Facility design / Engineering

Infrastructure plays a vital role in the encouragement of cycling. The provision and design of bicycles lanes and paths have a significant effect on the safety of cyclists as well as other road users.

The following documents are intended to inform planners and engineers on the necessary design requirements related to bicycle infrastructure and use.

 Australia:

  • Austroads, 1999, Guide to traffic engineering practice part 14: Bicycles, Austroads, Sydney.

    Part 14 is the principal guide to the design of bicycle infrastructure in Australia.
  • Austroads, 2001, Traffic flow models allowing for pedestrians and cyclists, Austroads, Sydney.

    This document begins by reviewing the literature on safety and mobility issues for pedestrians and cyclists. An investigation of traffic models is then undertaken, with particular attention given to pedestrians and cyclists.
  • Austroads Road Safety Engineering Toolkit
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    The Road Safety Engineering Toolkit is a reference tool for road engineering practitioners in state and local governments. It outlines best-practice, low cost, high return road environment measures to achieve a reduction in road trauma.

    The Toolkit seeks to reduce the severity and frequency of crashes involving road environment factors. Provision of safer roads and roadsides is a major area of gain under the National Road Safety Strategy 2003 – 2010 and is a strategic priority area for Austroads research.

  • Green Building Council of Australia
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    GBCA - Rating Tools for various building types

 

 

New South Wales:

  • Roads and Traffic Authority, 2005, NSW Bicycle Guidelines, Government of New South Wales, Sydney.

    This document is a detailed design manual covering a wide variety of infrastructure design issues. It is an important document for road designers, engineers and planners involved in the development of bicycle infrastructure.
  • LANDCOM - Street Design Guidelines (2008)
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    This document contains guidelines for the design of streets in urban and suburban developments.
    Streets perform certain basic functions in the built environment such as providing routes for vehicles and public transport, and accommodating utility services and drainage systems. The design of a street affects how successful it is in performing these functions, and it can also vitally affect the urban character of a neighbourhood and influence how people use the street and interact with each other on it.  The quality of a street and its connections can affect whether people choose to walk, cycle or take the car. It can affect whether people feel safe.
  • LANDCOM - Open Space Design Guidelines (2008)
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    A growing body of research from around the world is adding weight to what most of us have intuitively believed, that our parks and open spaces are good for us. But what is also emerging from this research is that the quality of design of our public open spaces has a direct bearing on how often we use these spaces, how safe we feel when we are there and what level of enjoyment and wellbeing we gain from the experience.

Queensland:

  • Mackay City Council, (2008) Engineering Design Guidelines Planning Scheme Policy No. 15.08 Cycleway and Pathway Design Version 2, February 2008
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    This Guideline sets out requirements to be used in the design of various types of cycleways and pathways.
  • Queensland Transport, Cycle Note series: Technical Information for Cycling, Queensland Government, Brisbane Visit Site

    Relevant cycle notes include:

    • Queensland Cycle Note A7, 2006, Bicycle facilities design guidelines

      This Cycle Note provides a brief update on guidelines for cycling facilities. The document is intended to assist planners and engineers in the development of bicycle infrastructure.
    • Queensland Cycle Note B2, 2006, Selecting appropriate cycling facilities

      This Cycle Note provides essential information for local authorities investigating opportunities to develop cycle facilities. This document offers the information necessary to raise awareness of the possibilities for bicycle infrastructure development and appropriateness for the local context.
    • Queensland Cycle Note C7, 2006, Cycling and heavy vehicles

      This Cycle Note aims to improve safety outcomes by raising awareness on the relative risks posed by the interaction of cyclists and heavy vehicles.
    • Queensland Cycle Note B4, 2006, Designing good quality on-road cycling facilities

      This Cycle Note offers information to planners and engineers on the development of high quality on-road bicycle infrastructure.
    • Queensland Cycle Note B5, 2006, Finding space for on-road bicycle lanes

      This Cycle Note offers useful information, including a checklist style format to maximise the opportunities for providing bicycle infrastructure on space constrained roads.
    • Queensland Cycle Note B8, 2006, Cycling and traffic calming

      This Cycle Note raises awareness of both the problems traffic calming can cause cyclists, as well as the potential benefits.
    • Queensland Cycle Note C1, 2006, Assessing footpaths for shared use

      This Cycle Note provides the necessary criteria to assess whether a footpath is able to be used safely as a shared path, for both pedestrians and cyclists.
    • Queensland Cycle Note C2, 2006, Reducing conflict between bicycle riders and pedestrians

      This Cycle Note outlines the common causes of conflict between pedestrians and cyclists and offers suggested measures to minimise these conflicts.

