed
that traffic speed diminished in the region shared space as many as 40 percen (conventional traffic
calming was only achieving reduction closer to 10 percen). With a reduced the speed of vehicles it can be
assumed number of accidents also have reduced 1. In 1992 the village of Makkinga was redesign they road
infrastructure become shared space and they became the fisrt small town remove every standar road sign,
signal and road marking. The city successful apply the concept of shared space so that will begin widely
known in the netherlands. The success of shared space make 5 (five) the intersection near the town
Oosterwolde turned follow the design of shared space in 1998. Shared space design resembling
playground ice-skating ring , with perinsip as it is not necessary all of the rules of the safety of traffic
signals occurred from each, with visual communication and provide the opportunity to those who may
need to get priority on the road as a pedestrian who want to cross the road. In 2002 the main shopping
street in the suburn town of Haren nearby Groningen City (Stad) was resdesign along shared principles.
Because success shared spaces in haren , an intersection in Laweiplein , Drachten decided to redesign in
on cutting delay in that location. Because the junction have a volume of traffic above 22,000 vehicles per
day after that the intersection redesign using a small roundabout to organize the flows and combined
with share space principel. Since that time shared space in the netherlands show the success of continuous
and increasing from year to year , and there are more or less 30 locations shared space in the
Netherlands2. Share space become popular in Netherlands because the policy makers believe it offers
good prospect for (1) efficient traffic circulation; (2) enrichment of the public realm (Hamilton-Baillie,
2008); (3) meeting the desires of the public and (4) the economic revitalization of town centers (Imrie,
R.,& Kumar, M, 2011)

1
A brief history and summary of research, can be found at http://www.shared-space.org/ -‘Project’ page

2
Detail of locations can be found at http://www.shared-space.otg/ -‘Locaties’ page
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2.2 The Vison of Share Space
According to a description on that sub section prior shared role is improved traffic behavior
should be achieved by replacing traffic rules, particularly traffic signs and typical traffic engineering
elements by informal social rules (Hamilton-Baillie, 2008). The basic formal traffic rules are still
relevant. The goal is common use of the available traffic space within a sojourn area. Especially car
drivers should be more aware of the social and cultural structure that one should adapt to Shared Space
offers a solution for the undesirable development that more and more streets. Shared space in comparison
to typical urban public spaces is that it embraces the design and management of vehicular activities (with
relatively low operating speeds3), and socially integrates various aspects of space users within the road
transport system. However, such space is typically defined as ‘road’ to make sure the public have the
basic right for travelling from one place to another. A public space in the context of a shared space is an
area situated exclusively within the road reserve. It differs from the term ‘public realm’, generally used in
urban design and landscape architecture disciplines because the ‘public realm’ definition also includes
open spaces, town centers and parks outside of the road reserve.

Figure 1 Multi-disciplinary knowledge in urban areas. (Karndacharuk, J. Wilson, & Dunn, 2014)

Figure 1 illustrates different fields of knowledge that contribute towards the development of built-up
environments within and outside the road reserve. The evolving field of urban design has interests in all
urban areas, whereas the focus of transportation engineering and planning is mainly on the public area
within the road reserve. Transport engineering usually has been accommodated largely within the civil

3
Below 30 km/ hours
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engineering discipline because of the origin in road and pavement construction, and later in vehicular
traffic management.
Shared space need for multi-disciplinary professions to work together in the development of
transport corridors and surrounding land uses to achieve an integrated solution (figure 1). The multiple
disciplines needed for successful urban street design, it is concerning to learn that the traffic engineering
profession is often singled out by shared space advocates (Hamilton-Baillie, 2008) for criticism,
especially with respect to the design and planning for motor vehicles based on the segregation principles
— that in essence contradicts the integration idea of the shared (street) space concept.
Shared Space realize twofold quality: spatial quality and democratic quality (Bettum &
Lillebye, 2011). Spatial quality is struggled for by merging knowledge and experiences from
many disciplines. Democratic quality is reached when a project is fastened within society:
involvement and shared responsibility of wide variety of people and organizations. Shares Space does not
offer a ready recipe for the organization, design and equipment of public space. An important reasoning
behind Shared Space is that by taking away traffic regulation elements and by sharing road
space, a certain feeling of insecurity is created. This is assumed to lead to a higher attention level and
thus to safer road user behavior.

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 3. Shared space in Haren

Haren was one of a small town in the metropolitan area of Groningen; the municipality of Haren is one of
the more wealthy municipalities. They was one of the successful implement shared space in the their
national road in 2002 (Van Der Velde & Bos, 2012), National road in Haren is called Rijksstraarweg
(Dutch Language). The national road is the connection between the city of Groningen and other regions.
However, since a parallel motorway has been built, the function of the road is mainly local and to some
extent regional. The road passes through the center of Haren. Figure 2 shows the location of Haren in
relative to Groningen. The Rijksstraatweg is indicated in the figure.

