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Dept. of Funny Signs (and cool infrastructure): automated bollard in Delft

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delft-bollard

When I was travelling around the Netherlands this summer,  I saw this nice example of a retractable traffic bollard in Delft that controls which motor vehicles can drive into a walking-priority area. The bollard goes down when a vehicle that is allowed in the area — a resident’s car, or a delivery truck — approaches, so that the vehicle can drive over it, and then it goes up again (I saw it happen, but unfortunately I didn’t get a video). I’m assuming it works with a clicker or a transponder.

I also like the sign at the top right, with the image of a car getting knocked upwards by a rising bollard (maybe warning people not to try to follow a car that just went through).

delft-bollard-sign

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8 comments

  3. The warning reads:

    Automatic Bollard
    Enter on Green

    Presumably the light goes red once the authorized car is past.

  5. more specifically, the sign reads:

    Automatic Bollard
    One car per green light

  7. i don’t think this is the way to do it. i’m in favor of bike/ped only public spaces (certainly cars have more than their fair share), but i bristle at the thought of allowing *certain* motor vehicles on *public* roads. i think we know who the drivers of those vehicles would be – certainly wwealthy, often white.

    i think a better solution is to allow all vehicles to enter but to do so in a way that provides cyclists/peds with a safe environment in which to move around. we already know that narrowing streets (by, perhaps, adding bike lanes?!) and including “obstacles” slows drivers and makes them more aware.

    as long as we mix it up so that drivers cannot speed through on auto pilot (as is the case on straight roads with no such obstacles) i think we would achieve something just as useful as what is suggested by the bollards (not to mention many drivers would probably seek an alternate route anyway) but that is much more equitable.

  8. So cool! I lived in Delft last year (exchange at TU Delft), and I remember the automatic bollards! Your speculation was correct about the picture – as Bouke already pointed out, “Bij groen, een auto” means one care per green light. And you can see by the videos posted here that they’re serious!

    To address mixbyhand’s comments, the bollards in Delft are only used to keep people out of the most pedestrianized part of the city; the very centre of the old city. Only delivery trucks, or people who live in the centre, get transponders, I believe. Anyone else can go through, if they are on foot or bike (which, believe me, is almost everyone anyways). Delft is just not a city that you would drive in, unless you are driving out into the country.