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Victoria:

  • VicRoads, Cycle Notes series: Design standards for bicycle facilities, Government of Victoria, Melbourne
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    Relevant cycle notes include:

  • VicRoads Cycle Note 1, 1999: Bicycle facility design guidelines

    Cycle Notes No. 1 provides a brief overview of Austroads Part 14 Guide To Traffic Engineering: Bicycles.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 2, 1999, Bicycle lanes

    Cycle Notes No. 2 encourages a consistent approach to the development of bicycle lanes, including signs, line marking and pavement symbols.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 3, 1999, Shared bicycle/pedestrian path design

    Cycle Notes No. 3 addresses four main design issues for shared bicycle/pedestrian paths; path width, clearances to obstacles, path curvature and sight distance.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 4, 1999, Clearway bicycle lanes

    Cycle Notes No. 4 outlines the issues concerning the provision of on road bicycle lanes on sections of clearway (restricted kerbside parking).
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 5, 2000, ‘Head Start’ storage areas at intersections
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    Cycle Notes No. 5 provides design guidelines concerning the accommodation of cyclists whilst waiting at controlled intersections. A case study is also offered to highlight the safety benefits of providing cycle specific line marking/symbol features at intersections.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 6, 2000, Signage of rural training circuits
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    Cycle Notes No. 6 offers information regarding the provision of signage to raise awareness of cyclists’ presence in the area.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 7, 2000, On-road arterial bicycle routes,
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    Cycle Notes No. 7 offers guidance on how to provide cyclists amenity on arterial routes. The paper distinguishes between local and arterial routes in an effort to provide a bicycle network that best meets the needs of cyclists with different abilities/experience.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 8, 2001, Providing for cyclists at signalised intersections
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    Cycle Notes No. 8 provides a set of design guidelines for on road bicycle lanes at intersections.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 9, 2001, Creating on-road space for cyclists
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    Cycle Notes No. 9 outlines the importance of providing on road infrastructure/line marking for cyclists and provides 9 suggested techniques of delivering bicycle friendly routes.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 10, 2001, Shared path behavioural signs
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    Cycles Notes No. 10 aims to increase safety on shared paths by offering a framework for the provision of behavioural messages to users.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 11, 2002, Directional signing for off-road paths
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    Cycle Notes No. 11 provides information on the importance and design of directional signage for off-road paths.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 12, 2002, Design standards for bicycle facilities
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    Cycle Notes No. 12 provides guidance on the required standards for bicycle lane and path provision.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 13, 2004, Wide kerbside lane markings
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    Cycle Notes No. 13 outlines the standards and guidelines for wide kerbside lanes, in an attempt to improve safety in areas deemed too narrow to allow a standard bicycle lane.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 14, 2005, Coloured surface treatments for bicycle lanes
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    Cycles Notes No. 14 provides guidance on the need and provision of coloured bicycle lanes, in an effort to increase the prominence and safety of cyclists.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 15, 2005, Providing for cyclists at roundabouts
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    Cycle Notes No. 15 provides information on improving safety outcomes for cyclists at roundabouts. Reducing entry speeds for motor vehicles and providing continuity of on road bicycle infrastructure are two principal suggestions raised in this cycle note.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 16, 2005, Safe road crossings for off-road paths
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    Cycle Notes No. 16 addresses safety issues for off-road path users at road crossing points.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 17, 2005, Terminal treatments for off-road paths
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    Cycle Notes No. 17 outlines the purpose and design provision of terminal treatments for off-road and shared pathways.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 18, 2006, Providing a smooth surface for cyclists
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    Cycle Notes No. 18 outlines the importance of providing cycle routes free of surface imperfections, such as potholes and drainage grates.
  • VicRoads Cycle Note 19, 2006, Providing for cyclists within bus lanes
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    Cycle Notes No. 19 outlines the main issues to consider when combining a bicycle and bus lane.
  • Rose, G., 2003, Bikes and travel behaviour change – a transport engineers perspective, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash University, Melbourne. Presentation at Connecting Cycling, Canberra, 20 - 21 November.
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    This presentation explores the balance between travel behaviour change program such as TravelSmart, with other methods of encouragement, such as bicycle infrastructure improvements.

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Western Australia:

  • Main Roads, 2002, ‘Head Start’ storage facilities at signalised intersections, Government of Western Australia
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    This document offers information to engineers on the development of bicycle friendly intersection waiting areas, as part of on-road bicycle facilities.
  • Main Roads (WA), website, Bicycle and motorcycle detection at traffic lights
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    This document provides user focused information on bicycle specific loop detectors at controlled intersections.
  • Main Roads (WA), website, Guidelines for assessing cycling level of service
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    The document provides a comprehensive checklist to assess cyclists amenity in a variety of potential locations.

 Australian Capital Territory

  •  TAMs cycling site
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  • Standards
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    Territory and Municiple Services Cycling and Walking standard is DS 13 which has 2 components; the specifications & secondly the detailed technical drawings.

