‘No red, only green’ policy for outskirts

‘No red, only green’ policy for outskirts
Aarthi R | TNN

Bangalore: No junctions, no red zones — just smooth, green flow of traffic. Some big plans are lined up for a signal-free arterial network in the city. The road, traffic management and transportation policy of the Agenda for Bengaluru Infrastructure Development (ABIDe) task force lists some simple yet aggressive strategies to reduce travel time on the Big 10 arterial roads from the city centre to Outer Ring Road (ORR) and beyond.
These 10 will be converted into sixlane, signal-free and junction-free roads between ORR and next major towns like Whitefield, Yelahanka, Kengeri, Hoskote, Sarjapur, Hosur, Bagalur, Hesaraghatta and Nelamangala, with a median provision for a Mass Rapid Transit System later.
According to ABIDe sources, junctions are a huge problem with these roads — each road has at least one Tjunction. The plan is to convert these into clover-leaf structures, providing underpasses wherever necessary. “The
initial attempt is to reduce the red time (presently 120-150 seconds) to less than 90 seconds,’’ traffic expert and ABIDe
consultant M N Sreehari said. The strategy could also help reduce fuel consumption, he said. According to Central Road Research Institute data, fuel consumption in vehicles increases by 25% when in an idle state.
Each of these 10 roads will be surveyed to arrive at a scientific solution for junction redesign or removal, and this includes the ORR. R K Misra, ABIDe member, said U-turns on these roads will be made pre-emptive, using jug handles with extra lanes to ensure that vehicles can take a U-turn before the intersections.
As part of its enhanced initiatives for public transport and pedestrians, the plan makes it mandatory to have bus bays and footpaths on all these roads and service roads along ORR, wherever available, to be completed in all respects. In addition, the priority (not dedicated) bus lanes are to be marked all along ORR for faster movement of public transport.
There are also plans to ensure people travelling across suburban areas need not enter the city centre. Instead, they can travel on Big 10 roads and ORR.
toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com