FR2613392A1 - Road infrastructure for fast roadways such as motorways - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a road infrastructure for fast roadways, particularly for motorways with two alternate flows of traffic, separated by a central reservation which may or may not be equipped with crash barriers. The aims of the invention are to produce, on the one hand, a reorientation path connecting the slow lanes of the two alternate flows of traffic, and, on the other hand, to produce a central service and supply station, located substantially on the axis of the central reservation. This aim is achieved by means of a road infrastructure consisting of a central service and supply station 4 coinciding with the central reservation, this station being connected to the slow traffic lanes 21, 31, up and down the road, by deviation roads 51, 52 which join this station 4 tangentially. The invention finds a particular application for motorways and fast roadways.

Description

 "Road infrastructure for expressways such as motorways".

 The invention relates to a road infrastructure for expressways, in particular for motorways with two alternating traffic flows, separated by a fitted central strip or name of protective rails.

 Motorways are generally made up of several traffic lanes separated by an impassable median strip on each side of which motor vehicle flows circulate in the opposite direction. The middle strip may consist of a median, a cemented wall or even protective rails in order to prevent the voluntary crossing of vehicles belonging to the two reverse traffic flows.

 This road improvement therefore requires doubling the location of fuel distribution service stations or catering and accommodation equipment in order to serve the two directions of traffic which remain completely autonomous. This results in exorbitant development costs with the potential risk of seeing motorists, whose vehicle is broken down, cross the median protective strip on foot to obtain fuel at the service station located on the opposite lane. of their circulation.

 Finally, in the event of a route error, the user is forced to wait for a bypass ramp in order to be able to cross the median protective strip and engage in the opposite direction of traffic.

 All these drawbacks are resolved by the road infrastructure, object of the invention, which is essentially characterized by a central service and supply area, located substantially in the axis of the median protective strip, this area being connected to the slow lanes, upstream and downstream, of circulation by bypass ramps tengentially connecting to this area.

 According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the central area includes at least one service station common to the vehicles of the two traffic flows, located on either side of the median protection strip.

 Another object of the invention is to define a recycling track, in the form of a roundabout, making the slow tracks of the two alternating traffic flows communicate.

 Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the description below and from the appended drawing which schematically illustrate a model of road infrastructure according to the invention.

 The essential aim of the invention is to modernize the highways, to improve their efficiency, to reduce their constraints, to benefit from a higher frequency of service stations while reducing their number.

 To do this, the proposed road infrastructure consists in establishing between the two joint lanes, or not, of the same highway, a central area common to both directions of traffic to supply vehicles or users without disturbing traffic.

 The example illustrated in the accompanying drawing refers to a motorway comprising on either side of a median protective strip 1, two alternating traffic lanes 21, 22 and 31, 32 connecting to a central area 4 by upstream and downstream bypass straps 51 and 52 respectively, these being connected to the right-hand channels 21 and 01 said to be the slowest and opening substantially tangentially to the central area 4.

 In order to avoid sudden baffles or turns which could cause traffic slowdown or even accidents, the connection arcs 6 are very open and the connection areas 7 of the motorway lanes and ramps are whistled so as to to facilitate the release of vehicles using said ramps.

 The slow and fast tracks respectively, 21 and 22 and 31 and 32 bypass on either side the central area 4 in an approximately concentric arrangement so that the tracks, originally parallel, gradually diverge to bypass the central area then converge again to resume their parallel arrangements.

 The bypass ramps 51 and 52 can obviously be overhead or underground so as not to disrupt traffic.

 Of course the example described above is not limitative because one could use the same road infrastructure for motorway lanes which would not be joint and which would for example be separated, due to the topography of the terrain by an obstacle hilly. In this case, the terrain profile will be advantageously used by making the central service and supply area coincide with the obstacle separating the two alternating lanes of the motorway.

 The central area 4 can advantageously receive one or more fuel distribution stations or vehicle maintenance stations, which will, due to this new infrastructure, be common to vehicles traveling in the two alternating directions of the motorway. also set up feeding or accommodation facilities in this central area, even leisure and relaxation parks.

 The central area also constitutes a recycling track, or roundabout, allowing U-turns in the event of management errors, accidents, bad weather (traffic jams, fogs, snow, hail, etc.), thus avoiding that users become prisoners of highways. This faculty, inherent in the establishment of the central area 4 can have many advantages, in particular for the transport of perishable foodstuffs, dangerous products or even for the public police, cleaning, maintenance services without forgetting well heard the ambulances.

 Thanks to this infrastructure, the cost of the installations can therefore be reduced by halving the number of service stations but also by appreciably improving road traffic by ensuring rapid clearance of vehicles in the event of accidents or bad weather.

 Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above for which other variants can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (8)

 l. Road infrastructure for expressways, in particular for motorways with two reverse traffic flows, separated by a median protective strip, infrastructure characterized in that it consists of a central service and supply area (4) coinciding with the median protective strip, this area being connected to the slow traffic lanes (21, 31) 'upstream and downstream, by bypass straps (51 52) tangentially connecting to this area. (4).  2. Infrastructure according to claim 1, characterized in that the central area (4) comprises at least one service station common to the vehicles of the two traffic flows, located on either side of the median protective strip (1 ).  3. Infrastructure according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the central area (4) defines a recycling track communicating the slow tracks (21 31) r of the two alternating traffic flows.  4.Infrastructures according to claim 1 characterized in that the bypass straps 52) are aerial or underground.  5. Infrastructure according to claim 1, characterized in that the slow and fast voices (21, 22 31 32) of the two alternating traffic flows bypass the central service area.  6.Infrastructures according to any one of claims from 1 to 5, characterized in that the bypass straps (51 52) are connected with a whistle to the slow tracks (21, 31) and to the central area (4) to avoid baffles slowing road traffic.  7.Infrastructures according to any one of claims from 1 to 6, characterized in that the central area (4) receives food, accommodation, leisure or relaxation facilities.  8. Infrastructure according to claim 1 characterized in that the two lanes of the highway on which the two directions of traffic are effected are disjoint, the central area (4) coinciding with the obstacle separating said lanes.