Jump to content

Traffic Calming


Jerseyman4

Recommended Posts


  • Replies 8
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I used to work for the engineering firm that did the traffic calming work in Grandin Village, and a friend of mine worked on the Southeast Roanoke project at another firm. I think the projects had good intentions, but that's also what paves the road to hell!

The Grandin project adresses that neighborhood's concerns somewhat realistically, but the Southest project is a little fractured.

The means used to control traffic in Southeast are concrete medians in the middle of travel lanes going the same direction and sudden but gentle curves in what was previously a straight city street. It's caused more accidents and the traffic has not been noticably calmer since the project was completed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't know how well all this would go down in Va. Beach. It just seems like an invitation to a traffic nightmare to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We use traffic calming in transit villages here in Jersey. Curb bulbouts at intersections put pedestrians waiting to cross the street directly in drivers' view. Well-marked crosswalks with yield tags in the middle of the street make pedestrian crossings a bit safer. Running light rail on streets has also calmed traffic in places like Jersey City. You can only go so fast with a 15-mph train in front of you haha.

Also, ever seen a Dutch woonerf?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We use traffic calming in transit villages here in Jersey.  Curb bulbouts at intersections put pedestrians waiting to cross the street directly in drivers' view.  Well-marked crosswalks with yield tags in the middle of the street make pedestrian crossings a bit safer.  Running light rail on streets has also calmed traffic in places like Jersey City.  You can only go so fast with a 15-mph train in front of you  haha. 

Also, ever seen a Dutch woonerf?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know we're in a Virginia forum :thumbsup: but also in Jersey, they did the curb bulbouts on Amboy Ave in the Clara Barton section of Edison. The whole idea of it among other stuff they have done such as new sidewalks and heritage flags is to revitilize that part of Edison into a downtown. The intention is good in terms of keeping as many conviences within a 1-2 mile radius to attempt motorists not to travel so far to run errands, shopping or dine out. Clara Barton will take some time (maybe a long long time) for it to ever reach a Metuchen or Highland Park status in terms of high pedestrian traffic and retail.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Continuing on the tangent, sorry.

Jerseyman, wasn't Metuchen the downtown for Edison Twp before it incorporated itself? I think I heard that somewhere.

I yahoo mapped Amboy Ave. Is that adjacent to Fords & Woodbridge? I'm really unfamiliar with that area. I expected Edison to try and make Raritan Center a downtown before anything else. Haha.

Speaking of cool things in Edison have you been to the Indian community on Oak Tree Road? I've been wanting to go for some time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

Just from personal observation I would say the Grandin project was and is a good idea it just wasn't carried out right. I do my laundry at the Grandin Rd Laundromat and since I can't stand to sit inside I usually sit in my car or walk around the neighborhood. Anyway I think that the calming should have been extended up Grandin a couple blocks to be effective. Since summer I've seen 3 wrecks and a dozen or more close calls. Just yesterday I saw a pickup truck miss a pedestrian by inches while doing at least 40mph. If the calming features started a block or 2 up it would force drivers to slow down before they get to the main pedestrian area, in theory anyway.

It just amazes me how fast people drive through that area. Makes me wonder if they are stupid or just straight up a**holes. From personal experience I'm leaning towards the latter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just from personal observation I would say the Grandin project was and is a good idea it just wasn't carried out right. I do my laundry at the Grandin Rd Laundromat and since I can't stand to sit inside I usually sit in my car or walk around the neighborhood. Anyway I think that the calming should have been extended up Grandin a couple blocks to be effective. Since summer I've seen 3 wrecks and a dozen or more close calls. Just yesterday I saw a pickup truck miss a pedestrian by inches while doing at least 40mph. If the calming features started a block or 2 up it would force drivers to slow down before they get to the main pedestrian area, in theory anyway.
The firm I used to work for did the design work on Grandin. They were only able to fund part of the area they wanted to cover. I think it may be extended eventually.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.