THE INTERACTION OF THE FUNCTIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF STREETS AND ROADS AND THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The article considers issues aimed at improving conditions and traffic safety of street and road networks in cities and the possibility of using the functional classification of streets and roads.

The development of cities is inextricably linked to the improvement of street and road networks. It is the street-road network that is the chain that connects it with the general ways of communication. The city cannot exist without public roads that provide a large amount of transportation, cargo and passengers, which are distributed among the functional zones of the city.

The current regulatory document provides for the distribution of streets and roads, according to the classification into categories, but, unfortunately, their functional component is missing. In Ukraine, works related to the introduction of changes to the regulatory document are underway and are aimed at developing the functional purpose of streets and roads.

The norms of the «Committee on Urban Territories», which belongs to the world-famous road association «PIARS» and the work of the special project «ARTISTS», are defined in the European classification. Attention should be paid to the significant variety of features in the European classification.

It should be noted that in the USA and Canada, the functional classification provides for the functions of the specified road, and the main feature is «traffic service – access service». The US uses classifications based on the administrative level of the state, subject to the Department of Transportation "DOT" with mandatory consideration of the requirements of counties and municipal agencies. Great importance is attached to the requirements of the «Green book» – a green book belonging to the American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO).

Canada also has its own distinctions for the preparation of functional classifications, which are based on the «Manual on geometric standards for the design of Canadian roads». They share similar features with the US in terms of defining three categories of streets, namely: Arterial Streets, Collector Streets and Local Streets. Also attracting attention are developments according to pedestrian traffic and low-white population groups.

No less interesting are the features of the planning infrastructure in Western Australia. A comfortable environment is declared the official urban planning policy of the State Planning Commission of Western Australia (Western Australian Planning Commission). The concepts of creating a «livable environment» and «livable streets» were considered. In order to create a comfortable environment for living, attractive public spaces, preservation of the environment, the reasons for the concept were also economic factors.

The main tasks of designing street and road networks, as well as directions and measures for their solution, are taken into account in the PIARC applications on the functional classification of city streets and roads. These recommendations systematize and summarize the classifications used by many countries in the process of designing street and road networks. Special attention is paid to main arterial streets, as well as architectural, landscape and urban design, safety and organization of traffic and pedestrian traffic.