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.
Intersection Crossing Times of Bicyclists (USA)
06th Feb 2012
The timing of traffic signals is rarely determined by the needs of bicyclists, in part because quantitative data about the timing of intersection crossing maneuvers by bicyclists have not generally been available. This study built on a video image-processing method developed and reported in a previous study to collect data at five new intersections with diverse physical characteristics and bicycling populations.This research report was published in the journal Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board in December 2011.
Evaluation of Shared Lane Markings in Cambridge, Massachusetts (USA)
06th Feb 2012
This research report was published in the journal Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board in December 2011. Shared lane markings (sharrows) convey the message that motorists and cyclists must share the travel way on which they are operating.Overall, safety effects appeared to be associated with the installation of the sharrows placed 10 ft (3.05 m) from the curb.
How do level of experience, purpose for riding, and preference for facilities affect location of riding? (Australia)
01st Feb 2012
This research report was published in the journal Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board in December 2011. Characteristics of the road infrastructure affect both the popularity of bicycling and its safety, but comparisons of the safety performance of infrastructure may be confounded by differences in the profiles of cyclists who use them. Data from a survey of 2,532 adult bicycle riders in Queensland, Australia, demonstrated that many riders rode reluctantly in particular locations and that preference for riding location was influenced by degree of experience and riding purpose.
Better Streets, Better Cities: a guide to street design in urban India
13th Jan 2012
This guide was prepared by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) in collaboration with the Ahmedabad-based Environmental Planning Collaborative. The guide to street design in urban India illustrates ways that good design can help create safer streets and more livable public spaces and urges planners to explore approaches that prioritise the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.
Think Cycling: A Guide for Local Authorities (UK)
23rd Dec 2011
In December 2011 the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (UK) published a guide entitled 'Think Cycling!'. This short guide demonstrates how to make effective, low-cost investment in cycling and includes a series of good practice case studies.
Mejlgade, the first cycle street in Denmark (EU)
22nd Dec 2011
This brief report, written in December 2011 by the Cycling Embassy of Denmark, examines the construction of the first cycle street in Denmark. Cycle Streets have been developed in Germany and Holland. The idea is that all road users can use the street – but on the cyclists’ terms – and the road will be optimised in order to cater for cyclists and pedestrians, instead of the cars.
Evaluation of bike boxes at signalized intersections (USA)
17th Nov 2011
This paper, to be published in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention in January 2012, presents a before–after study of bike boxes at 10 signalized intersections in Portland, Oregon. The bike boxes, also known as advanced stop lines or advanced stop boxes, were installed to increase visibility of cyclists and reduce conflicts between motor vehicles and cyclists, particularly in potential “right-hook” situations.
Roundabouts: Why they are dangerous for cyclists and what can be done about it (Australia)
03rd Nov 2011
This reasearch by B Cumming was published in Transport Engineering in Australia: 2011, Vol. 13, No. 1. Roundabouts experience fewer and less severe vehicle crashes than typical intersections. Yet this safety benefit does not extend to bicycles. The reasons for this are analysed through a literature review and a case study of roundabout crashes occurring in Victoria from 2005-2009.
A Guide to Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Trail Bridges (USA)
31st Aug 2011
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service released a report in May 2011 that explores the benefits and challenges encountered with the use of lightweight, low-maintenance, easily constructed fiber-reinforced polymer trail bridges in remote areas where the weight of conventional bridge-building materials such as steel, concrete, or timber make their use impractical.
St Kilda Road and Royal Parade Bicycle Lane Monitoring (Australia)
29th Aug 2011
In mid 2011 VicRoads Metropolitan North West Region commissioned Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) to monitor the effectiveness of the improvements implemented along St Kilda Road and Royal Parade in Melbourne. Three treatments were evaluated: green coloured surface treatments within advanced storage boxes for cyclists; green surface treatments for bicycle lanes at conflict points; and audio-tactile line marking to reinforce bicycle lanes at mid-block locations. The research found an improvement in perceived safety for cyclists and suggest there are real safety benefits from the chosen treatments.
