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Does traffic really disappear when roads are closed?

Melia, Steve; Calvert, Tom

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Authors

Steven Melia Steve.Melia@uwe.ac.uk
Senior Lecturer in Transport Planning

Tom Calvert



Abstract

This article describes two studies which aimed to explore the impacts of pedestrianisation or road closures on traffic displacement, travel behaviour and the phenomenon of 'disappearing traffic'. The first study surveyed residents whose travel routes were affected by a small-scale localised pedestrianisation scheme in the centre of a town. The second measured the traffic impacts of a temporary closure of a strategic bridge in a city centre. In the first case the pedestrianisation produced no change in the modal shares of residents' travel. Drivers continued to drive to the same locations by longer routes. In the second case, the closure caused some traffic displacement and increased journey times but also reduced traffic volumes in both the immediate area and across the city. It concludes by discussing the remaining knowledge gaps on disappearing traffic, made more pressing by the decisions of authorities to reallocate road space during the COVID-19 crisis.

Citation

Melia, S., & Calvert, T. (2023). Does traffic really disappear when roads are closed?. Proceedings of the ICE - Municipal Engineer, 176(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmuen.21.00014

Journal Article Type Conference Paper
Acceptance Date Aug 12, 2021
Online Publication Date Dec 6, 2021
Publication Date Jan 1, 2023
Deposit Date Sep 22, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Municipal Engineer
Print ISSN 0965-0903
Electronic ISSN 1751-7699
Publisher Thomas Telford
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 176
Issue 1
Pages 1-9
DOI https://doi.org/10.1680/jmuen.21.00014
Keywords Civil and Structural Engineering; traffic; engineering; transport management; transport planning
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7829276
Publisher URL https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/10.1680/jmuen.21.00014

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Copyright Statement
This is the author's accepted manuscript of the article 'Melia, S., & Calvert, T. (2023). Does traffic really disappear when roads are closed?. Proceedings of the ICE - Municipal Engineer, 176(1), 1-9'. https://doi.org/10.1680/jmuen.21.00014

The final published version is available here: https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/10.1680/jmuen.21.00014






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