Shared Zone
Encyclopedia
A shared zone refers to a section of street
in Australia
and New Zealand
where pedestrians, cyclists and motorised traffic share the same road space. Special rules and speed limits apply for shared zones. Shared zones are related, but not automatically the same as shared space
, which is a somewhat wider concept including elements such as urban design
.
The sign "Start Shared Zone" indicates that the shared zone rules apply past this point.
The sign "End Shared Zone" indicates the end of the shared zone.
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
where pedestrians, cyclists and motorised traffic share the same road space. Special rules and speed limits apply for shared zones. Shared zones are related, but not automatically the same as shared space
Shared space
Shared space is an urban design concept aimed at integrated use of public spaces. It encourages traffic engineers, urban planners and experts from other fields to consult with users of public space when planning and designing streets and squares in both built and non-built environments...
, which is a somewhat wider concept including elements such as urban design
Urban design
Urban design concerns the arrangement, appearance and functionality of towns and cities, and in particular the shaping and uses of urban public space. It has traditionally been regarded as a disciplinary subset of urban planning, landscape architecture, or architecture and in more recent times has...
.
For Motorists/Cyclists
- Motorists and cyclists must give way (yield) to pedestrians at all times throughout the entire zone, regardless of traffic signals, pedestrian crossing signals or other considerations.
- The typical speed limit of shared zones is 10 km/h (5 mph).
For Pedestrians
- Pedestrians have right-of-way over motorists/cyclists at all times, and normal crossing rules do not apply.
Traffic signs
The sign "End Shared Zone" indicates the end of the shared zone.
See also
- Shared spaceShared spaceShared space is an urban design concept aimed at integrated use of public spaces. It encourages traffic engineers, urban planners and experts from other fields to consult with users of public space when planning and designing streets and squares in both built and non-built environments...
- WoonerfWoonerfA woonerf in the Netherlands and Flanders is a street where pedestrians and cyclists have legal priority over motorists. The techniques of shared spaces, traffic calming, and low speed limits are intended to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile safety.-By country:In 1999 the Netherlands had...
- VicRoadsVicRoadsVicRoads or the Roads Corporation of Victoria is a statutory corporation which is the state road and traffic authority in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is responsible for maintenance and construction of the state arterial road network, as well as driver licensing and vehicle registration. ...
- Speed limits in AustraliaSpeed limits in AustraliaSpeed limits in Australia range from Shared Zones to . Speed limit signage is in km/h since metrication on 1 July 1974. All speed limits are multiples of 10 km/h – the last digit in all speed signs is zero...
- Roads and Traffic Authority (NSW)