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What Is Road Design And Why Is It Important?

This project uses a comparison between the Netherlands and the USA road infrastructure to demonstrate how different design choices contribute to safety, efficiency, and livability.

From road width and lane configuration to traffic calming measures and intersection design, these choices profoundly impact safety outcomes. Dutch streets prioritize vulnerable road users through separated bike lanes, narrower car lanes, and traffic calming features, while many American streets are designed primarily for vehicle throughput.

Through interactive visualizations and data-driven comparisons, we'll explore how these design philosophies create vastly different results for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike.

Road Network Comparison

The road networks of the Netherlands and North Carolina show very different approaches to transportation, shaped by population density and cultural priorities.

Netherlands

The Dutch road network shows a balanced mix of urban and rural speeds. Lower speed limits of 30 km/h (19 mph) make up 37.7% of the network, mostly in residential and urban areas where pedestrian and cyclist safety comes first. The 60 km/h (37 mph) limit covers 33.2%, typically on rural roads and main urban streets. This distribution reflects the Netherlands' focus on creating safe, livable communities while keeping regional travel efficient.

North Carolina

North Carolina's road network is dominated by 55 mph speed limits, which make up 63.4% of all road miles. This reflects the state's rural character and the many highways connecting spread-out communities across large distances. Secondary peaks at 45 mph (13.8%) and 35 mph (12.9%) represent suburban main roads and urban streets. The distribution shows car-focused roads designed mainly for moving vehicles rather than offering a variety of transportation options.

Residential Roads & Speed

How speed impacts pedestrian safety

The Impact of Speed

In residential areas, vehicle speed is the single most critical factor in determining pedestrian safety. The relationship between speed and crash severity follows the physics of kinetic energy.

Kinetic Energy: KE = ½mv²

Because energy increases with the square of velocity, small changes in speed create dramatic differences in impact force:

International Comparisons

Netherlands residential speed: 30 km/h (19 mph)

NC residential speed: 25-45 mph

Netherlands crash rate: 1.2 per million miles

Note: Dutch residential areas have speed limits of 30 km/h (19 mph), while North Carolina residential roads typically allow 25-35 mph. However, most NC roads (63%) have 55 mph limits, meaning residential areas often connect directly to high-speed roads without transition zones.

Pedestrian Risk vs. Impact Speed

Data source: Tefft, B.C. (2011). AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Severe injury risk: 47%

Death risk: 22%

Vehicle Speed: 30 mph

0 mph 30 mph 60 mph

Common Residential Road Types (WIP)

Lane Width: 12 ft

Sources & References

Primary Research - Pedestrian Safety

Tefft, B.C. (2011). Impact Speed and a Pedestrian's Risk of Severe Injury or Death (Technical Report). Washington, D.C.: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. aaafoundation.org
This study quantifies the relationship between vehicle impact speed and pedestrian injury severity. Results show that the average risk of death for a pedestrian reaches 10% at 23 mph, 25% at 32 mph, 50% at 42 mph, 75% at 50 mph, and 90% at 58 mph. Used in the Residential Roads & Speed section.

North Carolina Road Network Data

NCDOT GIS Data Portal - North Carolina Department of Transportation xfer.services.ncdot.gov
Comprehensive GIS data for North Carolina's road network including speed limits, road classifications, and centerline mileage. Data used to generate speed limit distribution, road type composition, and speed by road type visualizations in the NC Road Network Data section.

Netherlands Road Network Data

Rijkswaterstaat - Nationaal Wegenbestand (NWB) - Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management rijkswaterstaatdata.nl
National road network database containing comprehensive geographic data for all roads in the Netherlands, including road classifications and network structure.
Rijkswaterstaat - Maximum Snelheden (Speed Limits) - Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management rijkswaterstaatdata.nl
Official speed limit data for the Dutch road network, used for speed distribution analysis and comparison with North Carolina road speeds.