This paper presents a study of the basic problems of through roads in Barcelona County, Spain, which was started to reach a compromise between the town, its pedestrians, speed, capacity, the environment, and safety. The basic problems of through roads are: (1) very high accident risk; (2) high level of noise and pollution; (3) inadequate speed; (4) lack of pedestrian measures; (5) floating definition of the boundary between urban and rural roads; (6) existence of a 3-metre "no man's land" between town and road. The higher risk of through roads is due partly to their higher traffic volumes and larger numbers of intersections per km. The design, construction and maintenance problems of through roads are related to legislation, and to a very traditional interpretation of which design elements belong to a road. In the Barcelona study, as a first step to better through roads, 28 towns were chosen for analysis, to diagnose the main problems that may affect accident risks, speed, pedestrians, and the environment. Some typical results and illustrative examples are provided. One possible solution is the installation of special traffic lights with speed detectors. This can be supplemented by combining electronic speed control with a signal-regulated intersection; if no intersection is available, variable signs can be used which light up when a vehicle passes it too rapidly.
Samenvatting