TABLE OF CONTENTS Traffic management arose from the need to maximise the capacity of existing highway networks within finite budgets and, therefore, with a minimum of new construction. Methods, which were often seen as a 'quick fix', required innovative solutions and new technical developments. Many of the techniques devised affected traditional highway engineering and launched imaginative and cost-effective junction designs. Introduction of signal-controlled pedestrian crossings not only improved the safety of pedestrians on busy roads but improved the traffic capacity of roads by not allowing pedestrians to dominate the crossing point.
More recently the emphasis has moved away from simple capacity improvements to accident reduction, demand restraint, public transport priority, environmental improvement and restoring the ability to move around safely and freely on foot and by pedal cycle.
There has been a significant shift in attitudes away from supporting unrestricted growth in highway capacity. The potential destruction of towns and cities and the environmental damage to rural areas is not acceptable to a large proportion of the population. Traffic management has, largely, maximised the capacity of the highway network yet demand and congestion continues to increase.
Highway authorities accept that they do not have a mandate to provide funds for large amounts of new construction. It is clear that, for the foreseeable future, resources will not be available to provide for unrestricted growth in private vehicular traffic. Traffic engineering alone cannot provide sufficient highway capacity even with limited amounts of new construction.
As traffic demand and congestion increased,...
