Connections - Designing Safe and Efficeint Bike Path Connections

Cycling becomes more and more popular in urban centers, not least because the mileage of bike paths increases steadily. As bike paths multiply, so do connections of these facilities. More often than not, these connections fall into intersections with existing motorways, creating very complex situations. Most designs and best practices try to create a place for the cyclist as he crosses the intersections and try to avoid conflicts between cyclists and motorists. However, very little focus is on how the cyclist moves through the intersection, and how to allow for the movements of different types of cyclists. This is especially true in cases where multiple bike paths cross. This leads to designs that are perceived as less than optimal by cyclists, and that may create frustrating situations for all users. Bike paths can have, unlike roadways, very different configurations: we may find bike lanes, cycle tracks, separated bike facilities and even more. In order to correctly apply and adopt existing design guidelines and best practices, cyclists' needs and movements need to be analysed and understood. The most difficult task, however, is the design of connecting bike paths: it is not enough to design an intersection that allows for safe passage and cohabitation of motorists and cyclists. It is equally important to understand cyclists' needs by analysing their movements throughout the connection. Once this analysis is done, it is paramount providing safe paths, waiting areas and efficient passing zones, adapted to the level of expertise of potential users. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD record number 201211RT334E.

• Record URL:
  http://www.tac-atc.ca/english/annualconference/tac2012/docs/session13/kellner.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)

  401-1111 Prince of Wales Drive
  Ottawa, Ontario  Canada 
• Authors:
  • KELLNER, S
• Conference:
  • 2012 CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION OF THE TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF CANADA - TRANSPORTATION: INNOVATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES
  • Location: Fredericton New Brunswick, Canada
  • Date: 2012-10-14 to 2012-10-17
• Publication Date: 2012

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 17 p.
• Monograph Title: 2012 Conference and Exhibition of the Transportation Association of Canada - Transportation: Innovations and Opportunities

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bicycles; Conferences; Design; Intersections; Layout; Networks; Planning; Traffic engineering; Traffic lanes; Transportation
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• ITRD Terms: 1211: Bicycle; 8018: Canada; 8525: Conference; 9011: Design (overall design); 455: Junction; 2885: Layout; 1154: Network (transport); 143: Planning; 655: Traffic engineering; 2827: Traffic lane
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01480563
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)
• Files: ITRD, TAC
• Created Date: May 1 2013 1:19PM