Exploring the Safety Performance of Tram Roundabouts
Previous research has identified that roundabouts are a major risk factor in French light rail systems. While there are currently few tram roundabout in the USA their numbers are likely to increase in the future. To better inform international light rail practices this paper explores the road safety performance of Melbourne’s 18 tram roundabouts using observational studies, conflict point analysis, and crash analysis. Previous research and design guidelines have emphasized the importance of visibility and alignment, and described typical treatments to improve safety. This study has found that most of Melbourne’s tram roundabouts have colored pavement treatments and static or dynamic/flashing signs, but only one tram roundabout is fully signalized. While roundabouts without trams have less conflict points than roundabouts with trams, other tram intersection treatments typically used in Melbourne have many more. There were 120 crashes between 2010 and 2015 at Melbourne’s 18 tram roundabouts, with no fatalities. Interestingly only 6 of these crashes involved trams. 25% of all crashes at tram roundabouts in Melbourne occurred at a single intersection, the Haymarket roundabout. However, since this site was fully signalized in 2011 the crash rate has decreased. The presence of a roundabout in a section of a route has been found to be associated with a 40% increase in crashes involving trams. Overall the two crash analyses in this paper suggest that while crashes at tram roundabouts do not often involve trams, crashes that involve trams often involve roundabouts. Limitations and areas for future research are also discussed.
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Supplemental Notes:
- This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AP000 Public Transportation Group.
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Corporate Authors:
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001 -
Authors:
- Currie, Graham
- Reynolds, James
- Naznin, Farhana
- Law, Jackson
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Conference:
- Transportation Research Board 96th Annual Meeting
- Location: Washington DC, United States
- Date: 2017-1-8 to 2017-1-12
- Date: 2017
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
- Pagination: 15p
- Monograph Title: TRB 96th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Light rail transit; Roundabouts; Traffic safety; Trolley cars
- Geographic Terms: Melbourne (Australia)
- Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01626943
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: 17-02744
- Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
- Created Date: Feb 27 2017 9:27AM