Shared speed for safe transportation and sustainable cities

This study has aimed towards evaluating the speed difference between transport modes and investigating what can be done to approach shared speed and reach a sustainable transport system. The research has been conducted through literature studies with the support of a questionnaire and interviews to complement the literature. The purpose of the questionnaire was to understand what design elements in the urban streetscape would help establish shared speed and mixed traffic cycling as well as find out the acceptance of mixed traffic cycling. The questionnaire was distributed to two sample groups, one with traffic engineers and the other with dedicated civilian cyclists. The questionnaire consisted of 20 questions where the respondents were asked about their cycling characteristics, their willingness for mixed traffic cycling, and to compare drawings of design elements in urban streetscapes. The results of the questionnaire show that there is a willingness for mixed traffic cycling, and particularly among faster cyclists. Slower cyclists have a lower acceptance yet are not totally against it. The design elements that would give the best possible conditions for shared speed and mixed traffic cycling was found to be road marking bicycle symbols, a Cars are guests sign, lane width, pavement and central divider. There are existing and up-and-coming speed-reducing methods that can help establish shared speed. Also, mixed traffic solutions such as bicycle streets and 2 − 1-roads are being tested in Sweden and could be functional on urban streets. Concluding the findings, the study reveals that there is already plenty of knowledge about creating a functional and attractive bicycle infrastructure. To reclaim the lost human perspective, planning should strive for accessibility and mobility for pedestrians and cyclists. A prerequisite for increased accessibility is to improve safety, which likely is improved with mixed traffic cycling. Further, the safety can be improved by increasing the share of active travelers which has great potential in Gothenburg. By using the efficient motor traffic infrastructure and invite cyclists into the roadway, it will also state that cyclists have equal rights to the street. In urban areas, cyclists share speed with motor vehicles and not pedestrians. Consequently, the distribution of space in urban streetscapes should be reallocated based on speed. However, cyclists are a very heterogeneous group, and therefore, the bicycle infrastructure must provide solutions that are attractive for all types of users. Traffic regulations need to be adapted for mixed traffic cycling and in general to suit cyclists better. Conclusively, shared speed can secure sustainable development by distributing more space to the active transport modes, whereas that would benefit efficiency, air quality, noise, and public health, as well as creating attractive and sustainable cities.