Shared space in Haren

Shared space, about 800 meter

Figure 2. Shared space in Haren (obtained)

In 2002 the area of shops located around national road Haren was restructured along shared space
principles. The 800 meter-long national road provides between 8,500 and 12,000 vehicles per day
through the main shopping and civic area. The former center-line road markings, traffic signals, separate
also bicycle lanes ware all removed. In their place, a simple 6 meter-wide carriageway links two major
civic spaces where the former carriageway becomes an integral part of the surrounding public spaces. The
position of trees blurs the distinction between road and public realm, and simple drainage details and low
kerbs suggest subtle demarcations. Despite traffic speeds falling by around 5 km/h, the local bus company
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reports more reliable journey times. Pedestrian’s crisscross the street between the passing traffic as the
social life of the adjacent cafés and shops merges seamlessly with the street. Still, it is the most heavily
used road in Haren. In 2004 8,200 motor vehicles were calculated on a working day (van der & E.Bos,
2012).

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 4. Bicycle Infrastructure versus Shared space design

On this chapter will talk about comparison between bicycle path with shared space to illustrate how
the position of cyclist can understand the function and rules of between the two things (bicycle path vs
shared space design)

4.1 Commonly Bicycle Infrastructure

Perhaps the most common types of bicycle infrastructure are that aim to separate cyclists from motor
vehicles. Striped bike lanes and separate paths are common in Europe and North America (Puncher, Dill,
& Handy, 2010), but many European cities also use pavement coloring and other innovations such as
“cycle tracks,” which function like a bike lane but have greater physical separation from motor vehicles
and the other innovations is contraflow lanes, it permit cyclists to ride against motor vehicle traffic on
one-way streets (Cycling Embassy of Great Britain, 2015).

Figure 3. Illustrated commonly bicycle infrastructure in Groningen (taken from bicycle excursion SPSP
Program 2015a)

Table 1. Commonly bicycle infrastructure (Pucher, Dill, & Handy, 2010; Sustrain, 2014; obtained)

Type indcator Description

Bicycle lanes are usually designated by a red stripe, a bicycle icon

on road bicycle line
off-street paths
on the pavement, and signage. The lanes are on each side of the
road, to the right of motor vehicle lanes, and are recommended to
be at least 1,5 meters wide
Off-street paths are tiled and separated from motor vehicle traffic.
They usually accommodate two-direction bicycle traffic. The

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 Type indcator Description
minimum recommended minimal width is 2,5 meter

“A shared roadway which has been designated by signing as a

preferred route for bicycle use.”(AASHTO, 1999) On behalf of this
signed bicycle routes review, these paths do not include striped lanes or other roadway
markings

Bicycle boulevards are signed bicycle routes, usually on low-traffic

streets, that also include other traffic calming features that
bicycle boulevard discourage motor vehicle traffic, such as speed bumps, diverters
and traffic circles

cycle tracks Cycle tracks are like to bike lanes, but are physically more divided
(sometimes referred to as from motor vehicles, for example with a curb, vehicle parking, or
side paths or raised bike other barriers (Fig. 1).
lane)
Paint or other methods are used to color bike lanes, creation them
colored lanes more able to be seen to motorists

Bike boxes are marked areas at a signalized crossing, in front of the

motor vehicle lane, where cyclists can wait while the light is red.
bike boxes
The boxes are proposed to make cyclists more able to be seen to
(also known as advanced
motor vehicles and give them a head start from side to side the
stop lines) (Fig. 4)
crossroads (depending on the design)

Discrete traffic signal times for bicycles at intersections can deliver

bicycle phase-traffic
time for cyclists to cross an crossing without motor vehicle traffic
signals

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4.2 Bicycle Infrastructure in shared space
Because the concept of shared space is share the common road of vehicles both with motorized or
non-motorized vehicles with pedestrian so as there is no separating facilities for that stuff. Hence no way
of a bicycle in shared space, the bicycle users share the road with the other vehicles. The design was to
make the road an integral part of the central activity. Below are the rule main design in shared space :

 Removing differences in height in the cross section of the road (fig.4).

 Making the road optically narrower.
 Installing street furniture that is typical for avenues.

Figure 4. two sections of the road before (left) and after (right) implementing shared space (Van Der Velde &
Bos, 2012)

From explaining how to use the most clearly in the area of shared space requires adaptation because the
traditional road to separate by bicycle users of motor vehicles. Early in the implementation of bicycle use
half of the pedestrian walk but now bicycle users prefer using the same line with motorize vehicles
because cyclist have more rapid cycling if using vehicle road. As that was explained before because there
is no vehicle users priority in shared space and if there is a bicycle run slowly and compulsory motor
vehicle to reduce speed. Whether it will make shared space safe from a bicycle accident? To answer that
in the next chapter will compared the level of road accident in which is located not far from a shared
space but in the area filled with traffic bicycle and still use traffic light.

