Strategic Considerations for Low-Speed Transportation Systems in Urban Street Network in Megacities in China

Abstract

Low-speed transportation systems have great potential in megacities such as in Shanghai, China, as they could reduce travel demand for motorized traffic and produce significantly less carbon emissions as compared with other transportation modes. Low-speed transportation systems have significant advantages over other motorized transportation systems, such as low carbon emissions, low energy consumptions, low noise, and less roadway damages. To encourage the use of low-speed transportation systems, strategies and technologies should be developed with the considerations of safety and operational performance improvements to low-speed transportation system users. This paper aims to discussing technology considerations for developing safe and efficient low-speed transportation systems. The key technology approaches that could be used to enhance low-speed transportation system performances include: (1) behavior analysis of vulnerable users, (2) analysis of operational and safety characteristics of vulnerable users, (3) planning methods for low-speed transportation systems, (4) safety design of low-speed transportation infrastructures, (5) model development for safety evaluation of low-speed transportation systems, and (6) safety improvement program for low-speed transportation systems.