CRC - Bicycle network planning

The development of a bicycle friendly environment requires the provision of a well planned, integrated network of bicycle routes. The linking of bicycle lanes (on road) and paths (off road) with residential areas, shops, schools workplaces and recreational reserves will improve the usability of the bicycle network.

The following documents are intended to assist practitioners develop a practical, attractive and safe bicycle network:

Australia:

Ker, I., Huband, A., Veith, G., Taylor, J., 2006, Pedestrian-cyclist conflict minimisation on shared paths and footpaths, Research Report, Austroads, Sydney.
View PDF

This report investigates actual and potential conflict between cyclists and pedestrians. It outlines best practice solutions to minimise the potential for conflict between these modes of travel. These solutions cover engineering, traffic management and urban design concepts, as well as education and awareness strategies.
Australian Bicycle Council, 2006, Introductory Notes: Pedestrian-cyclist conflict minimisation on paths, Austroads, Sydney.
View PDF

This document presents a condensed summary of the report by Ker et al (2006) titled Pedestrian-cyclist conflict minimisation on shared paths and footpaths.
Australian Bicycle Council, 2006, Introductory Notes 1: Pedestrian-cyclist conflict minimisation on paths, Austroads, Sydney.
View PDF

This paper offers a short, practical guide to determine whether conflict is likely to arise from path design. It outlines suggested design features aimed at reducing conflict for particular types of shared paths.
Australian Bicycle Council, 2006, Introductory Notes 2: Pedestrian-cyclist conflict minimisation on paths, Austroads, Sydney.
View PDF

This short document outlines the importance of integrated planning in the development of shared path networks. This ‘information note’ covers the appropriate integration of land use and transport planning with community, social and economic development.
Australian Bicycle Council, 2006, Introductory Notes: Pedestrian-cyclist conflict minimisation on paths, Austroads, Sydney.
View PDF

Presents a condensed summary, in table format, of the various issues related to shared path planning, design, management and use.
Ker, I., Martin, T., Jameson, G., McRobert, J., 2004, Bicycle and Shared Path Design: Taking into Account Whole of Life Costing, Australian Bicycle Council, Austroads, Sydney.
View PDF

A presentation covering various aspects of shared path development and maintenance issues.... Offers an easy to use guide on selecting shared path pavement options.
Katz, R., 2001, Forecasting demand for bicycle facilities, Austroads, Sydney.
View PDF

This report offers a review of the various methods used to forecast demand for bicycle infrastructure. It outlines the relative benefits and limitations of each method.
Australian Bicycle Council, website, Green Bicycle Lanes: Background, Australian practice and your feedback
Visit Site

Introductory information covering the benefits of and the evidence for coloured bicycle lanes, as a means of improving road safety. This web-page outlines the current status of coloured bicycle lanes in most Australian states and the territories.
Austroads, 2001, Traffic flow models allowing for pedestrians and cyclists, Austroads, Sydney.
Visit Site

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.
Active Transport Quantification Tool, allows you to measure the health, community and environmental benefits of your walking or riding. It has been developed through a partnership between ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability – Oceania (ICLEI Oceania) and The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth). VicHealth provided the funding for the development of the Active Transport Quantification Tool.
Visit Site

To access the tool you will need an account. This registration process allows you to revisit benefits that you have calculated earlier and allows ICLEI Oceania and VicHealth to keep your information confidential. If you are a participant in the Cities for Climate Protection program you may have an account already please contact your CCP State Manager prior to login.

Queensland:

Queensland Transport, Cycle Note series: Technical Information for Cycling, Queensland Government, Brisbane Visit Site
Relevant cycle notes include:
- Queensland Cycle Note C5, 2006, Personal security and bicycle facilities
  View PDF
  
  This Cycle Note offers suggestions to planners and engineers on improving safety for both users, and neighbouring residents of off road bicycle paths.
- Queensland Cycle Note A1, 2006, Total Quality Management for Cycling,
  View PDF
  
  This Cycle Note provides a scorecard style document to which local government can assess their performance on bicycle encouragement. The purpose of the document is to enhance the level of consistency and integration upon which local councils provide cycle facilities and encouragement.

