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Initiative 1: Ring Roads for Bypass Traffic

Ring Roads for Bypass Traffic
Description: The construction of bypasses (high speed ring roads, or beltways) to move through-trucks to the periphery of the urban area. Only viable if they lead to cost savings to carriers.
Targeted mode: Through traffic Geographic scope: Corridor
Type of Initiative: Infrastructure management: major improvements Primary objective: Reduce congestion
Expected costs and level of effort to implement: The cost and effort to construct a new ring road can be very high, involving construction of a new roadway, roadway crossings and interchanges. Such a construction project will involve long-term planning and implementation, elaborate needs assessments, and impact analyses.
Advantages:

  • Reduce congestion
  • Enhance safety
  • Environmental sustainability
  • Reduce infrastructure damage
 Disadvantages:

  • High probability for unintended consequences
    •  May lead to new development outside urban core
    •  Environmental impacts on the communities affected by the new road
  • Environmental impacts associated with new construction
  • Require very high capital investments
  • Require private-sector acceptance
Typical example:

  • Sydney Orbital Network, Australia (Transport for NSW 2012)
Initiative-1-(2) image

Source: OpenStreetMap Contributors 2010

  • “Through” Corridors in Atlanta, Georgia, United States (Georgia Department of Transportation, 2011b)

Initiative-1 image

Source: Georgia Department of Transportation 2011b
Related alternatives: 1. New and Upgraded Infrastructure, Intermodal Terminals; 2. Truck Routes; 3. Exclusive Truck Lanes (Dedicated Truck Lanes)
References: Marquez et al. 2004; PIARC 2011

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