 New Zealand

  • General Circular No 08/11: Survey of Footpaths, Cycleways and Related Costs
  • New Zealand Transport Agency (2008) Survey of Footpaths, Cycleways & Related Costs, Report No. PM07/1387T B844403
    View PDF

    To assess the contribution provided by pedestrian footpaths along public roads towards meeting the outcomes of the New Zealand Transport Strategy and key result areas for Land Transport NZ 2007/08.  To assess the stocks, condition and costs of maintenance of shared pedestrian footpaths/cycleways.
  • Wilke, A. , Hinton, M. & Newcombe, D. (2007) Diagonal cycle crossing for signalised intersection, 6th annual NZ cycling conference
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    Designers ViaStrada and Maunsell have developed an innovative concept, which proposes a diagonal cycle phase to run concurrently with opposing right-turning traffic (i.e. during the ‘single diamond phase’). This is believed to be the first of its kind in NZ, and whilst the concept is described in the Dutch CROW manual, it appears that it has not been tried before in The Netherlands either. This paper will present the concept, and discuss its benefits and risks.
    The slide presentation View PDF  (6.5 MB).

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Innovation

  • Petz Scholtus, 2 July 2009, "ZEBRA Recycled Bicycle Path Divider, Safe for Cyclists and the Environment", Spain: TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation
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    The ZEBRA, is a black oval plastic piece that is fixed to the floor on the line between the road and the bicycle path to avoid motorbikes and cars from entering. The white irregular stripes make it highly visible and quite an attractive piece. Zebra is very durable, low-maintenance and non-slippery.
  • Lloyd Alter, 29 June 2009, "Lightlane Is Going from Gleam To Reality", Canada: TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation (bikes)
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    I loved the idea of Lightlane when I wrote You Shall Have Bike Lanes Wherever You Go, but thought of it more as a conceptual project rather than a real product. No more; the response was so terrific that they are putting it into production.
  • April Streeter, 29 June 2009, "eCycleway - Safe Urban Cycling or Dangerous Segregation?", Sweden: TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation (bikes)
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    Designer Christopher Rusay hopes his design for an elevated lego-like cycleway, put together of recycled polyethylene pieces and recycled aluminum struts attached to existing lamp and electricity poles could help cities create and extend cyclist networks (and simultaneously, perhaps, reduce tension between autoworld and bikeworld).

 

International:

  • UK Department of Transport (2008) Local Transport Note 2/08, Cycle Infrastructure Design, Department for Transport, Oct 2008
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    This design guide brings together and updates guidance previously available in a number of draft Local Transport Notes and other documents.  Although its focus is the design of cycle infrastructure, parts of its advice are equally appropriate to improving conditions for pedestrians.
  • UK Department of Transport (2008) Building Sustainable Transport into New Developments: A Menu of Options for Growth Points and Eco-towns
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    Government’s advice on transport within Ecotowns and New Growth Points, is aimed at all those involved in the planning, design and construction of new housing developments. It sets out advice on how to build an effective sustainable transport system in new developments, from the planning to the implementation stage. It recommends a variety of transport options to integrate and adopt according to the location and needs of the individual development.
  • Hook, W. (2003) Sustainable Transport: A Sourcebook for Policy-Makers in Developing Cities - Preserving and Expanding the Role of Non-motorised Transport, Division 44, GTZ Transport and Mobility Group
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    The Sourcebook is intended for use by policy makers in developing cities, and their advisors, it provides policy tools appropriate for application in a range of developing cities.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - Do roundabouts work for bicycles and pedestrians?
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    Modern roundabouts by their design require motorists to slow down typically to less than 25 mph (40 km/h), and preferably 15 mph (25 km/h) to proceed through the intersection. The literature shows that, given a properly designed single-lane roundabout, motorist and pedestrian safety is almost always improved when compared to conventional intersections. Results regarding cyclist safety are somewhat mixed.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, website, Bikeability checklist
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    A practical guide designed to evaluate the bicycle friendliness of particular localities. Although it was developed in the United States, the majority of the content is relevant to the Australian context.

  • Eckerson, C. Jr. (2007) "Berkeley Bike Boulevards" (8.13 min video) - StreetFilms.org
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    In Berkeley, Calif. a citywide network of bicycle priority streets called Bicycle Boulevards allow cyclists to navigate safely. They are marked by smart traffic management, bountiful traffic calming, and the aura of livability and putting people first, cars second. Among their most unique trademarks are the purple signage and street stencils larger than a car!

    In this trip to Berkeley, StreetFilms’ Clarence Eckerson Jr. talks to advocates and users of the boulevards about their history and benefits.

  • Transport Québec: Cycling Pages
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    In Québec, cyclists have the right to ride on most roads, with the exception of autoroutes. Motorists and truck drivers must be especially careful when they see them at the far right or the road. To improve the safety of cyclists on cycling routes, which are becoming increasingly prevalent, four types of facilities are provided.

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