The accident has sparked off a debate how to improve safety on Warsaw’s
roads, especially pedestrians’ safety, to take the extra mile to reduce the
number of fatalities in the capital. The town hall officials have come up with setting
up “30 kmph zones” across town, which stirred uproar with motorists.
The tragedy is incontestable, however I believe the discussion on exact
solutions aimed at improving road safety should be freed from emotional overtone,
inevitable in such circumstances. Especially bearing in mind no regulations
will prohibit road hogs behind wheels of too powerful vehicles from speeding.
The town hall has compiled a list of dangerous streets in Warsaw where
traffic ought to be slowed down. One of them is ul. Stryjeńskich in Ursynów,
especially its section between ul. Belgradzka and ul. Przy Bażantarni (photo
on the front cover of the most recent “Passa” local newspaper) where drivers dare
to speed up to even 80 kmph.
Oddly enough, in 2016 civic budget an initiative to narrow the street down from 4 to 2 lanes in both directions and mark off cycling paths was one of the winning ones. Soon later, the citizens with support of the district’s mayor have dashed the plan.
Is the street dangerous? I witnessed the last accident there last month,
when 3 cars collided and some of the passengers were injured, but this was the
only collision since I moved in. The enquiry to the search engine reveals a
serious accident is reported on the aforementioned section of ul. Stryjeńskich
on average once a year, however pedestrians were involved in none of the
accidents.
Recently mayor of Ursynów has put forward installing speed bumps to slow
down the traffic. The idea has taken nearly no one’s fancy, including local
residents (who say more systemic solutions ought to be considered) and the City
Road Authority (reminding ul. Stryjeńskich is a G-category road, i.e. a main road
/ thoroughfare, therefore it is not permitted to install speed bumps there, at
least without changing the road’s status).
I believe there are several better ways of calming down the traffic,
with narrowing down lanes as the primary one. If a lane is narrower, a driver
naturally reduces speed to stick onto the lane. As lanes are narrower, the northbound
and southbound lanes should finally be separated and junctions with minor roads
(ul. Jaworowa, ul. Małej Łąki) properly marked.
Traffic should definitely be slower, yet it should be smooth. A speed
bump reducing temporarily speed to 30 kmph means motorist would decelerate
ahead of it and accelerate after it. Everyone who has some notion about driving
knows a vehicle consumes more fuel when it accelerates and less when it moves
at steady speed. So what ought to be done on major roads is adjusting them to
lower, yet reasonable steady speeds rather than putting on the table poorly
analysed solutions on the spur of the moment.
Looking forward to seeing no more accidents on this stretch of ul.
Stryjeńskich.
2 comments:
The London Borough of Ealing introduced 20mph speed limits for most residential roads a few months ago, ostensibly to cut emissions.
It has had another effect - pedestrians feel empowered to step into the road to cross it, knowing that cars should not exceed that limit.
A very good idea. If you are a fat, lazy twat in a big fat overpowered car that pollutes and congests - fuck off to the countryside. You are not civilised in the original Latin meaning of the word.
All fine, yet ul. Stryjeńskich, nor Al. KEN, nor ul. Rosoła, nor ul. Ciszewskiego all are not residential roads. Out there lanes should be narrower to prevent speeding. I also commend the strong LED lamps lighting up pedestrian crossings here in Ursynów which enhance visibility.
For all narrower streets the solution is fine.
Plus punishments for speeding ought to be much more severe. My only fine for speeding (I drove 98 kmph beyond town somewhere between Częstochowa and Katowice on DK1 where speed limit was 70 kmph) was mere PLN 100. Not nice to part with a stoover, but I didn't hurt as much as it should have.
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