Pedestrian and Bicyclist Traffic Control Device Evaluation Methods (USA)
24th Aug 2011
This report, released by the US Federal Highway Administration in May 2011, provides a framework for engineers, planners, and public works employees to evaulate the effectiveness of pedestrian and bicyclist traffic control devices. This study was part of a larger FHWA research study to quantify the effectiveness of engineering countermeasures in improving safety and operations for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project focused on existing and new engineering countermeasures that have not yet been comprehensively evaluated.
Lane Widths on Urban Roads Research Report (Aus)
02nd Aug 2011
This report, released by Bicycle Victoria in August 2011, investigates the evidence for determining traffic lane widths. Current Australian guidelines recommend traffic lane widths of 3.5m as standard. This report finds that lanes below 3.5 metres can operate successfully provided that attention is paid to the local circumstances.
Cycling By Design: Scotland's National Design Guide
22nd Jul 2011
Scotland’s national cycle design guide ‘Cycling by Design’ was updated and rerelased in July 2011. The primary focus of the document is the establishment of guidance to ensure consistent and appropriate design.
Australian Bicycle Network Signage Strategies
19th Jul 2011
A number of bicycle network signage strategies produced by state and local government are now publicly available. The following list provides links to signage strategies produced by the Queensland Government, NSW Government, Parramatta City Council, City of Sydney and Brisbane City Council.
Providing bicycle facilities as part of transport projects (Australia)
29th Apr 2011
This document, published by the Victorian Department of Transport in 2010, outlines criteria that must be considered by those planning and designing transport projects to determine whether to include bicycle facilities and the application process. This policy direction will ensure that those who are planning and designing a broad range of transport projects consider the needs of cyclists early in the scoping of a transport project.
Cycling Aspects of Austroads Guides
27th Apr 2011
The Cycling Aspects of Austroads Guides has now been released by Austroads. The publication brings together cycling related information found in various Austroads guides, primarily the Guide to Road Design and the Guide to Traffic Management.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center - Bikeability Checklist
17th Mar 2011
In communities across the world, there is a growing need and responsibility to provide options that give people the opportunity to bike—to bike more often, to bike to more places, and to feel safe while doing so. The benefits of riding a bicycle-whether for utilitarian or recreational purposes—can be expressed in terms of improved environmental and personal health, reduced traffic congestion, enhanced quality of life, economic rewards, as well as others. This section provides an overview on why it is important to bike and what we can do to make it easier to bike more often.
NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide (USA)
11th Mar 2011
The NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide (part of the Cities for Cycling initiative) aims to provide cities with state-of-the-practice solutions that can help create complete streets that are safe and enjoyable for bicyclists. The intent of the Guide is to offer substantive guidance for cities seeking to improve bicycle transportation in places where competing demands for the use of the right of way present unique challenges. The guide is available as an online resource and a printed publication.
“Floating Parking” & Bike-Buffer Zones in Separated Cycletracks
09th Mar 2011
Clarence Eckerson, Jr. on March 6, 2011 StreetFilms - Bicycles
What L.A.'s New Bike Plan Means For Cyclists—and the City
09th Mar 2011
Alissa Walker, March 2, 2011, GOOD - Transportation
When Will AASHTO Revise Its Policy Against Separated Bike Lanes?
15th Feb 2011
by Angie Schmitt, February 11, 2011, StreetsBlog
Across the Arterial: Mid-block Shared-Use Path Crossings of Multilane Roadways in California
10th Feb 2011
Steve Schweigerdt, Jan 27 2011, Produced by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Document - PDF 6.6MB
This study is a product of the Healthy Transportation Network (HTN), a project of the California Active Communities (CAC) within the California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
New San Francisco Bike Lanes Too Dangerous to Use
10th Feb 2011
Irvin Dawid, Planetizen via
Scott James, January 28, 2011, The Bay Citizen
Sharrows are a great way to give cyclists access to the full traffic lane without designating a bike lane, but as this case in San Francisco illustrates, not all applications are good ones. The presence of a bus-only lane created the problem.
