Eight Traffic Calming “Easy Pieces” to Shape the Everyday Pedestrian Realm

Abstract

The need for safe pedestrian movement implies subtracting and modifying space dedicated to vehicles, especially in urban areas. Traffic control measures aim to reduce or modify the width of the carriageway and force the correct use of the space by pedestrians through two approaches: the former is hard and includes physical barriers and the latter is soft and induces psychological fashion effects on the drivers. This paper presents vertical and horizontal devices integrated by landscaping, planting, or other similar works to slow motor vehicle speed, narrow traffic lanes, and/or create smaller distances for pedestrian crossings. Mobility and boundary issues are considered to discuss their warrants and potential impacts. Indeed, the effects of speed or volume treatments should be investigated through a comprehensive multicriteria analysis without overlooking pedestrian level of service, access and connectivity to residents and emergency vehicles, drainage and snow issues, loss of on-street parking lots, and environmental goals in terms of noise and emissions to air reduction.