Skip to main content

Pedestrians and cyclists on major roads – new study from Sweden’s VTI

A new study from the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) aims to review pedestrian and cyclist solutions on major roads, with or without a central barrier, where the permitted speed limit is between 70 and 90km/h. Reconstructing an existing road with a central barrier is primarily considered as a road safety measure which reduces the risk of head on collisions. A negative effect of this type of design is that conditions for cyclists and pedestrians become difficult, especially when
February 21, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
A new study from the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (5230 VTI) aims to review pedestrian and cyclist solutions on major roads, with or without a central barrier, where the permitted speed limit is between 70 and 90km/h.

Reconstructing an existing road with a central barrier is primarily considered as a road safety measure which reduces the risk of head on collisions. A negative effect of this type of design is that conditions for cyclists and pedestrians become difficult, especially when travelling along or across the road. There are no clear guidelines on how unprotected road users should be considered when reconstructing an existing conventional road to two-plus-one road type.

The study concludes that pedestrians and cyclists are not considered to a sufficient level in the initial planning phase, often resulting in the retrospective introduction of unsuitable measures. The cost of constructing pedestrian and cyclist solutions along major roads depends on geographical conditions and the standard of the solution selected. In addition, construction, operation and maintenance costs for pedestrian and cyclist solutions along and across major roads are not always reported separately. They are often included in the projects' total cost.

Increasing the ability to create attractive and cost-effective solutions requires further knowledge. This includes focus on how pedestrian and cyclist solutions should be handled in the initial planning process. It is also important to carry out systematic reviews of existing pedestrian and cyclist solutions along major roads in order to give a better idea of construction, operation and maintenance costs.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Making cars safer for vulnerable road users
    June 2, 2016
    Richard Cuerden considers measures to improve the safety of vulnerable road users. The competitive nature of the car market has seen an increase in protection for those travelling inside the vehicle and this is reflected in the casualty statistics -but the same does not apply to those outside the vehicle. And with current societal trends such as ageing populations, an increasing number of pedestrians and cyclists encouraged by environmental policies, this is an area that authorities such as the European Uni
  • Outsourcing security weakness for Sweden’s driver and vehicle data
    October 24, 2017
    The security of driver and vehicle data hit the headlines this summer in Sweden and its authorities are still dealing with the fallout. David Crawford reports. epercussions from Sweden’s vehicle data outsourcing scandal continue to reverberate. Transportstyrelsen, the government’s transport agency, came under fire this summer for risking the personal security of over five million motorists by failing to implement full security checks on personnel in other countries to whom individual work packages could
  • Sound synthesis makes hybrid and electric vehicles safer
    January 20, 2012
    The growing popularity of hybrids and electric vehicles gives rise to new safety issues in urban environments, as many of the aural cues associated with engine noise can be missing. The solution is to intelligently make vehicles noisier. The rise in popularity of hybrids and Electric Vehicles (EVs) is a result of environmental pressures, shifts in taxation and emerging technologies for batteries and motors. Competition among the car manufacturers means these vehicles need to be cost effective to buy and ope
  • European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement
    February 2, 2012
    David Crawford surveys European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement