Problems of efficient operation of road sections of higher technical categories are identified. The systematization and analysis of modern regulatory requirements and technical solutions for the organization of traffic on roads of technical categories II is made. The article summarizes the main experience of foreign countries in organizing high-speed traffic on highways of similar parameters. The negative impact of outdated traffic management projects is revealed. The results of modern experiments on switching to an increased speed limit on sections of highways of the federal road network are presented.
Keywords: traffic management, speed limit, traffic rules, automobile road, regulatory requirement, economic efficiency.
Modern road construction is characterized by an increase in the volume of work on the construction, repair and reconstruction of the road network. Thus, according to the transport strategy until 2030 2030, the length of the road network is Russia should increase 1.6 times and reach 1500 thousand km [1]. Currently, due to the continuous improvement of the quality of the road fund and the increase in the volume of road traffic, there is a discussion about a possible increase in the speed limit on certain highways or sections of highways. For the first time, such a proposal was voiced in 2018 by the head of the Transport Committee of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Yevgeny Moskvichev, who proposed to increase the upper speed threshold to 100–110 km / h. In 2019, at the forum «Safe Road», Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov instructed the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, together with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to conduct an audit of the federal road network by the end of 2019 for a possible increase in the speed limit to 110 km/h. First of all, new expressways and roads after major repairs. In this regard, it is important to address the controversial issues of increasing the speed limit on roads of higher categories. The purpose of this study is to systematize and analyze the regulatory and technical documentation for the introduced experimental sections of highways with increased speed and speed limits technical solutions for organizing traffic with a new speed limit.
To date, the regulatory framework governing the organization of road traffic consists of:
1) Federal Law No. 196-FZ of 10.12.1995 «On Road Safety»;
2) Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1090 of 23.10.1993 «On the Rules of the Road» (together with the «Basic provisions on the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of road safety officials»);
3) Federal Law No. 257-FZ of November 8, 2007 «On Highways and Road Activities in the Russian Federation and on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation»;
4) Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 711 of 15.06.1998 «On additional measures to ensure road safety»;
5) Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 864 of October 3, 2013 «On the Federal target program " Improving Road Safety in 2013–2020";
6) Order No. 853-r of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation of the Federal Road Agency dated May 12, 2015 «On the Publication and Application of the Unified State Standard for Road Safety 218.6.015–2015 «Recommendations for Accounting and Analysis of Road Accidents on the Roads of the Russian Federation»;
7) GOST R 52289–2019 Rules for the use of road signs, markings, traffic lights, road fences and guide devices;
8) GOST R 50597–2017 Automobile roads and streets. Requirements for the operational condition that is acceptable under road safety conditions. Control methods.
9) SP 34.13330.2021 Highways.
Based on the analysis of these normative legal acts, we can say that there is a discrepancy between the estimated traffic speeds for which category I и and II highways are designed and the speed limit set on them. So for category II highways SP 34.13330.2021 sets a speed of 120 km/h. And the traffic rules set an upper speed limit of 90 km/h for sections of such highways outside localities.
Taking into account the dynamic characteristics of modern cars, their high-speed qualities, and the appearance of new materials for road surfaces, discussions are underway about increasing the speed limit on roads of higher categories. At the same time, an analysis of the results of the assessment of the state of highways in the Russian Federation showed that the state of more than 60 % of federal and regional highways does not meet the standard.
In Russia, there is a gradual transition to European speed standards. FRA «Rosavtodor» in 2018, together with the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, taking into account the projects implemented in 2018 on sections of the subordinate network of public roads of federal significance, within the framework of the Road Safety Commission, approved an experiment with the installation of maximum speed limits of 110 km/h on a number of sections of federal highways. This fact is confirmed by a letter from the deputy head of the FRA «Rosavtodor» Kostyuk A. A. from 25.09.2018. In total, such an innovation was tested on six sections of the federal road network in the Pskov region, and all of them showed indicators of improving traffic safety with a decrease in the number of road accidents. Based on the obtained data, a decision was made to develop the experiment and increase such «high-speed» sections by another 11 units. The list of roads on which the experiment is being conducted includes federal highways: M-9 «Baltia» Moscow — Volokolamsk-border with the Republic of Latvia, P-23 Saint-Petersburg-Pskov-Pustoshka-Nevel — border with the Republic of Belarus, P-56 Veliky Novgorod — Soltsy — Porkhov — Pskov, A-212 Pskov-Izborsk-border with the Republic of Estonia.