Victoria:

VicRoads, 2000, On-road arterial bicycle routes, Victorian Government, Melbourne.
View PDF

Vicroads 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, website, Victorian Bicycle Network Planning
Visit Site

Offers a brief overview of bicycle network planning in Victorian with links to related information.
Vicroads, website, Principal Bicycle Network
Visit Site

The Principal Bicycle Network is Melbourne’s major network of cycle routes, both actual and proposed. To date, 1,200km has been completed, with a further 2,300km planned for the future.
Bicycle Victoria, website, Local Streets for Cycling and Walking
Visit Site

This webpage is presented as a toolbox for local government to assist in the development of bicycle friendly local street design.
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.
View PDF

This presentation explores the balance between travel behaviour change program such as TravelSmart, with other methods of encouragement, such as bicycle infrastructure improvements.
Latrobe City Council - Bicycle Plan 2007 - 2010
Bike Plan
Executive Summary

To provide a network of suitable cycling facilities and education programs to increase cyclist safety, encourage cycling as an activity for the health, well-being and social benefits it provides, and to promote the Latrobe City as a tourist and competition cycling destination.

Tasmania

Draft Hobart Regional Arterial Bicycle Network
View PDF

The plan was developed through a working group made up of representatives from Hobart, Clarence, Glenorchy, Kingborough and Brighton Councils as well as a representative from the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources. A funding grant was provided by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to assist with the development of the plan. CyclingSouth prepared the document with reference to the municipal bicycle plans of each Council and in consultation with the working group.

New Zealand

Ryan, P., Boulter, R., Dorrestyn, K. & Underlien Jensen, S. (2004) Cycle network and route planning guide , Land Transport Safety Authority, New Zealand
webpage break down of the research - Visit Site
Document (PDF, 1.92 MB, 92 pages) - View PDF

This comprehensive guidebook aims to promote a consistent approach to planning for cycling in New Zealand – although it has widely applicable recommendations. This guide is intended to assist planners and other professionals improve bicycle friendly design and amenity.
Campbell, D., Jurisich, I., Dunn, R., 2006, Improved multi-lane roundabout design for cyclists, Research Report 287, Land Transport New Zealand, Wellington.
View PDF

This report highlights safety concerns for cyclists at multi-lane roundabouts and develops recommendations to improve their safety performance.
Walton, D., Dravitzki, V.K., Cleland, B.S., Thomas, J. A., Jackett, R., 2005, Balancing the needs of cyclists and motorists, Research Report No. 273, Land Transport New Zealand, Wellington.
View PDF

This report highlights common points of conflict between the needs of cyclists and motorists. It provides recommendations on road designs to minimise these points of conflict by offering a balance between the needs of both road users.
Estimating demand for new cycling facilities in New Zealand
View PDF

A free download, research paper from Department of Land Transport in New Zealand.

International:

Vancouver's bikeways are expanding to meet demand. This network of safe routes are fast becoming an integral part of our transportation system. Learn about new road markings such as sharrows and bike boxes and how they help cyclists and motorists by encouraging predictable, clear positioning on the road.

City of Vancouver's Cycling Page - Visit Site
Film on Vancouvers success - Visit Site

IBPI RESEARCH DIGEST - Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan, City of Eugene & University of Oregon, U of O Community Planning Workshops
View PDF

In October 2006, the City of Eugene kicked off its first Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan with the Eugene Walking and Biking Summit. The summit marked the beginning of a yearlong public involvement process that includes a series of community workshops and focus groups. Workshop topics included Youth Safety and Education, Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities and Infrastructure, Accessibility for Seniors and People with Disabilities, Education and Encouragement, and Bicycle Parking and Theft.
GTZ SUTP and the Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-Ce), (2009) "Cycling-inclusive Policy Development: A Handbook" download (19MB) - you will need to register to get the free download (instructions are on the website)
Visit Site

This handbook provides detailed information on how to develop cycling-friendly policies and facilities. It can help you, as a planner, engineer, community leader of advocate to enrich your own ideas about the future traffic and transport system where you live and work. It has been written by 12 authors who are experts in different fields of cycling-inclusive development.
CABE space, (2009) Making the invisible visible - the real value of park assets, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
- Making the invisible visible - the real value of park assets (summary) (PDF, 616.40 kb) View PDF
- Making the invisible visible - the real value of park assets (full report) (PDF, 5.89 mb) View PDF
  
  In Making the invisible visible: the real value of park assets CABE challenges the ‘invisibility’ of parks and green spaces within current asset management planning. An improved understanding of the current value of park and green space assets is an important first step in better strategic management and in assisting local authorities in using their assets to make a positive difference to communities.
SQW consulting, (2008) Planning for Cycling, Report (1.2 Meg) prepared for Cycling England
View PDF

SQW consulting, (2008) Planning for Cycling, Executive Summary, prepared for Cycling England
View PDF

