Abstract: This survey studies how the design guidelines for speed limits in urban areas are followed and how they need to be developed. The research focuses on roads marked as urban roads, a total of 2,470 km. The survey created a road classification for the urban roads based on the speed limit design guidelines using position data and compared the speed limits in use with the guidelines. The road classification based on position data that takes into account all roads in the same manner is different from a classification based on local knowledge. Thus the statistical review results are somewhat subject to interpretation. Based on the statistical review, the speed limits used on urban roads are usually higher than the guideline states. According to the speed limit guidelines, the most generally applicable speed limit is in use on 26% of all the urban roads (640 km). The higher speed limit given in the guidelines that is suitable for especially safe roads is in use on 53% of the roads (1,310 km) and an even higher speed limit on 19% of the roads (470 km). The most important observed differences between the urban area speed limit design guidelines and the actual speed limits are: 1) Speed limit 30 km/h is hardly in use on urban roads. Speed limit 40 km/h (960 km or 39% of the roads) is common in densely populated areas, in downtown areas and close to schools, where the speed limit 30 km/h should be used according to the guidelines. 2) Speed limit 50 km/h (1,100 km or 45% of the roads) is often used in areas where there are houses as a string along the road. Whether or not the 50 km/h speed limit is too high for such roads depends on how the urban area speed limit design guidelines are interpreted. 3) Speed limit 60 km/h (388 km or 16% of the roads) has been used in road areas where light traffic crosses the road without a pedestrian crossing including traffic lights. This goes against the guidelines. This speed limit may have been used because there is only a little light traffic in these areas. The views of road districts regarding speed limits were studied by means of an e-mail survey. The road districts stated that the speed limits for urban areas are more or less in line with the speed limit design guidelines for urbants, deviations from the guidelines have mainly been made in the case of main roads near urban areas where there are no houses and in fairly densely populated areas. The guidelines were deemed a good tool, they are no longer as actively used as at the beginning of the new millennium. Based on the replies from the road districts, there is no urgent need to develop the guidelines further. As a conclusion from the survey, it is proposed that FINNRA implements some policies regarding the interpretation of the urban area speed limit design guidelines. This report may be found at http://alk.tiehallinto.fi/julkaisut/pdf2/3201113-v-taajamien_nopeusraj_jarjest_tila.pdf
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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