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Exploring Color Contrast: A Natural and Simple Measure to Protect Vulnerable Road Users

 Marisa CruzGAIT 2015Turkish-EU Partnership for Sustainable Transportation Seminar08-09.10.2015

How do you move around town?

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Half of the world’s road traffic deaths occur among vulnerable road users

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Source: WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013. ERSO DaKoTA Trafic Safety Basic Facts - CARE Database

• Motorcyclists: 23%

• Pedestrians: 22%

• Cyclists: 5%

Global megatrends demand innovation in road delineation

MEGATRENDS

Urbanization & accessibility

Life cycle costs & climate

protectionMobility & smart

cars

Need for innovation and creativity!

Growing population & increase in accidents

At the end of 2008, half of the world's population was living in urban areas

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According to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs:

• At the end of 2008, half of the world's population lived in urban areas

• Urban areas are expected to absorb population growth

• Until 1970, Tokyo and New York were megacities

• In 2011, the world counted 23 megacities!

• By 2050, it should be between 60-100 megacities!

Sustainable transportation in megacities is a big challenge

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Different transport modes tend to be part of urbanization

• High population density:o Megacities: 4,900 per Km2

(on average)o Amsterdam: 493 per Km2

• Increase in vehicle ownership

• Reduced travel speed, increase in congestion and pollution

Source: THE FUTURE OF PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION IN MEGACITIES OF THE WORLD , UMTRI 2010

Reminder: cyclists and pedestrians face a particular risk

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Half of the road traffic deaths occur among vulnerable road users:

• Motorcyclists: 14%

• Pedestrians: 28%

• Cyclists: 3%

Source: WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013.

Color contrast brings flow to transportation

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Cities have tested exclusive bus/bicycle/pedestrian lanes and are actively looking for cost efficient solutions with an immediate positive impact

Increased visibility means:

Increased Safety

• Separates fast from slow moving transportation

• Color minimizes intrusion into special lanes and hereby improves safety of users

Increased Economic Incentive

• Reduced travel times, more fuel efficient transportation and increased ridership.

• Protection of vulnerable road users

Denver, USA

Crosswalk Safety in Denver, CO

• Several pedestrians a year were injured at this Denver crosswalk before installation of cold plastic area marking

• High visibility color area marking was used to decrease that number by 50%

Source: GoogleEarthPHOTO © Transpo Industries

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Santiago, Chile

Priority bus lane in Santiago, Chile

Solution with cold plastics color contrast:• Form stability without cracking at all weather

conditions• Color stability• Bus traffic flow improvement of up to 50%!

Challenge:• Combat growing urban traffic congestion • Make regular bus services faster and more reliable• Long lasting material required!

BRT based on Cold Plastic Road Marking

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New York, USA

Reshaping bike lanes in New York City

Various materials were tested during a 1 year trial phase. The conclusion:• City beautification and effective

traffic delineation

Challenge:• Combat growing urban traffic congestion • Improve safety of bikers• Long lasting material required!

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Bali, Indonesia

Red box for motorcycles, Bali-IndonesiaCase study by the Institute of Road Engineering*1

Motivation of the application:

• A motorcycle is the most used mode of transportation in Indonesia

• Traffic conflict between motorcycles and other types of vehicles in intersections

Approach:

• Creation of a designated area in the form of a red box for motorcyclists when the traffic light is red

• Average improvement of conflict = 40%

Bali climate*:

• Temperature of 30°C and 85% humidity on average

Source: *1 Mr. Agah Muhammad Mulyadi, and Mr. I.G.W Samsi Gunarta *2 http://www.baliguide.com/weather.html Page

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Guiyang City, China

Pavement markings contribute to road safety: 320 National Road, Guiyang City

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1 Anti-skid properties perfect foro Heavy traffic regionso Descending curveso Rainy conditions

2 Color contrasto Influence road user behavioro “Educates” road user

Nearly no maintenance cost

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Hessen, Germany

Changing road user behaviour through colour contrast

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ItalyIndustriepark Wolfgang

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Mexico City, Mexico

Urbanism and beautification in Mexico City

Graz, Austria

Photo © Victor Benitez / SariVial

UAE

USA

Chile

Turkey

Tailor-made Intersections

• Pedestrian safety• Attention of drivers

Public Spaces

• Transforming underutilized areas• Regaining public spaces

Safe Biking

• Rising trend• Multi-modal pathway

Speed Reduction

• Optimum costs-benefits• Behavior change Priority Bus Lanes

• Fuel consumption reduction• Traffic conflict reduction

Accident Black Spots• Audible warning • Accidents reduction

Mexico

USA

GermanyColor contrast:

• Reinvent road safety• Change behavior• Anywhere in the world

There is a lot to be done!

Take away message: Set the scene to overcome urban millennium challenges in road safety

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