Reducing Traffic Injuries Resulting from Excess Speed: Low-Cost Gateway Treatments in Italy

This study investigates drivers' speed behavior on low-volume roads crossing small urban communities both without a gateway or traffic-calming device and with different forms of gateway and traffic calming along the urban environment. Speeds upon entering small urban areas in Italy were collected along several rural road sections. The site with the greater operating speeds was selected as the design site. Two gateways and integrated traffic-calming devices along the road were set up within the urban area. The gateways aimed to slow the vehicles entering the built-up area, and the traffic-calming devices aimed to complement the gateway effect. The proposed gateway design is a combination of low-cost and fast implementation measures. The traffic-calming treatments presented in the study could easily be implemented in other rural communities.