The aim (of the report) is to encourage local authorities to treat cycling investments alongside mainstream transport projects, balancing the full costs and benefits for each case before making rational decisions. The report finds that despite good intentions, the challenges of understanding and applying the full benefits, and a lack of evidence on the performance of cycling investments, remain obstacles to achieving this aim.
Spicycles, (2009) CYCLING ON THE RISE - Public Bicycles and Other European Experiences (3.6 Meg)
View PDF

When the Spicycles project was launched in 2006, cycling was not the “hot” mode of transport that it has become today. As project partners, we wanted to gather experience related to specific areas of cycling policy. We were keen to explore how key elements such as communication and awareness raising, and the building of local partnerships, might increase themodal share of cycling. We had big expectations at the beginning of the project regarding cycling planning, but could not have predicted the explosion in the popularity of public bicycle systems that has taken place during Spicycles.
Welsh Assembly Government (2009), A Walking and Cycling Action Plan for Wales 2009 - 2013
View PDF

This Action Plan brings together all the key initiatives which the Welsh Assembly Government and its key partners are undertaking or planning to undertake in support of walking and cycling in Wales. A key aim of the Plan is to help secure a change in behaviour - so that more people, young and old, walk and cycle more often. As the statistics at the end of the Plan reveal, current participation rates are low; and the Action Plan aims to change that.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) (2009) Development of Boulder's Multimodal System
Visit Site

What steps must a city take once its leaders decide to encourage more transportation options to reduce reliance on car travel?
Litman, T. (2009) "Smart Transportation Economic Stimulation Infrastructure Investments That Support Strategic Planning Objectives Provide True Economic Development, 9 February 2009, Victoria Transport Policy Institute
View PDF

This report discusses factors to consider when evaluating transportation economic stimulation strategies. Transportation investments can have large long-term economic, social and environmental impacts. Expanding urban highways tends to stimulate motor vehicle travel and sprawl, exacerbating future transport problems and threatening future economic productivity. Improving alternative modes (walking and cycling conditions, and public transit service quality) tends to reduce total motor vehicle traffic and associated costs, providing additional long-term economic savings and benefits. Increasing transport system efficiency tends to create far more jobs than those created directly by infrastructure investments. Domestic automobile industry subsidies are ineffective at stimulating employment or economic development. Public policies intended to support domestic automobile sales could be economically harmful in the long-term.
Bike hire / sharing system in Paris - "Vélo Liberté" or Freedom Bike.
View PDF

An overview of the new bike sharing system being rolled out in Paris.
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (Visit Site ), Case Study - How Paris is Beating Traffic Without Congestion Pricing
Visit Site

The mayor of a global metropolis, elected to his first term in 2001, set out to reduce driving and promote greener modes of transportation in his city. Congestion pricing turned out to be unfeasible, because influential political forces in the suburbs believed, rightly or wrongly, that charging people to drive into the urban core was regressive. Undaunted, the mayor found other means to achieve his transportation agenda.
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
View PDF

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.
City of Boulder, USA (2007) Creating a web-based bike routing application Project Summary and Report of Findings
View PDF

GOBikeBoulder.net is a new Transportation Demand Management tool aimed to make commuting by bike in Boulder more convenient through use of a web-based routing application. With GOBikeBoulder.net, users input their trip origin and trip destination to receive a map of the recommended travel route that includes turn by turn directions and related information such as calories burned and gas saved by biking instead of driving this route.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - Creating Active Rural Communities, Haliburton County, Ontario - Contact: Sue Shikaze, Health Promoter, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, Box 570, 191 Highland St, Unit 301, Haliburton, ON K0M 1S0, susans@haliburton.hkpr.on.ca
Visit Site

There are many challenges unique to creating active communities in rural places, and yet there is very little literature or research to guide a community that pursues this goal. Some of the obstacles a rural community faces include large distances between destinations (20 km/12 miles or more); a prevalent "car culture"; an extensive road network and a small tax base, so that the focus on transportation is to maintain existing roads for cars, rather than to create or improve walking or cycling infrastructure; and limited capacity or expertise within municipal governments (staff and elected representatives) to make planning for active communities a priority.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - Intermodal Transportation Planning and Development: A closer look at linking transit to bicycling and walking Tucson, Arizona - Contact: Tom Fisher, Project Manager, Transit Services Division, City of Tucson, 149 N. Stone, 2nd Floor, Tucson, AZ 85726, (520)791-5883, tom.fisher@tucsonaz.gov
Visit Site