The decision to introduce experimental sites is confirmed by letters from the acting head of the FKU Uprdor «North-West» by D. P. Kuznetsov
Today, 110 km / h can only be legally developed on motorways. They must have a dividing lane between directions and not have intersections at the same level as other roads. Plus, highways must be marked with the 5.1 «Motorway» sign.
It is assumed that the increase in the maximum speed will affect roads of higher categories, which also have certain features of highways. In particular, they have separate oncoming flows and no intersections at the same level. Such routes structurally provide safe movement in dry conditions at speeds up to 120 km / h, and strength calculations for the design of these highways are performed at an estimated speed of 130 km/h. According to the Russian Government, there are 6,000 kilometers of such roads in the federal road network. While the maximum speed on them is 90 km / h, unless otherwise indicated by the relevant road signs.
Currently, according to the Rules, of the Road, there is a general speed limit of 90 km/h outside localities, 60 km/h on the territory of localities, and 110 km/h on motorways. Additional restrictions were introduced By Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR of 02.11.1979, Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1090 of 23.10.1993 confirmed these restrictions for highways of the Russian Federation.
If we turn to international experience, the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968 allows for the possibility of setting speed limits by each participating country separately, although in some countries and in some cases they may coincide.
Germany has a speed limit of 100 km / h for non-city roads, 50 km / h for highways in localities, and no speed limit on motorways. The same restrictions, with the exception of the 130 km/h speed limit, are set in Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and a number of US states. At the same time, a number of countries have introduced a limit of 80 km/h outside localities and 50 km/h in localities. These include: France, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, and Finland. It is worth noting that on the territory of the above-mentioned countries, such a concept as «Road for cars» is widely used, which corresponds in its technical characteristics to Category II highways, according to SP 34.13330.2021 «Highways» [3]. On these roads, almost all countries have a speed limit of 110 km/h. This term is also found in the Traffic Regulations of the Russian Federation and is designated by the road sign 5.3 «Road for cars». However, this experience has not found wide application in the territory of the Russian Federation.
The relevance of research in the field of increasing speed limits on roads of higher categories brought to a standard state is confirmed by the constant requirements of the Government of the Russian Federation on ensuring road safety, as well as by the Presidential Decree «On national Goals and strategic objectives for the development of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2024", which states the need to radically reduce the level of accidents on the roads.This research paper substantiates the relevance of improving the regulatory and technical and practical aspects of road traffic management, describes the importance of ensuring the safety of road users, and provides information on experiments conducted by government agencies in the field of road traffic.
The analysis of Russian and foreign practice of traffic management is carried out.
Based on the analysis, the need for a detailed study of the problems and consequences of switching to new speed limits was identified.
References:
- JV 34.13330.2021 Highways;
- JV 396.1325800.2018 Streets and roads of localities. Rules of urban planning design;
- JV 34.13330.2012 «Highways»;
- Convention on Road Traffic (as amended on 23 September 2014)
- European Agreement Supplementing the Convention on Road Traffic opened for signature in Vienna on 8 November 1968 (as amended on 28.08.93, 27.01.2001, 26.03.2006)
- Federal Law No. 196-FZ of 10.12.1995 «On Road Safety»;
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1090 of 23.10.1993 «On the Rules of the Road» (together with the «Basic provisions on the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of road safety officials»);
- Federal Law No. 257-FZ of November 8, 2007 «On Highways and Road Activities in the Russian Federation and on Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation»;
- Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 711 of 15.06.1998 «On additional measures to ensure road safety»;
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 864 of October 3, 2013 «On the Federal target program " Improving Road Safety in 2013–2020";
- Decree of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation of the Federal Road Agency of May 12, 2015 No. 853-r «On the publication and application of the Unified State Standard for Road Safety 218.6.015–2015 «Recommendations for accounting and Analysis of Road accidents on the roads of the Russian Federation»
