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St Kilda Road and Royal Parade Bicycle Lane Monitoring (Australia)

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.

The three treatments were evaluated across six sites selected to cover a representative variety of road conditions. Before and after video observations were undertaken of motorist and cyclist behaviour, measuring encroachment into advanced storage boxes and conflict between turning motorists and cyclists at side streets. Lateral vehicle tracking positions were measured at one site to evaluate the change in motorist compliance with the bicycle lane in the presence of audio-tactile line marking. Finally, intercept surveys were undertaken with cyclists to ascertain their views towards the treatments.

Four research questions guided the research:

Does the presence of a green surface improve motorist compliance with bicycle storage boxes?
Each of the three sites with bicycle storage boxes experienced a decrease in the proportion of motorists encroaching on the box after the installation of the green surface treatment, although this change was not statistically significant at the 5% level. The proportion of motorists entering the storage box reduced from 39% to 20% after the green surface treatment was installed (p=0.0859).

Does the presence of green surfaces on bicycle lanes at conflict points reduce the level of conflict between cyclists and motorists?
While the level of conflict between left turning vehicles and through cyclists varied markedly across the three sites that were evaluated, each experienced a statistically significant decrease in conflict with the green surface treatment. Together, all three sites experienced a decrease in the proportion of left turning vehicles conflicting with cyclists from 28% to 3% (p=0.0214).

Does the presence of audio-tactile line marking reduce the level of motorist encroachment into a bicycle lane?
Audio-tactile line marking reduced the proportion of vehicles encroaching at St Kilda Road approaching Barkly Street from 2.7% to 0.7% (p=0.0010). The average lateral position of vehicles in the kerbside traffic lane moves away from the bicycle lane by, on average, 0.14 m (p=0.0000). Both of these changes were highly statistically significant.

Do cyclists perceive these treatments, both individually and together, as improving their comfort and/or perceptions of safety along these routes?
76% of cyclists felt more at ease as a result of the green surface treatments at conflict points and in bicycle storage boxes (compared with 4% less at ease).
47% of respondents felt more at ease with the audio-tactile line marking compared with 35% less at ease.
Overall, 73% of respondents viewed the changes positively compared with 3% negatively. This overwhelmingly positive perception was reflected in 37% of respondents indicating they were more likely to ride more often on the route as a result of the treatments.

 

St Kilda Road and Royal Parade Bicycle Lane Monitoring | 1.4 MB PDF

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