Can communities reduce the length or number of car trips by making better intermodal connections? An intermodal trip involves more than one type of transportation, such as walking and transit, bicycling and transit, or driving and transit. Communities interested in offering commuters more transportation choices in an age of rising gas prices and concern about climate change can learn from the plans, policies and programs implemented by the City of Tucson.
Pucher, J. & Buelher, R., 2007, World Transport Policy and Practice, Volume 13 No. 3, At the Frontiers of Cycling: Policy Innovations in the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. Eco-Logica Ltd
View PDF

This article presents 6 detailed studies of cycling in the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany. They represent the best in coordinated policies and programs to make cycling safe, convenient and attractive. On offer are many lessons to the Western World about the best ways to encourage more cycling.
Litman, T., Blair, R., Demopoulos, B., Eddy, N., Fritzel, A., Laidlaw, D., Maddox, H., Forster, K., 2002, Pedestrian and bicycle planning: A guide to best practice, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
Visit Site
Litman, T., Blair, R., Demopoulos, B., Eddy, N., Fritzel, A., Laidlaw, D., Maddox, H., Forster, K., 2002, Pedestrian and bicycle planning: A guide to best practice Guide Appendices, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.A thorough guide to best practice pedestrian and bicycle planning. This is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to achieve better planning outcomes for pedestrians and cyclists. An extensive list of references allows for convenient research opportunities.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, website, Bikeability checklist
View PDF

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.
League of American Bicyclists, 2006, Bicycle Friendly Communities: Enhancing Cities Through Cycling.
International Symposium on Bicycle Friendly Communities - 4 March 2004 webpage with links - Visit Site
The Action Plan for Bicycle Friendly Communities - View PDF
Example of a standard letter to start an action plan - Visit Site

Presents case studies of the top performing US cities, in terms of bicycle friendliness. Highlights the wide range of initiatives possible to improve conditions for cyclists and thereby enhance the liveability of urban environments.
Daniels, S. Wets, G., 2005, Traffic Safety Effects of Roundabouts: A review with Emphasis on Bicyclist's Safety, 18th ICTCT Workshop
View PDF

A paper from Hasselt University, Transportation Research Institute (IMOB) on cyclist safety with regard to roundabouts.
Macbeth, A. G., Allen, T. & Barton, A. (2007) Cycle route network planning using GIS, NZ Cycling Conference
View PDF

This paper describes how demographic data (population, employment and school rolls), conventional transport planning computer model data, road and cycle route networks and other data can be analysed using the power of a GIS. This tool can be used to recommend where cycle routes and networks should be located to provide better service for more people.
Like any good model, the ARTA and VicRoads cycle route network GIS models improve our understanding of a complex, underlying system (in this case the fabric of our cities) as much as it provides us with specific answers to specific cycle route network questions.
The presentation from the conference View PDF (6.5 MB).
Road Directorate, Best practice to promote cycling and walking
Visit Site

The ADONIS project was commissioned by the European Commission to a Consortium comprising 7 partners as part of the Fourth Framework Programme. Original title of the project is: Analysis and Development Of New In-sight into Substitution of short car trips by cycling and walking - ADONIS.
The ADONIS project was partly funded by the EU - DG VII Transport RTD Programme, Urban Sector and was co-financed by Danish Transport Council, Danish Ministry of Transport, Municipality of Barcelona, Catalan In-stitute of Road safety, SAINCO TRAFICO S.A., Swedish Transport & Communications Research Board and Belgian Institute for Traffic Safety.
The entire PDF View PDF (45Mb), smaller PDF sections of the document are available on the website.
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (Visit Site ), Case Study - New National Network Promotes Cycling in Mexico
Visit Site

The Urban and Tourist Cycling Network, a national effort to promote cycling in Mexico, was founded during the first Urban Cycling Congress. Twenty organizations from over ten cities attended, agreeing that one of the first objectives of the network will be to propose and advocate for legal and institutional reforms to include cycling as a priority in the national transport policy agenda.
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (Visit Site ), Case Study - Lessons from Bogota
Visit Site

Enrique Penalosa - the iconic Colombian mayor who transformed the city of Bogota, together with top Latin American and US transport experts - has been contracted as an adviser to Cape Town mayor Helen Zille, who hopes to emulate Penalosa’s example.
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (Visit Site ), Case Study - Mexico City Bicycle Planning
Visit Site

Transportation-related issues present a serious challenge to improving the quality of life for Mexico City’s 19 million residents. Of the 2.5 million tons of pollutants emitted into the city’s air each year, more than 80% come from cars and other motorize vehicles.
Though only 20% of all the trips in Mexico City each day are made in cars, 80% of its physical space is dedicated to travel by car. Seven out of ten Mexican citizens are overweight or obese.

