Published on Friday, 23 May 2025 at 11:47:00 AM
The City of Bunbury has upgrading speed cushions around Big Swamp to speed plateaus as part of its ongoing traffic calming program monitoring to ensure continued effectiveness.
The City implements a local area traffic management (LATM) program to apply traffic calming to manage speeds, improve intersections and create more liveable and active streets for the community.
Speed cushions were installed around Big Swamp to encourage lower travel speeds as the area is highly utilised by the community for people walking, riding and enjoying the natural facilities. However, monitoring of these road safety interventions revealed that some speed cushions had become less effective due to wear, allowing vehicles to straddle or bypass the intervention, reducing their impact on managing speeds.
Recognising the importance of maintaining low vehicle speeds for community safety, the City replaced the older speed cushions with asphalt speed plateaus which span the entire width of the road. This upgraded intervention ensures vehicles mush slow down, supporting vulnerable road users and promoting active travel.
Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable in collisions, and the severity of pedestrian crashes is strongly dependent on vehicle speeds. Slower speeds increase the likelihood of pedestrian survival if they are involved in a crash.
Lower vehicle speeds give drivers more time to observe and react to unexpected events, such as pedestrians crossing the road or suddenly stopping vehicles and means drivers can stop more safely and effectively.
High quality pedestrian environments encourage safe and sustainable pedestrian activity, and speed management is a key intervention in promoting this. Traffic calming measures which lower vehicle speeds, create more forgiving outcomes if impacts occur and foster an environment which feels safer for active users. This not only enhances safety but also encourages more active transport and pedestrian activity. Overall, slower vehicle speeds on local and neighbourhood roads contribute to a safer, more active and connected community.
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