Zone access control, using retractable barriers, is being applied more and more to decrease the amount of traffic in certain areas of Holland or on certain roads. This paper discusses the importance of strict requirements for the design and layout of the sites and the design of the barrier itself. Zone access control is one possible way of enabling an area or road to be available only for a specific class of road users and/or during a limited part of the day. The CROW (Information and Technology Centre for Transport and Infrastructure) prepared guidelines for functional requirements in co-operation with representatives of local authorities, industry, and emergency services. Requirements can be divided into those for layout and design, and those for systems, including retractable barriers, vehicle detection, traffic controllers, and central management and control when available. Road users should be able to recognise access points clearly. System requirements should not be underestimated. The traffic detection system is used to detect the presence of vehicles in front of the barrier, while distinguishing valid exemptions. A traffic controller monitors barrier control and position, and controls traffic signals. Experiences of the system in two cities are described.
Samenvatting