STUDY ON PEDESTRIAN AND SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC

Abstract

When the consideration take place about the traffic of Chandigarh, no one think about the traffic related issue on slow moving traffic like pedestrian, bicyclist and other slow moving traffic. Though the motor vehicles have the revolutionized the road transport, but the steep growth of traffic in Chandigarh in recent years has caused an increment in traffic congestion and the rate of accident. According to the black book 2013 compiled by road accident analysis by Chandigarh traffic police, Geographical area of the Chandigarh is 114 sq. kms. Total population of Chandigarh is over 11 lakhs. Vehicular population of the city is more than 8.8 Lacs which is the highest per capita vehicular population in the country. Everyday more than 100 vehicles are added in U.T. Chandigarh. Total road length of Chandigarh is 1536 kms. More than 130 lives are being lost every year in Chandigarh Walking is an important mode of transport. In sector areas a significant proportion of trips up to 1-2Kms in length are performed on foot. Moreover every journey necessarily starts and ends as a walk trip. Since pedestrian are more vulnerable to being involved in accidents, it is imperative that adequate consideration should be given to their safety through provision of facilities like guard rails, secured crossing areas, footpath and grade separations. Pedestrian facilities should be planned in an integrated manner so as to ensure a continuous pedestrian flow. It should be useful therefore to look at pedestrian needs for an area as a whole and prepare an overall strategic plan. The basic aim should be to reduce pedestrian conflicts with vehicular traffic to the minimum. Efforts should be made to create such conditions that pedestrian are not forced to walk in unsafe circumstances an