Sharrows, or 'shared lane' signage, are applied on traffic lanes to clearly mark these lanes to cyclists and motorists that both have access to them. Generally they are used on narrow curb lanes where vehicle parking exists to prevent cyclists from biking to closely to the parked cars so as to prevent being 'doored'. However, the far-right, bus-only lanes on Post and Sutter made that impossible, so the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) chose to sharrow the center lane as cyclists are not legally allowed to use lanes exclusive to buses.
Cycling Up 70 Percent on London’s Bike Superhighways
14th Jan 2011
by Angie Schmitt on January 12, 2011, StreetsBlog
Floating Bike Path Is One Response To Rising Waters
13th Jan 2011
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.12.11
TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation (bikes)
The effect of road lane width on cyclist safety in urban areas
12th Jan 2011
Schramm, A., Rakotonirainy, A., November 2009, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety
2009 Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference
Pedestrians take to the streets; motorists learn to coexist
10th Jan 2011
Philip Langdon , 06 Dec 2010, New Urban Network
Britain is energetically designing streets that intermingle foot and vehicular traffic; the US follows ever so cautiously.
Making urban transport more of the answer and less of the problem ...
10th Jan 2011
Paul Barter, October 24, 2010, Reinventing Urban Transport - Blog
Portland is Building a 700-Foot Bridge for Pedestrians and Cyclists
10th Jan 2011
Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01. 7.11
TreeHugger - Design & Architecture
Vancouver Creates Continuous Network of Protected Bike Lanes
10th Jan 2011
October 12, 2010, GOOD - Transport
New Tool Adds Transportation to the Green Building Equation
04th Jan 2011
Tim Halbur, 28 December 2010, Planetizen
A new free online tool, developed by the Center for Neighborhood Technology for the US Green Building Council, adds the effect of transportation and indirect emissions to the sustainable building equation.
The Transportation Energy Index online tool will be available in early 2011.
Would Bike-Only Boulevards Be All Bad?
04th Jan 2011
by A.K. Streeter, Portland, Oregon on 12.27.10
TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation (bikes)
Dutch Planners School U.S. Cities on Bikeability
21st Dec 2010
by Tanya Snyder, November 18, 2010, StreetsBlog
In the Netherlands, 30 percent of trips under five miles are by bike.
Your Guide to the New Draft of LEED
21st Dec 2010
Tristan Roberts, November 8, 2010, Environmental Building News
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released a draft of the next version of the LEED rating systems, and has opened the first public comment period for that draft. The comment period will run from Nov. 8, 2010, to Dec. 31, 2010. According to USGBC’s website, a second public comment period is expected in mid-2011, and the rating system itself is expected to be released in November 2012. Although it had been dubbed “LEED 2012” informally during development, after the current “LEED 2009” system, the new version of the rating system is officially unnamed.
Ambitious Bike-Ped Plan Latest Hoboken Livable Streets Coup
20th Dec 2010
by Noah Kazis, December 3, 2010, StreetsBlog
Should Sidewalks and Bike Paths Have a Designated Slowpoke Lane?
17th Dec 2010
by A.K. Streeter, Portland, Oregon on 11. 4.10
TreeHugger - Cars & Transportation (bikes)
Separating Cyclists From Air Pollution
17th Dec 2010
Angie Schmitt, 29 October 2010, StreetsBlog
V1 - Brisbane first dedicated veloway
27th Oct 2010
Brochure and map for V1 - Brisbane first dedicated veloway
Bicycle Lift in Trondheim, Norway
23rd Sep 2010
The Capital’s Colossal Contraflow Cycle Track
23rd Sep 2010
Batman in the Bike Lanes: Guerilla Bike Activists Fight Back
23rd Sep 2010
Ultralocal Cycling – 5 Point Plan
23rd Sep 2010
Portugal's New Bike Paths are Filled with Poetry
23rd Sep 2010
Bikesafe: Bicycle Countermeasure Selection System
23rd Sep 2010
Rail Tracks Can Be Dangerous for Cyclists, But Seattle Gets it Right
23rd Sep 2010
ZEBRA Recycled Bicycle Path Divider, Safe for Cyclists and the Environment
23rd Sep 2010
Lightlane Is Going from Gleam To Reality
23rd Sep 2010
eCycleway - Safe Urban Cycling or Dangerous Segregation?
