A multidisciplinary group of experts tests the safety, quality and environmental usability of areas that are close to schools within the city of Milan. (2001 - 2003).

The problem of road traffic and safety is particularly topical nowadays, and is being debated every day: within big cities, it does not concern only traffic congestion, but also – and this is particularly worrying – the road accidents that mainly involve pedestrians, weak users, school-age children.

“A safer traffic for our schools” aimed at identifying the most risky situations in the city of Milan and the corrective actions needed. Studio Steffan has collaborated with the Centro Studi Traffico (Study Centre on Road Traffic) and the Educational Services department of the Municipality, through the coordination of a multidisciplinary working group in order to check safety, environmental quality and usability of the areas located next to schools.

From the analysis of the localisation of road accidents in the area, evidence suggested that there was a concentration of accidents next to schools; hence, the need to give maximum priority to the protection of pedestrian areas located around the same schools. During the first phase, 22 schools where the problems seemed more severe have been selected; and for each one the following items have been analysed: organisation of street spaces and functions, pedestrian mobility, traffic flows and the number of stationary cars during entrance and exit of students, the accidents happening around the school area, thus identifying the existing problems.
In the second phase, some priority schools have been selected, and for these schools the experts have identified actions for controlling or curbing traffic that could be put in place in short time and with limited resources.

The Department for Traffic and Roads, Office for Road Mobility and Safety, has evaluated the research as a useful tool: four schools have been selected and included in a wider project, for the realisation of the operational phase. The actions are included in the project – promoted by the Municipality of Milan – and called “Safe crossing”, co-financed by the Lombardy Region.

The project has been illustrated in several conferences, among which: VIII SIE National Conference: "Ergonomics between innovation and planning, working systems and life styles", Milan, 9 - 10 February 2006; Mobility of weak users, Conference on the Right to mobility, governance, regulations and management, Carrara Mobility Show, 22 September 2006; A safer traffic for our schools, International Conference: Living and walking within the city. Historical centres. University of Brescia, Department of Civil Engineering and “Città Amica” Study Centre. Brescia, Auditorium of S. Giulia, Brescia, 18 June 2004, available in the Conference papers.

The poster of the VIII SIE National Conference ›

Conference papers - Brescia ›