It is noticed that traffic safety factors at crossroads of Ivana Česmički, Pavelinska and Ivanjska Street in Koprivnica negatively affect the traffic safety and flow.
Our activities include traffic monitoring at this intersection and similar ones, identifying major issues that are affecting traffic safety and flow, and suggesting possible traffic infrastructure solutions to
identified problems.
The ideas
It is noticed that traffic safety factors at crossroads of Ivana Česmički, Pavelinska and Ivanjska Street in Koprivnica negatively affect the traffic safety and flow.
We were monitoring the traffic at this intersection and others in order to identify major issues that are affecting traffic safety and flow. In the research we divided into two groups. One group tracked the traffic that stretched over the main street, Pavelinska street across the crossing and vice versa. We tracked what intensity the trains pass through and how road traffic takes place when the crossing is closed. We concluded that when the crossing is closed, there is an increase in the road load and the traffic becomes more difficult.
The second group was tracking traffic provided by the side road, Ivanjska Street. Traffic on that street run undisturbed because vehicles inflated in through the crossing and the main road closed.
1) The biggest problem is that the intersection is built near the railway track, and is cut by Pavelinska Street. At the crossing of this road and the rail track there is a crossroad with bumpers, afterwards there is an entrance to the crossroad but only a few meters further, which actually disables the drivers to stop the vehicle in order to let pass the vehicles that move along the street of Ivan Česmički, which should be the main street with the passing advantage, cause it is the road with much more traffic. For that reason, the sign stipulates that the main road is on the left of the exit from Paveliska Street into Ivan Česmički Street. From the crossing to the intersection entrance there is barely enough space to stop a small personal automobile, therefore the cargo vehicles have lots of problems when passing there.
2) Ivanjska Street and Ivana Česmički Street, from the north-east direction are backstreets. Ivanjska street is located on the right of Ivan Česmički Street, which obliges vehicles moving along the Street of Ivana Česmički from the north-east direction to make a stop due to the sign "STOP" and follow the rule of the right side and give passage advantage to vehicles from Ivanjska Street if there are some. This way, the traffic flow on the Ivan Česmički Street, which is much busier than Ivanjska Street, is considerably slowed down.
Ivanjska street is built at a certain angle in regard to Ivan Česmički street, which creates a big problem for drivers of cargo vehicles and buses due to the large dead angle on the right. This leads traffic participants to the risk of running into the vehicle coming from the right side which has a priority right of passage. The research that was done from 2014 till 2018 shows that on this crossroad the number of accidents has increased. In 2014 and 2015 there was 1 traffic accident, but in 2016, 2017 and 2018 the number of accident increased fo 4 accident per year. Every year, except 2018, there were injured persons. If we take a look at the results of the research, we can see that the most usual kind of traffic accidents was lateral collision. The most usual circumstance of traffic accidents was non - compliance with the light signal and substracting the benefts of passing.
The initiatives
We have contacted the authorities of the City of Koprivnica and showed them the results of the research on traffic accidents 2014 - 2018. Also, we told them, based on the research, that the controversial intersection should be eliminated in order to replace the railway track. In that case, Pavelinska Street and Ivan Česmički Street would be joined by a road underpass, and the crossroad between Ivan Česmički Street and Ivanjska Road would be set northeast and planned in the level.
The authorities of the City of Koprivnica are aware of the problem and they sent us a report. They told us that Ivana Česmički Street is classified as a state road (DC20) and according to the Croatian Law on Roads they have access to the Croatian roads while Pavelinska Street and Ivanjska Street are unclassified roads managed by the City of Koprivnica. Considering that, according to the provisions of the Road Act, it is determined that the intersection of the crossroads of the state and the non-aligned road is governed by the state road, at the relevant crossroad traffic is regulated by Croatian roads. They are not familiar with the plans that Croatia Roads currently have at this time in regards with the subject intersection.
According to their findings, several years ago the mentioned issues were solved within the framework of National Road Safety Program in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia. A project was written which the City of Koprivnica get, in which it was planned to implement semaphorization. However, the project has not yet been implemented.
Furthermore, the City of Koprivnica is familiar with the project of building another railway track on Corridor Vb (corridor Zagreb-Dugo Selo -Botovo-Hungary border) conducted by Croatian Railways. According to the draft, intersectional design documentation has been terminated and the interconnection between Pavelinska Street and the streets of Ivana Česmički will be secured by the construction of a road underpass. Crossroad Ivana Česmički Street with Ivanjska Street is planned to be removed northeast.
The city of Koprivnica has financial problems so they can't write their own project about that problem and realize it.
