Bicycle Tracks and Lanes: A Before-and-After Study

This paper presents a before-after crash, injury and traffic study of constructing bicycle tracks and marking bicycle lanes in Copenhagen, Denmark. Corrections factors for changes in traffic volumes and crash/injury trends are included using a general comparison group in this non-experimental observational study. Analysis of long-term crash trends points towards no significant abnormal crash counts in the before period. The safety effects of bicycle tracks in urban areas are an increase of about 10 percent in both crashes and injuries. The safety effects of bicycle lanes in urban areas are an increase of 5 percent in crashes and 15 percent in injuries. Bicyclists’ safety has worsened on roads, where bicycle facilities have been implemented. Design of bicycle facilities and parking conditions for motor vehicles clearly seems to have safety implications, especially at intersections. The study has revealed a few points in relation to this. Construction of bicycle tracks resulted in a 20 percent increase in bicycle/moped traffic mileage and a decrease of 10 percent in motor vehicle traffic mileage, whereas marking of bicycle lanes resulted in a 5 percent increase in bicycle/moped traffic mileage and a decrease of 1 percent in motor vehicle traffic mileage. The changes in traffic do result in health benefits due to more physical activity, less air pollution and less traffic noise. The positive benefits may well be much higher than the negative consequences caused by new safety problems.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Jensen, Soren Underlien
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 87th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2008-1-13 to 2008-1-17
• Date: 2008

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: DVD
• Features: Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 15p
• Monograph Title: TRB 87th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers DVD

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Before and after studies; Bicycle facilities; Bicycle lanes; Bicycle travel; Crash injuries; Cyclists; Nonmotorized transportation; Planning and design; Traffic volume
• Geographic Terms: Copenhagen (Denmark)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; Terminals and Facilities; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01088490
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 08-2095
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 25 2008 2:32PM