Traffic Calming Measures

Sudershan K Popli, FIE

General Manager (Highways)
Unit Head : Road Safety
Email: poplisk@gmail.com
(M) + 91 9999 797 135

FICCI Safety Manager Award (2017)

NHAI Safety Award (2018)
RITES Safety Expert Award (2019)
RITES Overview
 A Mini Ratna (Category-I) Schedule ‘A’ Central Public Sector
Enterprise (CPSE) Listed Company, under Ministry of Railways

 Experience spanning over 45 years in over 55 countries

 Leading multi-disciplinary engineering and consultancy

organization

 Providing diversified and comprehensive array of services from

concept to commissioning in transport infrastructure space

 Design, engineering and consultancy services in transport

infrastructure sector railways, urban transport, roads and highways,
ports including land ports, inland waterways, airports and ropeways
 Why Traffic Calming ?
 Heterogeneous Traffic Movement on Indian Roads

 Different Category of Vehicles have wide difference in

their operating Characteristics

 Highways Passing through Towns and Villages shared

the same highway

So, Adopt Traffic Calming to Achieve Safe,

Reliable and efficient traffic movement through
Towns and Villages
Probability of Pedestrian Fatal Injury Vs Car Speed
Pedestrian Death & Injuries Vs Mean Speed
Traffic Calming

 Reduce speed of vehicle

 Reduce Accidents
 Promote safe and pleasant conditions for motorists,
bicyclists, pedestrians and residents cyclist

 To reduce pollution and improve the environment

and livability

 To improve real and perceived safety for non-

motorized traffic
Traffic Calming

Traffic Calming can reduce accidents upto 40 %

 Reduce Average Speed upto 30 kmph
 Reduce Severity of Accidents
 Reduce Pollution
 Overall Economic Gain
Traffic Calming Techniques

TRAFFIC CALMING
TECHNIQUES

ACTIVE or PASSIVE or
Design Enforced Law Enforced

PHYSICAL WARNING ELCTRONIC

Rumble Strips, Humps, Platform, Speed Camera, Electronic
Speed Caution Warning Sign

ROAD DESIGN VISUAL

Roundabout, Traffic Circle Staggering Gates, Signs & Markings

VEHICLE DESIGN MANUAL

Vehicle with Intelligent Speed Adaption Police Enforcement
Active or Design Enforced
Traffic Calming Technique
Highly Effective and Require Low Investment
Technique/ Method Successful Example
Intervention
Physical signal Influences driver Road hump, Rumble strips,
to driver behavior by means of Raised crossing, Plat-form
jerks and vibration to junction raised at pavement
the vehicle level, Speed Table and
Ramps
Psychological Directly affecting his Carriageway width
signal to driver risk perception by construction, Chicanes,
visual or audio means Corner blips, Planted
central reservations , Bends
in the traffic route etc
 Active or Design
Enforced Traffic
Calming Techniques
Lane Narrowing
Lane narrowing can reduce the speed of cars
but minimal effects on two wheelers.

Lane Narrowing Two- lane slow point

Speed Breakers/Humps
1. Speed Breakers/Humps are most effective in
Speed Reduction and depends upon
 Height
 Gradient
 Length
 Material
2. Types of Speed Breakers/Humps
i. Circular/Trapezoidal Hump
ii. Rumble Strip
iii. Speed Table
iv. Transverse Bar Marking
v. Raised Crossing
Circular Humps
Chord Length and Height varied for different Speed Reductions
Circular Humps
Trapezoidal Humps
Flat Portion at Height to facilitate Pedestrian Crossing
 Trapezoidal Hump

Height=50-100mm
Ramp =3.4m to 4m
Gradient = 2.5% to 3%
Rumble Strips
Provided on NH & SH where speed reduction is unavoidable
 Provide on Carriageway
and Shoulders
 Provided on Approach
to Narrow Bridges
 Approach to Rail-Road
Crossing
 On Accident Prone
Locations due to
Departure of high speed
vehicles
Raised Bar Markings
Provided on NH & SH to Alert Driver for Speed reduction
 Provide 6 nos. bars, 200-
300mm wide, 600mm
apart and 5mm high on
Carriageway
 Provide 6 nos. bars,
300mm wide, 1000mm
apart and 15mm high on
Carriageway
Traffic Calming Raised Bar Markings

Transverse Bar Marking as an Alerting Measure

Traffic Calming Raised Bar Markings
 Speed Tables
Provided on Roads having Considerable Buses
 Provide on full width of
Carriageway between
kerbs
 Provide Top width
sufficient to
accommodate full wheel
base of bus
 Surface Material is
different from
Carriageway and
Footpath
Raised Crossing
Provided on Minor Roads to Reduce Conflicts between Cars
and Non Motorised Traffic
Raised Intersection
Provided on Intersection and its legs to reduce the speeds
uniformly of all approaching vehicles without affecting cyclists
Textured Pavements
Provided on full carriageway and effective in reducing speeds
such as Granite Cobble Stone Paving
Roundabouts
Roundabout

Conflicts Reduction by Roundabout

Mini Roundabout
These are useful in slow speed urban
environment
Mini Roundabout
Others Measures Used Internationally

 Staggering
 Chicanes
 Chokers
 And realigned of intersection etc
Traffic Calming Techniques
Staggering :

Staggering - One Lane

Staggering - Two Lane

Traffic Calming Techniques
Chicane

Staggering of Side Roads

 Passive or Law
Enforced Traffic
Calming Techniques
Passive Traffic Calming Technique

 Speed Cameras
 Electronic Speed Warnings
 Restrictions Imposed by Manually by
Police
Visual warning or Pre-warning
 Road Sign (IRC: 67) : Speed Limit Signs

 Feedback Sign : Real time feedback to driver about

Vehicle speed

 Pavement Markings (IRC:35)

 Gates

 3-Dimensional Marking on Road

 Highway Lighting

 Red/Amber Light Blinkers

Traffic Calming
Techniques in
Urban Areas
Traffic Calming Techniques

1. Vertical Deflection

2. Horizontal Deflection

3. Road Narrowing

4. Central Islands
Vertical Deflection

Vertical shifts in the carriageway are the most effective

and reliable of speed reduction measure such as

 Speed Breaker/Road Hump

 Speed Bumps
 Speed Table
 Uneven Road Surface and Stone Set Pavement
Speed Bump - Used on Local Streets

Precast and Ready to Install Bumps

Gap in Bump is a Traffic Hazard

Speed Table – Raised Pedestrian Crossing
Horizontal Deflection

 Chicane
 Road Narrowing
 Central Island
Horizontal Deflection

Chicane Island to Deflect the Traffic

Traffic Calming Measures at Road Junction

1. Vertical Deflection
2. Change in Alignment
3. Reduction of Junction Area by providing Islands
4. Pedestrian Refuge in Medians
5. Special Junction Form (Roundabout)
Poorly Constructed Road Humps
Series of Road Humps
Humps Constructed Poorly
Conclusions

 Traffic Calming reduces adverse impacts of motor

vehicles

 Reduces conflicts between motorist & pedestrians/ cyclist

 Accidents and its severity can be minimized significantly

by
i. Making Main Road Self Explaining
ii. Making Minor Road Self Enforcing
Let us Join Hands to Make our Roads
Beautiful and Safer

Thank You All