Traffic Calmin in Delhi

Student thesis: Master Thesis and HD Thesis

  • Martin Kallesen
Traffic safety on a global scale is decreasing. The development in high income countries, like the Nordic countries, is going through an increase in traffic safety in these years, but the global development does not reflect this trend. A comprehensive study made for WHO have showed the expected development in life threatening diseases and injuries between 1990 and 2020. From the ninth highest rank in 1990, traffic injuries are expected to grow into the third biggest threat world wide in 2020. A number of studies have stressed the connection between countries economical income per population and the risk of traffic fatalities (traffic fatalities per population). The development in risk of traffic fatalities most often will be increasing in low- and middle income countries. High-income countries most often will experience a decrease in the risk of traffic fatalities. This report deals with the question whether it is possible to prevent the described increase in risk of traffic fatalities in low- and middle-income countries going through economical growth. One possible measure is transfer of knowledge and techniques from high-income countries, with a high level of traffic safety, to low, and middle-income countries, with a low level of traffic safety. In this report between the Nordic countries and India aiming at traffic calming measures. Two hypotheses will be tested. These deal with the possibilities of implementing traffic calming measures in Delhi. In addition it is demonstrated how the Swedish traffic conflict technique is useable in proving the possibilities and effects of technology transfer regarding traffic calming. Field studies have been made at two traffic sites in Delhi; Orthonova and Dilli Haat. By using the Swedish traffic conflict technique, diagnoses of the occurring problems have been made. A subjective severity scale was developed and used during the observations. It is recommended that a subjective severity scale is used as a supplement to the traffic conflict technique in further conflict studies. A suggestion for a redesign of Orthonova is being commented. Red light violations should be prevented by an optimization of the signal phases. A suggestion for a redesign of Dilli Haat has been developed and is presented. Traffic calming measures in form of narrowing, prior notice and gateway is used. With the basis in the work at the two locations, a prognosis of traffic calming measures for Delhi has been set up. The following is concluded as an answer to the two hypotheses: The Swedish traffic conflict technique is useable in the mixed traffic in Delhi. It was not possible to establish the necessity of a subjective severity scale in order to get useable results. It is however still recommended that such a scale is used as a supplement. It was not possible to point out a new threshold between serious and non-serious conflicts for the traffic in Delhi. The pedestrians conditions are often insufficient in Delhi. Traffic calming measure can be a contributing factor to improve the conditions for the vulnerable road users, like pedestrians.
LanguageEnglish
Publication date2006
Number of pages139
Publishing institutionAalborg Universitet
ID: 6146613