Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 20
Direct Demand Strategies
—
Regulatory
Restrictions
20.1 Introduction
This congestion relief strategy entails reducing traf
c demand through regulatory
road use strategies that limit the number and type of vehicles from using roadways
or from entering certain areas that become congested when vehicles access is not
restricted. These restrictive strategies include:
Traf
c Free Streets and Zones
—
prohibiting private vehicles from using speci
c
streets or from entering speci
c zones. This strategy is characterized by travel bans
by time of day that prohibit private vehicle entry into certain areas (e.g., historic
centers in many European cities) or streets (e.g., transit only streets in the US and
Canada). These bans are suitable where narrow and irregular dense street networks
are not able to serve modern vehicular traf
c
and
high pedestrian volumes.
Rationing Road Space
c demand in
cities that experience severe congestion problems by rationing street use. The
rationing is typically done by license plate restrictions that alternates the days
when only odd or even numbered plates are allowed in traf
—
This strategy aims at reducing vehicle traf
c
—
either in speci
c
areas or citywide.
—
Restricting Truck Use
this strategy (1) bans through trucks from boulevards,
parkways, and local streets; or (2) restricts access to residential streets unless
trucks have speci
c destinations in these areas.
20.2 Traffic-Free Streets and Zones
Traf
c streets and zones installed in cities throughout the world have three main
objectives: (1) to reduce traf
c congestion, (2) to improve the pedestrian environ-
ment, and (3) to make the area more attractive to customers and visitors and thereby
