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Drachten is a larger market town south of the Friesland provincial capital of Leeuwarden. It is home to around 60,000, and is the administrative centre for the electronic firm Philips. During the 1970s, an inner ring road was set out around the town centre, and much of the older fabric was rebuilt at this time.
For some years the municipality (Smallingerland) has been pursuing policies aimed at reducing congestion and traffic delays, improving road safety and enhancing the social and economic vitality of the outer town. In support of this policy, many traffic signals, signs and conventional highway elements have been removed, particularly at some of the key intersections. The remaining two traffic signals will be removed later this year. A comprehensive review of safety, movement patterns, congestion and economic impacts is underway.
There are many examples of junctions that have been re-designed along shared space principles throughout the town of Drachten. The intersection of the ring road close to the town's theatre (De Lawei) forms part of a major piece of public space. The theatre and a few restaurants are on the outer edge of the ring road, and were suffering from declining trade in the 1990's. The intersection (Burgemeesterwuyterweg with Gaukeboelenstraat) handles around 22,000 vehicles per day. The regional bus station lies close by, and every regional bus passes through the junction. Formerly, traffic signals and conventional pedestrian crossings controlled movement and the approach roads had bicycle lanes, bus transponders and left-hand turning lanes.
The new arrangements accept the need for a roundabout, but have attempted to integrate such a highway element as part of the overall design of the civic space. This has been achieved with the help of vertical water fountains which respond in height to traffic volumes. All traffic, including buses, enter the roundabout on narrow six-metre approaches without conventional 'flares', and there are 'courtesy crossings' (informal) for bicycles and pedestrians at each entry point to the roundabout. The lighting arrangements contrast with the surrounding highways, and the floor lighting emphasizes the whole space, rather than the roundabout itself. The kerb detail is sufficient to retain vehicles on the roundabout, but allows bicycles to cut the corners of the intersection. During busy periods, the fountains attract numbers of children and adults, and the increase in human activity caused speeds to drop. This in turn increases the capacity of the junction, and delays to traffic and to other users have been significantly reduced. The bus company reports a reduction in average bus delay at the junction from 55 seconds to 9 seconds. It is interesting to note the range of signals and informal protocols that have emerged spontaneously amongst all users since the scheme was introduced. Although formal zebra crossings are provided, these are very rarely used. Hand signals are common amongst bicyclists, unlike elsewhere in The Netherlands.
Laweiplein forms part of a 1 million refurbishment of this part of Drachten and final measures are still to be completed (including the planting of the central roundbabout). A detailed monitoring study is available (in Dutch) and this should be translated within the coming months. The major change has been the revitalising of the theatre and businesses around the area, the increase in pedestrian and bicycle activity, and the reduction in traffic delays.
Project Laweiplein, Drachten
Pilot in the North of the Netherlands: Laweiplein, DrachtenDrachten is a larger market town south of the Friesland provincial capital of Leeuwarden. It is home to around 60,000, and is the administrative centre for the electronic firm Philips. During the 1970s, an inner ring road was set out around the town centre, and much of the older fabric was rebuilt at this time.
For some years the municipality (Smallingerland) has been pursuing policies aimed at reducing congestion and traffic delays, improving road safety and enhancing the social and economic vitality of the outer town. In support of this policy, many traffic signals, signs and conventional highway elements have been removed, particularly at some of the key intersections. The remaining two traffic signals will be removed later this year. A comprehensive review of safety, movement patterns, congestion and economic impacts is underway.
There are many examples of junctions that have been re-designed along shared space principles throughout the town of Drachten. The intersection of the ring road close to the town's theatre (De Lawei) forms part of a major piece of public space. The theatre and a few restaurants are on the outer edge of the ring road, and were suffering from declining trade in the 1990's. The intersection (Burgemeesterwuyterweg with Gaukeboelenstraat) handles around 22,000 vehicles per day. The regional bus station lies close by, and every regional bus passes through the junction. Formerly, traffic signals and conventional pedestrian crossings controlled movement and the approach roads had bicycle lanes, bus transponders and left-hand turning lanes.
The new arrangements accept the need for a roundabout, but have attempted to integrate such a highway element as part of the overall design of the civic space. This has been achieved with the help of vertical water fountains which respond in height to traffic volumes. All traffic, including buses, enter the roundabout on narrow six-metre approaches without conventional 'flares', and there are 'courtesy crossings' (informal) for bicycles and pedestrians at each entry point to the roundabout. The lighting arrangements contrast with the surrounding highways, and the floor lighting emphasizes the whole space, rather than the roundabout itself. The kerb detail is sufficient to retain vehicles on the roundabout, but allows bicycles to cut the corners of the intersection. During busy periods, the fountains attract numbers of children and adults, and the increase in human activity caused speeds to drop. This in turn increases the capacity of the junction, and delays to traffic and to other users have been significantly reduced. The bus company reports a reduction in average bus delay at the junction from 55 seconds to 9 seconds. It is interesting to note the range of signals and informal protocols that have emerged spontaneously amongst all users since the scheme was introduced. Although formal zebra crossings are provided, these are very rarely used. Hand signals are common amongst bicyclists, unlike elsewhere in The Netherlands.
Laweiplein forms part of a 1 million refurbishment of this part of Drachten and final measures are still to be completed (including the planting of the central roundbabout). A detailed monitoring study is available (in Dutch) and this should be translated within the coming months. The major change has been the revitalising of the theatre and businesses around the area, the increase in pedestrian and bicycle activity, and the reduction in traffic delays.