Nice to see this. A very good, simple, and (largely) uncluttered draft design approach with good (although not perfect) potential to subsequently return the Camden one-way gyratory to two-way operation (which is by far and away the most important thing to do for cycling in the London Borough of Camden), although I'd be interested in hearing engineers' thoughts on potential future lane configuration in the High Street--this presents a few challenges. No measurements are given, so always hard to tell how wide everything is.
The intended configuration of public space is spot-on, although the draft indication of public realm design on the large space is too cluttered and should be left clearer; randomly-scattered seating, even if under trees, tends not to work too well, but these are details that would be addressed later in the design process (and off-carriageway design issues can be addressed much more easily and with less fuss than traffic management schemes). Then again, for illustrative purposes you always tend to see things here which haven't been worked out fully. It's always important to address the nodes before the connecting links, and Camden are doing this here, although they are still not able to address the wider issues of the network in which this node is located.
ASLs are fairly pointless but don't do any great harm, either. They're a completely insignificant design detail here. Whether they're included or not won't make much of a difference. Some people like them, some don't, they have some small advantages and some small disadvantages.
Problems still to address concern the traffic lane configuration on Crowndale Road (they should simply go for two wide lanes), the left-turn radius northbound out of Eversholt Street (needs to be tighter) together with the kerb shape at the south-east corner of Crowndale Road/Eversholt Street (the kerblines on either side of the junction mouth should be aligned better), and the envelope of the main junction, which is still somewhat too wide (as before, kerblines should be aligned as much as possible, and there appears to be some limited scope for tightening the junction further, although it's always hard to tell from such detail-free designs). Pedestrian crossings can be moved slightly closer to the junction mouths. Ideally, there should be a pedestrian crossing north of the main junction, too, which has clearly been sacrificed to enable traffic to turn right out of the Crowndale Road/Eversholt Street combination when Hampstead Road is at red. It would be better if there was an All Green Pedestrian Phase all around that junction rather than the present intention of only providing crossings on two out of three arms.
It would be desirable to reduce the number of approach lanes on Hampstead Road to one, too. Ideally, this would be done by one wide lane (not including an ASL), but the design as drawn wouldn't cause any major problems.
Obviously, the big problem of the one-way system still persists, but this is a step in the right direction and should have a highly beneficial impact on traffic management in Camden. Good work so far. I look forward to seeing subsequent iterations.
Nice to see this. A very good, simple, and (largely) uncluttered draft design approach with good (although not perfect) potential to subsequently return the Camden one-way gyratory to two-way operation (which is by far and away the most important thing to do for cycling in the London Borough of Camden), although I'd be interested in hearing engineers' thoughts on potential future lane configuration in the High Street--this presents a few challenges. No measurements are given, so always hard to tell how wide everything is.
The intended configuration of public space is spot-on, although the draft indication of public realm design on the large space is too cluttered and should be left clearer; randomly-scattered seating, even if under trees, tends not to work too well, but these are details that would be addressed later in the design process (and off-carriageway design issues can be addressed much more easily and with less fuss than traffic management schemes). Then again, for illustrative purposes you always tend to see things here which haven't been worked out fully. It's always important to address the nodes before the connecting links, and Camden are doing this here, although they are still not able to address the wider issues of the network in which this node is located.
ASLs are fairly pointless but don't do any great harm, either. They're a completely insignificant design detail here. Whether they're included or not won't make much of a difference. Some people like them, some don't, they have some small advantages and some small disadvantages.
Problems still to address concern the traffic lane configuration on Crowndale Road (they should simply go for two wide lanes), the left-turn radius northbound out of Eversholt Street (needs to be tighter) together with the kerb shape at the south-east corner of Crowndale Road/Eversholt Street (the kerblines on either side of the junction mouth should be aligned better), and the envelope of the main junction, which is still somewhat too wide (as before, kerblines should be aligned as much as possible, and there appears to be some limited scope for tightening the junction further, although it's always hard to tell from such detail-free designs). Pedestrian crossings can be moved slightly closer to the junction mouths. Ideally, there should be a pedestrian crossing north of the main junction, too, which has clearly been sacrificed to enable traffic to turn right out of the Crowndale Road/Eversholt Street combination when Hampstead Road is at red. It would be better if there was an All Green Pedestrian Phase all around that junction rather than the present intention of only providing crossings on two out of three arms.
It would be desirable to reduce the number of approach lanes on Hampstead Road to one, too. Ideally, this would be done by one wide lane (not including an ASL), but the design as drawn wouldn't cause any major problems.
Obviously, the big problem of the one-way system still persists, but this is a step in the right direction and should have a highly beneficial impact on traffic management in Camden. Good work so far. I look forward to seeing subsequent iterations.