Small Moves, Big Impact

Traffic Calming

Surface enhancements have the effect of visually improving the public realm. However, surface enhancement can also have the more pragmatic effect of pacifying traffic flow, improving pedestrian experience and pedestrian sense of priority.

Introducing table crossing & shared surfaces, reducing the radius at bends and reallocating space to footways by narrowing carriageways can all affect to sooth the pace of traffic. Calmer civic space has the effect of encouraging people to remain and inhabit space, as it is perceived as safer, quieter and more comfortable. 

Pedestrianisation of the north side of Sandymount Village Green has been very successful. It is not, however, anticipated that the entire area identified for surface enhancement in the Village would be pedestrianised. Rather it could become a Shared Surface where pedestrians are prioritised while maintaining the existing passage of traffic but a slower pace. Entering a Shared Surface can have the effect of heightening a driver’s awareness of pedestrians in the vicinity, prompting more cautious driving. This represents a graded approach from full pedestrianisation, to pedestrian priority Shared Surfaces, to more typical traffic management outside the areas identified for surface enhancement.

A more detailed traffic analysis of the current configuration of the carriageways and junctions identified in this report would be necessary to determine what the traffic requirements are and how they can be accommodated while enhancing the public realm. This would require input from specialists, engagements with stakeholders and authorities, consenting processes and cost analysis.

Diagrams of potential traffic calming measures; reduced pavement radii, raised crossings & shared surfaces

Click pictures  to enlarge