International Videos

Video's on urban planning that include good public transport, pedestrian and cycle friendly spaces:

(17 November 2007) "Congestion in Copenhagen (Yikes: Bikes)" (1:53 mins video)
Jan Gehl, Danish Urban Planner and Bicycle advocate.
Visit Site
(17 Januray 2008) "Congested Streets: Jan Gehl" (0:53 mins video)
Visit Site

Interview with Jan Gehl, Danish Urban Planner and Bicycle advocate.
(30 Januray 2008) "Jan Gehl - Documentary Excerpt - Livable Places", (3:24 mins video)
Visit Site
Clark Jones, C. (2007) "A Bicycle Story" (3.00 min video)
Visit Site
"Portland Considered Most Bicycle-Friendly City in America" (2008) (8.30 min video)
Visit Site

produced by Democracy Now (USA).
I-Ce & PPQ (2007) "Cycling Friendly Cities" (15 min low resolution video)
Visit Site

scripted by Enrique Penalosa the film shows cycle friendly cities in Denmark, Paris and Columbia.
Eckerson Jr., C. (2007) "Interview with Enrique Peñalosa" - (12.07 min video) NYC Street Renaissance, StreetFilms.org
Visit Site

Dr Peñalosa, Ex Mayor of Bogota and bicycle advocate. Dr Peñalosa changed the way Bogota treated its non-driving citizens by restricting automobile use and instituting a bus rapid transit system which now carries a 1/2 million residents daily. Among other improvements: he widened and rebuilt sidewalks, created grand public spaces, and implemented over one hundred miles of bicycle paths.

TOPP Executive Director Mark Gorton discusses with Penalosa some of these transportation achievements and asks what the future could hold for NYC if similar improvements were made here.
Eckerson Jr., C. (2008) "Lessons from Bogota" - (9.58 min video) NYC Street Renaissance, StreetFilms.org
Visit Site

In the final chapter of our September NYCSR visit to Colombia, where the indefatigable Visit Site was our tour guide, you’ll find lots of tasty video morsels including: riding the comfortable ciclorutas and cycle paths, a visit to a thriving pedestrian-only street where they said it couldn’t be done, a “bollard farm,” mucho footage of the city’s parks and public spaces and comments from the city’s residents. And we couldn’t resist - just a wee bit more dance mania at the Visit Site .
Urban Age India: Enrique Penalosa, Running Cities Debate Part 1
Visit Site

Urban Age India: How cities are planned Part 2
Visit Site

Urban Age India: How cities are planned Part 3
Visit Site
StreetFilms.org (USA) - "Bike Boxes" (2008) (1.45 min video)
Visit Site

The NYC DOT has been quietly rolling out dozens of bike boxes all over Gotham. It’s really quite remarkable. But since the majority of riders seem not to know what they are or how to use them just yet, StreetFilms thought this would be a fun way to educate cyclists to love and cherish the Bike Box.
StreetFilms.org (USA) - "The Case for Separated Bike Lanes in NYC" (2006) (8.30 min video) NYC Streets Renaissance, StreetFilms
Visit Site
Eckerson Jr., C. (2007) "Physically Separated Bike Lanes: a short film" (8.30 mins video) NYC Streets Renaissance, StreetFilms
Visit Site

A short film on why bicycle lanes should be separated.
Eckerson Jr., C. (2007) "Ninth Avenue gets a physically separated bike lane" (1.52 mins video) NYC Streets Renaissance, StreetFilms
Visit Site

With Ninth Avenue getting a physically-separated cycle track, The NYC Department of Transportation has set the bar high for the nation. Though the innovation is still being rolled out - eventually there’ll be green pedestrian refuges, exclusive light signals for cyclists, signage, stencils and more - that didn’t stop and the cycling denizens of Gotham from using it today.
Eckerson Jr., C. (2008) "Janette Sadik-Khan's - Sustainable Streets" NY, USA (5.32 mins video) NYC Streets Renaissance, StreetFilms
Visit Site

NYC DOT Commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, and her team unveiled “Sustainable Streets” - a Strategic Plan for 2008 and beyond - posted highlights of her historic speech to share.
Eckerson Jr., C. (2008) "Gary Toth: Reinventing Transportation Planning as Community Development", (10:43 mins video) NYC Streets Renaissance, StreetFilms
Visit Site

Recently, we were very lucky to have Streetsblog's Editor-in-chief, Aaron Naparstek in the "Streetfilms Headquarters" to chat with Gary Toth the Senior Director of Transportation Initiatives with the Project for Public Spaces.