23rd Sep 2010
Bicycle and Shared Path Design: Taking into Account Whole of Life Costing (AUS)
18th Sep 2010
This 2004 presentation made by Ian Ker, Tim Martin, Geoff Jameson and Jencie McRobert of AARB and on behalf of Austroads covers various aspects of shared path development and maintenance.
Manhattan CB4 Wants the Full Safety Treatment for Eighth Ave Bike Lane
17th Sep 2010
Video Guide to New Bike Lanes in New York City
17th Sep 2010
Calatrava Reveals New Foot and Bike Bridge
17th Sep 2010
Motorists drive closer to cyclists on cycle lanes
17th Sep 2010
Cycling Amsterdamsestraatweg, Utrecht, Netherlands
17th Sep 2010
Cycling in Kortrijk (Courtrai; Belgium); an impression
17th Sep 2010
Contra-Flow lanes for cyclists to encourage greener travel
17th Sep 2010
The NYC Street Design Manual: Guidelines for a Livable City
17th Sep 2010
Cars And Cycle Lanes - Too Close For Comfort
17th Sep 2010
62 Miles of Separated Bike Lanes for Buenos Aires by 2011
17th Sep 2010
Portland State Creates Independent Bicycle Track
17th Sep 2010
Michael Graham Richard, 22 July 2009
17th Sep 2010
London Seeks to Reduce Congestion by Eliminating Traffic Lights
17th Sep 2010
UK Department of Transport (2008) Local Transport Note 2/08, Cycle Infrastructure Design, Department for Transport, Oct 2008
17th Sep 2010
Hook, W. (2003) Sustainable Transport
17th Sep 2010
UK Department of Transport (2008) Building Sustainable Transport into New Developments
17th Sep 2010
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - Do roundabouts work for bicycles and pedestrians?
17th Sep 2010
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, website, Bikeability checklist
17th Sep 2010
Eckerson, C. Jr. (2007) "Berkeley Bike Boulevards" (8.13 min video) - StreetFilms.org
17th Sep 2010
Shared paths are off-road facilities for cyclists and pedestrians
17th Sep 2010
Transport Québec: Cycling Pages
17th Sep 2010
Cycle Trail Design Guide
17th Sep 2010
Diagonal cycle crossing for signalised intersection
17th Sep 2010
Survey of Footpaths, Cycleways & Related Costs
17th Sep 2010
TAMs cycling site
17th Sep 2010
Standards
17th Sep 2010
Main Roads, 2002, ‘Head Start’ storage facilities at signalised intersections, Government of Western Australia
17th Sep 2010
Main Roads (WA), website, Bicycle and motorcycle detection at traffic lights
17th Sep 2010
Main Roads (WA), website, Guidelines for assessing cycling level of service
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads, Cycle Notes series: Design standards for bicycle facilities, Government of Victoria, Melbourne
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 1, 1999
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 2, 1999
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 4, 1999
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 3, 1999
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 5, 2000
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 6, 2000
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 7, 2000
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 8, 2001
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 9, 2001
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 10, 2001
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 11, 2002
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 12, 2002
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 14, 2005
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 13, 2004
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 15, 2005
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 17, 2005
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 16, 2005
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 18, 2006
17th Sep 2010
VicRoads Cycle Note 19, 2006
17th Sep 2010
Rose, G., 2003, Bikes and travel behaviour change
17th Sep 2010
Cycle Notes No. 21 - Widths of Off-Road Shared Use Paths
17th Sep 2010
