Traffic Control Intersection

Abstract

There is disclosed a traffic control intersection having a first road and a second road running crosswise relative to the first road. Pathways are provided to enable vehicles travelling along either of the roads to turn into the corresponding lane (leftmost or rightmost lane) in the other road. Two of the pathways extend over lanes of the second road but are at a different elevation to those lanes so that vehicles on these pathways are not obstructed by vehicles travelling along the lanes. The invention also extends to other, more complex intersection configurations employing a similar principal. Also disclosed is a traffic roundabout that defines a utility space for various uses, a pedestrian walkway, and a method of managing a road accident site.

1 . A traffic control intersection comprising: a first road having a plurality of substantially parallel first road lanes for directing road vehicles in a first direction along the first road; a second road running crosswise relative to the first road, the second road having a plurality of substantially parallel second road lanes for directing road vehicles in a second direction along the second road, the second direction extending at least partially leftward relative to the first direction, the second road further having a plurality of third road lanes being substantially parallel to one another and to the second road lanes along the second road, for directing road vehicles in a third direction along the second road, the third direction being opposite to the second direction in relation to the second road and extending at least partially rightward relative to the first direction; a first pathway interconnecting a lane, being the leftmost one of said first lanes in relation to said first direction at a position at which the first pathway connects to the first road, with a lane, being the leftmost one of said second lanes in relation to said second direction at a position at which the first pathway connects to the second road; and a second pathway interconnecting a lane, being the rightmost one of said first lanes in relation to said first direction at a position at which the second pathway connects to the first road, with a lane, being the rightmost one of said third lanes in relation to said third direction at a position at which the second pathway connects to the second road, the second pathway crossing at least one of said second lanes and being at a different elevation to the at least one second lane where it crosses it, to enable road vehicles to travel from said rightmost first lane to said rightmost third lane without travelling on the at least one second lane. 
   
   
       2 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first road defines a plurality of fourth road lanes, which are substantially parallel to one another and to the first road lanes, for directing road vehicles in a fourth direction along the first road, the fourth direction being opposite to the first direction relative to said first road. 
   
   
       3 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a third pathway interconnecting a lane, being the leftmost one of said second lanes in relation to said second direction at a position at which the third pathway connects to the second road, to a lane, being a leftmost one of said fourth lanes in relation to the fourth direction at a position at which the third pathway connects to the first road. 
   
   
       4 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a fourth pathway interconnecting a lane, being the rightmost one of said third lanes in relation to said third direction at a position at which the fourth pathway connects to the second road, to a lane, being the rightmost one of said fourth lanes in relation to the fourth direction at a position at which the fourth pathway connects to the first road, the fourth pathway crossing at least one of said second lanes and being at a different elevation to the at least one second lane where it crosses it, to enable road vehicles to travel from said rightmost third lane to said rightmost fourth lane without travelling on the at least one second lane. 
   
   
       5 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a third road running crosswise relative to the second road, the third road defining a plurality of substantially parallel fifth road lanes for directing road vehicles in a fifth direction along the fifth road. 
   
   
       6 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the third road defines a plurality of sixth road lanes, which are substantially parallel to one another and to the fifth road lanes, for directing road vehicles in a sixth direction along the third road, the sixth direction being opposite to the fifth direction in relation to said third road. 
   
   
       7 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 6 , comprising a plurality of said first roads and a plurality of said third roads. 
   
   
       8 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 6 , comprising three said first roads and three said third roads. 
   
   
       9 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 7  wherein, for each particular first road having, in relation to its first direction, another first road on its left hand side, the intersection further comprises a pathway interconnecting a lane, being the leftmost one of the first lanes of said particular first road in relation to the first direction pertaining to that first road at a position at which that pathway connects to that first road, with a lane, being the leftmost one of the fourth lanes of said other first road in relation to said fourth direction pertaining to said other first road at a position at which that pathway connects to said other first road. 
   
   
       10 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 7  wherein, for each particular first road having, in relation to its first direction, another first road on its right hand side, the intersection further comprises a pathway interconnecting a lane, being the rightmost one of the first lanes of said particular first road in relation to the first direction pertaining to that first road at a position at which that pathway connects to that first road, with a lane, being the rightmost one of the fourth lanes of said other first road in relation to said fourth direction pertaining to that other first road at a position at which that pathway connects to said other first road. 
   
