Citation

Loukissas PJ. Transp. Res. Rec. 1981; 812: 39-46.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study examines the problem of nonlocal traffic in a relatively lightly traveled residential neighborhood adjacent to the Pennsylvania State University campus at State College, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this research is, first, to assess what constitutes a traffic problem for the area residents and, second, to evaluate their preferences among alternative traffic control measures. The data were collected through field observation and a home-interview survey on a sample of streets in the neighborhood. An analysis of variance shows significant overall differences between medium- and light-traveled streets in the residents' perception of the problem and willingness to accept traffic restraint measures; however, the residents' location relative to a particular control device and how it affects their mobility, as well as other socioeconomic factors, account for a great deal of the difference. Controlling speeding in the neighborhood is the residents' most important concern and four-way stop signs are the preferred solution to that problem. The research findings point out some of the inadequacies of traffic engineering practices, such as traffic counts, accident records, and solicitation of citizen complaints when viewed in isolation to be used as a basis for traffic management decisions.