Pole Lane Traffic Calming Chicanes

The Challenge

Pole Lane is a long, steep, and mostly straight road cutting through the town of Darwen near Blackburn A majority of the more than 4,000 daily motorists were driving above the 30mph speed limit The average recorded speed was 39mph, with some reaching speeds of more than 70mph

The Solution

Install two sets of traffic islands with extension pieces to create a substantial traffic calming chicane Position the islands to create a chicane narrow enough for just a single vehicle to pass through Position the chicanes far enough from the pavement that cyclists are able to continue unimpeded The traffic islands are surface mounted making them quick to install, providing a solid and impact-resistant solution

Results

• Post-installation surveys showed that the chicanes had successfully lowered the speed of motorists travelling on Pole Lane
• The average speed dropped to 31mph — a reduction of 26%
• As a result, the average speed on neighbouring Sough Road and Marsh House Lane was also reduced, with drivers staying at 29–32mph