artärträd

An artärträd, literally meaning "artery tree" in Swedish, is a conceptual model used in urban planning and transportation engineering to describe the hierarchical structure of a road network. It represents how major arterial roads function as the primary conduits for traffic flow, branching out into smaller local streets that serve specific neighborhoods.

The concept is analogous to the circulatory system in the human body, where large arteries carry blood from the heart to major organs, and these then subdivide into smaller arterioles and capillaries that reach individual cells. In the artärträd model, arterial roads are the main "arteries" connecting different parts of a city or region, facilitating high-volume and often longer-distance travel. These arterial roads are typically designed with higher speed limits, fewer intersections, and greater capacity.

As traffic moves away from the arterial roads, it disperses onto collector streets, which then feed into local streets. Local streets are the "capillaries," designed for lower speeds and direct access to properties. This hierarchical arrangement aims to efficiently manage traffic, separate different types of traffic (e.g., through traffic versus local access), and improve overall network performance. Understanding the artärträd structure is crucial for designing effective transportation systems, managing congestion, and ensuring accessibility within urban environments.