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 5. Bicycle Accident report between normal bicycle infrastructures with
Shared space

Before discussion author would first discussed some article about accident in shared space. First of
all remember the Shared Space philosophy has been composed over a longer period and has been
polished and updated continuously. Some articles on Shared Space it is argued that it is ‘safe for
cyclist. The article was an assumption that when people feel insecure they will act extra carefully and
reversely, when they feel safe, they will not pay attention to potential dangers. Observations in Haren
actually show that car drivers take their right of way and push ahead. In Haren bicyclist intimidate
pedestrians; one can see that they do not always expect each other to be in the shielded street space
(Grontmij, 2004) In fact still some accidents happen (Van Der Velde & Bos, 2012). The police report
only a (minor) part of the accidents in Netherlands (Methorst, Gerlach, Boenke, & Leven, 2007). Mostly
bicycle and pedestrian accidents are often not reported to the police. This means that reliable and valid
conclusions regarding the safety of cyclists and pedestrians cannot be made. If there are no reported
accidents, it does not mean that there were no accidents (Methorst, 2003). Consequently, in
local evaluation studies the absence of described accident cannot be seen as conclusive proof of safety of
the project. At low speeds people have more time for communication and the interpretation of verbal and
non-verbal statements (figure.5).

Figure 5. driver reduce his truck speed and follow bicycle speed
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 To answer questions about bicycle accidents author use report from http:
//ongelukken.staanhier.nl /. That is private organization that supports traffic accident in Netherlands form
2007 until 2012, above 2012 they not have valid data anymore because since 2010, the police in
Netherlands no longer obliged to provide the data for source. In the report an accident that on the
information is bicycle accidents. By stating that the data used may be no up to date again. The report from
the that site displayed in google maps so the observations will be chosen as long as national roads in the
Haren which is the location of shared space (detail location in chapter 2).

Shared space
area in Haren

Figure 6. Traffic Accident in share space locaton 2007-2012 ((ongelukken.staanhier.nl, 2012), obtained)

Of the map above the blue color mean there are accidents but no serious injuries occurred while the color yellow
signify there is a serious accident but there is no death. From 2007-2012 total are 16 accidents and 15 serious
accidents in Share space area. To compare the accident rate use other road section data or the junction of accidents
that do not use share space. To choose the road for comparison because a little it will be difficult to compare the
characteristic of being very different (Harvad, 2013), the approach that was undertaken by the author is a condition
of traffic so that share space segments will be compared with segments or crossing that have the same traffic
condition. To collect the traffic condition data will use from traffic data from google maps, traffic data from google
maps is real live and accurate because Google Traffic works by analyzing locations transmitted to them (Google
Server) by a large number of cellphone users from the GPS-determined. Google is able to generate a live traffic
map from calculating the speed of users along a road. Google processes the incoming location data from the, and
then excludes anomalies like as a vehicle which frequent stops . When a particular area is well-known, the overlay
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color along roads and highways on the Google map. (NCTA, 2013). With the google maps and small observation
author will compare bicycle accidents in share space in haren between the busy intersection in Gronigen (Hereweg-
Hereburg-Stationweg-Zuiderpark). On that intersection accident has been report only 12 serious accidents although
at the junction which share space area total of serious accidents are 10, the result is total accident in intersection on
share space area are lower than typically intersection design. Why only calculate intersection only in share space
area because to make good comparation article we should compare with same carecteristic between two other.
(Harvad, 2013). Like this paper comparation between intersection with same traffic condition and with intersection
in share space area.

Figure 7. Traffic Accident in Intersection on Hereweg- Hereburg-Stationweg-Zuiderpark 2007-2012

((ongelukken.staanhier.nl, 2012), obtained)

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 6. Conclusion

With has been done the number of observations directly or indirectly (through the data and
related journal ) proven that design of shared space can reduce the number of accidents, although in the
early feel use a bicycle in share space in Haren, author did not feel comfortable with the traffic and
assume that the road with a model like this accident rate should be high but after trying to find several
reference found the fact that shared space reduce the number of accidents. Lead to a higher attention level
and thus to safer road user behavior has success to reduce accidents in that location. The increase in
safety is remarkable, because modes that have quite different speeds in normal use are mixed. The main
explanation for the increased safety is that the design tempts the faster vehicles to drive with low speeds.
The example of Haren learns that shared space can be applied for roads with a rather high volume of
motor vehicles and they success to reduce vehicle speed form 50 km/ hours become below 30 km/ hours.
This conclusion is that there is simply too little is known about Shared Space and how it (at least
in terms of safety and mobility) works to make informed decisions to do. More and more research is
urgently needed especially in safety. More research agrees a shared space can be highly beneficial. It has
the potential to increase safety significantly and lower the severance of a road.

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 References (Daftar Pustaka)

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