No abstract

This paper is part of an ongoing study to analyse the effectiveness of road humps as a traffic calming measure in improving the residential living environment. A review was conducted on various literatures concerning the effects of road humps on vehicle speeds, particularly in residential areas. The major findings from the literatures are that the vehicles’ operating speeds are affected by the hump design and spacing in between humps. An incorrect hump profile will also potentially result in passenger discomfort and vehicle damage. Public perceptions also agreed that road humps are effective in reducing vehicle speeds. More studies should link field study results with residents’ perceptions particularly in Malaysia, while considering the effect of road geometrics and other devices possibly impacting vehicle speeds along selected roads. Further research also needs to be done to test the effectiveness of current schemes in Malaysian residential areas, as many are on an ad-hoc basis.

Two common concerns for residents in their respective residential areas are high traffic speeds and noise levels. This paper analyses if road humps are viable as a measure for improving residential living environment based on their effects on traffic speed and noise. The study was conducted in three Malaysian residential areas: Putrajaya, Taman Setiawangsa, and Keramat. A questionnaire survey was distributed to 478 respondents asking for their perception on whether road humps have improved the living environment by reducing speed and noise. Binary logistic regression models were also estimated using the questionnaire data regarding whether the existing road humps have improved the living environment by reducing traffic noise. Descriptive analysis was conducted to assess changes in average vehicle speeds and noise levels for the selected 12 road humps. The significance of this paper is that it explains the effect of existing Malaysian road humps on actual residential environments, which can potentially help improve the planning of new residential areas. The result of this study is that road humps are effective in reducing vehicle speeds but are not viable as a noise reduction measure.

This paper is part of an ongoing study to analyse the effectiveness of road humps as a traffic calming measure in improving the residential living environment. A review was conducted on various literatures concerning the effects of road humps on vehicle speeds, particularly in residential areas. The major findings from the literatures are that the vehicles’ operating speeds are affected by the hump design and spacing in between humps. An incorrect hump profile will also potentially result in passenger discomfort and vehicle damage. Public perceptions also agreed that road humps are effective in reducing vehicle speeds. More studies should link field study results with residents’ perceptions particularly in Malaysia, while considering the effect of road geometrics and other devices possibly impacting vehicle speeds along selected roads. Further research also needs to be done to test the effectiveness of current schemes in Malaysian residential areas, as many are on an ad-hoc basis.

Two common concerns for residents in their respective residential areas are high traffic speeds and noise levels. This paper analyses the perception of residents on the effectiveness of road humps in improving residential living environment based on their effects on traffic speed and noise. The study was conducted in three Malaysian residential areas, specifically Putrajaya, Taman Setiawangsa, and Keramat. A questionnaire survey was distributed to 478 respondents asking for their perceptions on whether road humps have improved their living environment by reducing speed and noise. Binary logistic regression models were also developed to identify variables that affect respondents' likelihood to agree that existing road humps have improved the living environment of the residents by reducing traffic speed and noise. The result of this study is that the height of road humps affects noise levels and traffic speeds, as average vehicle speeds and LAeq were lowest at the road hump of 90mm height. The respondents' perceptions of the importance of lower traffic speeds and noise levels, as well as the appropriateness of hump heights and locations, were significant variables in determining the likelihood of their agreement that road humps have improved their living environment.