ROADS IN URBAN AREAS. REPORT FROM NORWAY --PIARC XVIII WORLD ROAD CONGRESS, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, SEPTEMBER 13-19, 1987

In connection with the question of roads in urban areas, three articles are presented that discuss important prerequisites for the design of such roads: interplay between the design of the main roads and the structure of the town; new road standards where the urban area is one of three types from which to choose; vegetation, an important feature of the physical environment. Traditional guidelines for road design and furniture are based on the high-class network of roads in rural surroundings. If such guidelines are applied to urban areas with only minor adjustments, the structure of the town will suffer. Safety, efficiency and particularly aesthetic considerations combine to give roads in rural areas a smooth, harmonious line that permits high speeds. Straighter lines are required in urban areas. In towns the design of roads and streets is a more important parameter than a selected dimensioning speed. Higher speeds are required on interregional long-distance roads, in order to shorten travelling times. In towns, distance, capacity and ease of orientation are more important than speed. Moreover urban areas are so valuable and visually vulnerable that roads must not disrupt the urban environment or leave large unused spaces. Technically speaking road building is always complicated in urban areas. Moderate geometric standards contribute towards optimal locations and design, thereby minimizing costs. In view of such conditions, roads and streets in urban areas should be built to a different standard and design than the model for rural areas. This also applies to road furniture. Vegetation is a particularly important part of the urban area's physical environment. Vegetation is an aesthetic factor that adds to well-being in the towns, and it can be employed consciously as a means of guiding and controlling traffic.(a) for the covering abstracts of the congress see IRRD 812115 and 812116.

• Corporate Authors:

  Permanent International Assoc of Road Congresses

  27 rue Guenegaud
  Paris,   France 
• Authors:
  • LUNDEBREKKE, E
• Publication Date: 0

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 165-82
• Serial:
  • Publication of: PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ROAD CONGRE
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Permanent International Assoc of Road Congresses

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; City planning; Conferences; Design speed; Environment; Equipment; Freeways; Highway design; Highways; Layout; Level of service; Traffic control; Urban areas; Vegetation
• Geographic Terms: Norway
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00481321
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 1989 12:00AM