The Effect of Historic Paving Materials on Traffic Speed

Abstract

Slowing traffic speed in urban areas has been shown to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities due to automobile accidents. This research aims to measure how brick and granite block paving materials, which were widely used historically prior to the use of asphalt paving in many cities, may influence free flow traffic speed. Traffic speeds for 690 vehicles traversing street blocks paved with asphalt, granite block, and brick materials were measured using a radar gun on a sample of 18 matched pair (asphalt and historic paving material) street blocks in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Fixed effects linear regression was used to estimate the effect of paving material on vehicle speed after controlling for the street class (e.g., arterial versus local road) and the matched pair. Results indicate that brick reduced speeds by approximately 3 mph (~5 km/h) and granite block reduced speeds by approximately 7 mph (~11 km/h), as compared to asphalt paved city streets, which we attribute to drivers intentionally slowing due to road roughness. This research suggests that brick and granite block paving materials may be an effective traffic calming strategy, having implications for reducing negative health outcomes associated with pedestrian–automobile collisions.