   
       11 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 7  wherein, for each particular third road having, in relation to its sixth direction, another third road on its left hand side, the intersection further comprises a pathway interconnecting a lane, being the leftmost one of the sixth lanes of said particular third road in relation to the sixth direction pertaining to that third road at a position at which that pathway connects to that third road, with a lane, being the leftmost one of the fifth lanes of said other third road in relation to said fifth direction pertaining to said other third road at a position at which that pathway connects to said other third road. 
   
   
       12 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 7  wherein, for each particular third road having, in relation to its sixth direction, another third road on its right hand side, the intersection further comprises a pathway interconnecting a lane, being the rightmost one of the sixth lanes of said particular third road in relation to the sixth direction pertaining to that third road at a position at which that pathway connects to that third road, with a lane, being the rightmost one of the fifth lanes of said other third road in relation to said fifth direction pertaining to that other third road at a position at which that pathway connects to said other third road. 
   
   
       13 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the third road is a continuation of the first road, with the fifth lanes being continuations of the first lanes, the sixth lanes being continuations of the fourth lanes, the first direction being the fifth direction and the fourth direction being the sixth direction. 
   
   
       14 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a fifth pathway interconnecting a lane, being the leftmost one of said third lanes in relation to said third direction at a position at which the fifth pathway connects to the second road, to a lane, being the leftmost one of said fifth lanes in relation to said fifth direction at a position at which the fifth pathway connects to the third road. 
   
   
       15 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a sixth pathway interconnecting a lane, being the rightmost one of said second lanes in relation to said second direction at a position at which the sixth pathway connects to the second road, to a lane being the rightmost one of said fifth lanes in relation to the fifth direction at a position at which the sixth pathway connects to the third road, the sixth pathway crossing at least one of said third lanes and being at a different elevation to the at least one third lane where it crosses it, to enable road vehicles to travel from said rightmost second lane to said rightmost fifth lane without travelling on the at least one third lane. 
   
   
       16 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising a seventh pathway interconnecting a lane, being the leftmost one of said sixth lanes in relation to said sixth direction at a position at which the seventh pathway connects to the third road, to a lane, being the leftmost one of said third lanes in relation to the third direction at a position at which the seventh pathway connects to the second road. 
   
   
       17 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 6 , further comprising an eighth pathway interconnecting a lane, being the rightmost one of said sixth lanes in relation to said sixth direction at a position at which the eighth pathway connects to the third road, to a lane, being the rightmost one of said second lanes in relation to the second direction at a position at which the eighth pathway connects to the second road, the eighth pathway crossing at least one of said third lanes and being at a different elevation to the at least one third lane where it crosses it, to enable road vehicles to travel from said rightmost sixth lane to said rightmost second lane without travelling on the at least one third lane. 
   
   
       18 . A traffic control intersection as claimed  claim 1 , comprising a traffic roundabout, the roundabout constituting at least two of said pathways. 
   
   
       19 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 18 , comprising a central zone circumscribed by the roundabout and a chamber within the central zone, beneath the roundabout. 
   
   
       20 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the chamber includes a water storage tank. 
   
   
       21 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the roads interconnected by the roundabout has at least one lane which passes over the roundabout whereby a utility space is at least partly defined by and between the roundabout and the road passing over the roundabout. 
   
   
       22 . A traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 21 , further comprising, in the utility space, a building for accommodating occupants. 
   
   
       23 . A traffic control intersection arrangement comprising: a traffic control intersection as claimed in  claim 1 ; and a pedestrian walkway structure for spanning the intersection, the walkway structure having a walkway spaced above, and extending across, the intersection, first access means extending between a first position adjacent the intersection and the walkway, for enabling pedestrians to move from the first position to the walkway, and second access means extending between the walkway and a second position adjacent the intersection, for enabling pedestrians to move from the walkway to said second position, wherein the walkway includes an inner section disposed above the intersection and an outer section, the inner section being selectively detachable from the outer section and adapted to be raised relative to the outer section. 
   
   
       24 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 23  wherein each access means includes at least one of a stairway, an escalator, a ramp, and a lift. 
   
   
       25 . A pedestrian walkway structure for spanning a roadway, the walkway structure comprising: a walkway spaced above, and extending across, the roadway; first access means extending between a first position adjacent the roadway and the walkway, for enabling pedestrians to move from the first position to the walkway; and second access means extending between the walkway and a second position adjacent the roadway, for enabling pedestrians to move from the walkway to said second position; wherein the walkway includes an inner section disposed above the roadway and an outer section, the inner section being selectively detachable from the outer section and adapted to be raised relative to the outer section. 
   
   
       26 . A structure as claimed in  claim 25  wherein each access means includes at least one of a stairway, an escalator, a ramp, and a lift.