Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index Traffic calming is a set of strategies used by urban planners and traffic engineerss which aims to slow down traffic and improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclistss. A major reason for traffic calming is to make it easier for pedestrians to cross safely, but there are other results from this strategy. It also reduce traffic, promoting the use of altenative routes. It also reduces the noise and local air pollution which are side effects of the traffic. Two types of traffic calming: speed bumps marked by the two reddish squares and a kerb extension marked by dark tarmac and black posts on the left. Displaced traffic is not totally pushed onto other routes, as some travellers begin to walk or use other modes such as public transit and bicycles to get where they are going. Types Traffic calming can include the following specific techniques: Speed bumps, sometimes split or offset in the middle to help emergency vehicles reduce delay Roundabouts Chicanes Raised crosswalks or other styles of pedestrian crossings Pedestrian refuges or small islands in the middle of the street changing the surface material or texture (for example, the selective use of brick or cobblestone) Special lanes for bicycles, buses, or carpools New stop or yield signs Creating one-way streets from two-way streets curb (or kerb) extensions which narrow the width of the street Choke points, which are curb extensions which result in a single lane Allowing parking on one or both sides of a street Converting an intersection into a cul-de-sac or dead end Closing of streets to create pedestrian zones Reducing and enforcing speed limits near institutions such as schools and hospitals External link Overview from the city of Portland, Oregon This article is from Wikipedia. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.