Orbital Motorways Research Articles

Transitions between quasi-stationary states in traffic systems: Cologne orbital motorways as an example

Traffic systems can operate in different modes. In a previous work, we identified these modes as different quasi-stationary states in the correlation structure. Here, we analyze the transitions between such quasi-stationary states, i.e. how the system changes its operational mode. In the longer run this might be helpful to forecast the time evolution of correlation patterns in traffic. Taking Cologne orbital motorways as an example, we construct a state transition network for each quarter of 2015 and find a seasonal dependence for those quasi-stationary states in the traffic system. Using the PageRank algorithm, we identify and explore the dominant states which occur frequently within a moving time window of 60 days in 2015. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of this type for traffic systems.

How will new orbital motorways reshape accessibility in Bratislava metropolitan area?

Abstract Dynamic economic expansion of metropolitan regions in post-communist central Europe induces dynamic traffic growth, which calls for new transport network solutions and improvements to existing transport infrastructure within the regions. This is also the case of Bratislava as the capital city of post-communist Slovakia, which has recently been facing new economic and urban development challenges. A booming labour market, intensive suburbanisation processes, traffic expansion and urban (re-)development bring new conflicts and demand for grand-scale transport projects. An ongoing upgrade of the motorway system in the region of Bratislava will result in the construction of a substantial part of an orbital motorway surrounding the southern and eastern parts of the city. The potential effects of the motorway network-upgrade projects on the city urbanism are probably immense. This paper attempts to evaluate the possible changes in accessibility within the road network after completion of motorway upgrading project D4/R7 in the metropolitan area of Bratislava. The interaction potential of both population and jobs was applied here to assess possible impacts of road network enhancement on accessibility of places of residence and of work.

A review of the impact of the RingRing study for multifunctional motorway tunnels in the Netherlands and beyond

In the early 1990s, it became clear that tunnelling as Dutch engineers knew was about to change fundamentally. Local governments, pressure groups and individuals had become aware of the added value that underground space technology (tunnelling) could bring, giving rise to the next generation of multifunctional road and rail tunnel projects. This article reports on the outcome of a landmark study that focused on the new opportunities that multifunctional tunnels for motorways offer: RingRing. The RingRing study includes a concise state-of-the-art exploration of path-finding projects, delivers a solid methodology for dealing with the many design decisions during the conceptual phase of the multidisciplinary project, proposes a set of generic concepts that respond to the four key challenges faced by multifunctional tunnels, conducts two showcase design study projects, and provides an overall analysis of the applicability of multifunctional tunnels for integrating orbital motorways in large cities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Eight years after the publication of the RingRing study, the first projects it identified are built. Others projects have not yet made it off the drawing board. This article looks back to assess what has been accomplished and draws lessons learned in order to be able to improve future projects.

Efficiency and equity of orbital motorways in Madrid

Orbital motorways are major structuring elements in the metropolitan areas of developed countries. They can be considered as key components within the transport network of large urban agglomerations, funneling a great amount of intra- and inter-metropolitan traffic. This paper explores the equity and efficiency effects of orbital motorways on accessibility, using the beltways of Madrid as a case study. It is well known that orbital impacts differ depending on their location within the metropolitan area (inner and outer) as well as the activity distributional performance (agglomeration vs. decentralization of activities). These topics have received very little attention in previous studies. The paper extracts some policy considerations with respect to accessibility disparities within metropolitan areas and compares relative changes from the spatial perspective.

Impacto de las autopistas de circunvalación en la accesibilidad del área metropolitana de Madrid

One of the traditional aplications of the Geographic Information Systems has been the study of territorial impact on the construccion of new transport infrastructure through the accessibility indicator calculus. In this article it has been applied the SIG to the impact study on the building of new orbital motorways by the accessibility of different job groups to Madrid metropolitan area. In a period in wich we are involved in an intense metropolitan reestructuration process, with all the complications derived, it's very important to know how does it change the accessibility, according not only to the transport infrastructures changes but to the activities distribution, in time to apply political resolutions that connect transport and ground use in order to promote a supportable ovility model.

The impact of orbital motorways on intra-metropolitan accessibility: the case of Madrid's M-40

In this paper, we analyze the impact of orbital motorways on intra-metropolitan accessibility, using as an example the Madrid M-40 orbital motorway. The maps of changes in accessibility show that, as one might expect, the nodes situated near the M-40 are those that most benefit from the new infrastructure and that the further their distance from the M-40, the weaker the changes, although the gradient is much steeper towards the city centre than towards the exterior. All the indicators used point to the fact that the new orbital motorway has brought about relevant changes, but the intensity with which such changes are registered depends on the variable used as a mass (changes are higher in accessibility to population indicators than in accessibility to employment indicators), and on the type of operationalization adopted (the most complex ones are those which least noticeably reflect the effect of the new orbital motorway). It has been verified, in the case of the Madrid M-40, that orbital motorways do not necessarily lead to an increase in the equality of intra-metropolitan accessibility, for this will depend on their location within the metropolitan area: the further out they are, the greater equality they bring, even though they attract less traffic.

Impact of the Madrid M-40 ring road on emission from road traffic

Madrid is a city with a high population density and 4.6 million inhabitants. The structure of the city and its location at the hub of the Spanish road network means it has high traffic densities which have a negative effect on the environment. The atmospheric pollution is particularly serious as a result of the difficulty of dispersing the pollutants owing to long periods of atmospheric stability, inversion, etc. One strategy to improve the situation has been to build orbital motorways to reduce the traffic pressure in the most densely populated central zones and to stop heavy traffic passing through the center. In view of the opposition of certain collectives to the completion of the northern section of the M-40 Ring Road, an environmental impact study was made on the distribution of global emissions with and without its construction. After designing models for the traffic behaviour under the two scenarios for 1995, traffic speed and density loads were obtained for each stretch of the network. Based on the results, pollutant emission was determined for each zone involved. The results show that the new infrastructure will improve traffic conditions, providing significant reductions in journey times and will also reduce the global emission of pollutants in the short term.

Policies for major roads in urban areas in the UK

ment of high standard routes in urban and rural areas has important consequences which assessment procedures need to encompass. The improvement of interurban routes has always been seen as complementary to corresponding programmes for roads in urban areas. However the latter have failed to materialize because of cost, environmental damage and doubts about encouraging journeys to work by car. Instead major investment has been made in orbital motorways round the periphery of conurbations. The merits of substantial improvements to urban road networks are now being reassessed, especially for London.