Complete Streets
Streets aren’t just for cars anymore. Cities across the country recognize the importance of creating streets that are responsive to everyone’s needs. Complete streets provide safe access for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers. Biking and walking are environmentally-friendly and healthier alternatives to vehicle transportation.
The roads of the past catered primarily, and sometimes only, to vehicle traffic. The streets of the future give safe access to everyone.
Engineering Changes
When cities want to create more complete streets, the first thing that comes to mind is a major overhaul of their streets’ design. This might include widening or narrowing streets with curbing or structural changes. It may involve creating median islands or roundabouts. It often includes creating bus lanes or bike lanes or better pedestrian walkways. Tools like speed humps, cushions, or tables might be used to keep speeds safe.
Traffic Logix recycled rubber solutions allow cities to create a variety of customized configurations. They can help to reshape roads or create dedicated space for different users. They slow vehicle speeds to improve safety for everyone. Recycled rubber curbing and humps are quicker to install and far more versatile than asphalt.
Change without Engineering
A total overhaul of street design might be one way of creating more complete streets but it can be expensive. It is also time-consuming and sometimes impractical. However, streets can be made more complete without engineering changes too. Solutions such as driver feedback signs, variable message signs, and speed cameras are proven to slow cars down. Slower cars give better and safer access to bikers and walkers. These signs can be an integral part of complete streets. They can alleviate the need for engineering and reduce project costs when used in conjunction with better walking and biking access.
Effectiveness
Physical changes to your road let you see first-hand how cars slow down. They leave drivers with no alternative. Can solutions that simply appeal to drivers to slow down have a similar effect? Numerous studies all point to the same answer- yes. Speed signs use the feedback loop. This is the idea that when people are reminded to improve, they usually do. This increased awareness causes drivers to lower speeds, even miles down the road. For more specific data from a variety of studies, see our speed sign effectiveness page.