Traffic Microsimulation Study to Evaluate the Effect of Type and Spacing of Traffic Calming Devices on Capacity

Abstract

Traffic calming is widely implemented to improve road safety. However, the implementation of traffic calming devices implies less capacity of cross-town roads. The present research used traffic microsimulation to study the effect of traffic calming devices on the cross-town roads capacity based on different type and spacing of devices. Average delay was calculated. Then, capacity of the road was obtained for a fixed traffic calming device spacing as the flow rate from which delay presented exponential growth. Capacity of a cross-town road varied between 810 and 1300 vehicles per hour and lane with traffic calming devices spacing from 25 to 400 meters.