The implementation of traffic calming measures in the cradle of humankind, South Africa

Abstract

Paper presented at the 33rd Annual Southern African Transport Conference 7-10 July 2014 "Leading Transport into the Future", CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa.

This paper presents the results of an on-going study and research into the work being carried out by the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (COH WHS) in South Africa. The work entails the implementation of traffic calming measures on the roads traversing the COH and an attempt to balance nature versus human needs. The main objective of this paper is to record the successes witnessed, the lessons learnt and to determine the suitability of the various Traffic Calming applications to the local (South African) conditions. It is hoped that the results will stimulate further research and assist engineers in achieving practical applications of traffic calming measures and deduce an acceptable integration of motorized and non-motorized transport in a rural setting. The paper was compiled using a combination of methods which included Literature Review – review of the investigation reports on traffic calming and the implications to the road network, a look at international experiences as far as management of traffic around heritage sites is concerned, Interviews and Questionnaires distributed to mostly bicycle clubs who utilize the facilities within the Cradle of Humankind to measure the effectiveness of the measures implemented. This paper discusses some of the practical experiences encountered in the implementation of traffic calming measures in the Cradle of Humankind. It highlights the process followed from the status quo, identified possible traffic calming measures, positioning of measures, challenges encountered before, during and after construction, practical issues like road signs, speed restrictions, access control, surface treatments etc. The results indicate that the process was partly iterative as some solutions had to be revised after implementation due to user reaction. The paper highlights the cornerstones of the Civil Engineering profession where the protection of human interests and the natural environment takes precedence over the user system. The paper concludes that while there were challenges encountered, the work is largely successful and that there is room for further research to determine the potential for wider use of the traffic calming measures on rural roads.