On cycletracks for Hennepin
In an earlier post, contributor Lisa Bender presented a potential cycletrack configuration for Hennepin Avenue (see here >). A commenter raised the question of feeling like they would not be visible to automobile drivers; this post is meant to provide some additional detail on this issue.
Properly designed cycletracks (barrier-separated bicycle lanes) help invite more users to a city's bicycle system and improve safety and user comfort.
Cycletracks are an important component of the bicycle infrastructure of all European cities with double-digit rates of bicycle use (Amsterdam: 35% of all trips, Copenhagen: 33%, etc.)
The key aspect for improving safety (and perception of safety) has to do with properly addressing intersections - places where users of the cycletracks cross the paths of automobile traffic.
Two main ways to address this issue are:
- Increase cyclist visibility by bringing the cycletrack to adjacency with moving automobile traffic (esentially turning the cycletrack back to an on-street bike lane), or
- Providing signalization for bicyclists (stop lights that are timed to move cyclists through an intersection while minimizing potential conflicts with turning or perpendicular traffic). This is the solution shown in the image included with this post.
Most cities do not rely exclusively on any one type of bicycle facility design - Amsterdam, for example, also provides a significant inventory of on-street bike lanes, as well as many streets where specific facilities are not provided but automobile traffic is calmed to a level that makes cycling (and walking) comfortable.
The Amsterdam street shown in this view (Overtoom) is an important bicycle route / commercial corridor leading to and from the city's historic core and, in accordance with Dutch transportation policies and priorities, therefore warrants the higher level of treatment (signalization, separate right of way) to enable cyclists to travel safely and comfortably to their destination.
Lisa's post presents a related question for Minneapolis: given that Hennepin Avenue is a principal bicycle route into and out of the city's downtown; that downtown is an important destination in the region; and that a potentially greater number of people would ride their bikes into downtown if safer and more comfortable options were available - doesn't it make sense to explore options that have enabled other cities to make significant increases in the number of people using their bikes for transportation?
still a little scared....
I've never ridden a facility like this - looking forward to my upcoming trip to amsterdam & copenhagen in April (grins ear-to-ear). At this point, however, I would still feel much more comfortable riding in the street where I can keep a better eye on what the cars are doing, and where I feel like the cars are more likely to see me (assuming daylight, of course).
A lot of how effective this can be seems to depend on the details of operation. Are autos permitted to cross the cycletrack while the bike light is green? If not, huzzah! If so, I guess I don't really see a difference between a cycle track and riding on the sidewalk (which I find very dangerous & scary). It's attractiveness also somewhat depends on whether the signals throughout the corridor are coordinated to optimize auto movement or bike movement.
Another thing that occurs to me is that perhaps the safety of such facilities depends heavily on the degree to which drivers are expecting to see cyclists and their willingness to yield to cyclists. I suspect that in Amsterdam, drivers are much more aware of cyclists than American drivers, which helps their safety stats.
It will be interesting to see how NYC's cycletracks turn out with their mixing zones(though i'm not sure NYC is very representative of other American cities). Do you know of any other US cities using cycletracks?
more on cycletracks
Sorry for the delayed response to your comment -- you raise a lot of important issues. As you and Antonio both point out, intersection design is key to the success of these projects. Minimizing conflict between right-turning cars and bicyclists has to be part of any successful design.
On NYC's ninth avenue, they've seen good results, reported by Streetsblog:
* a 50 percent decline in injuries (from all crashes)
* a 41 percent decline in total crashes (36% decline in reportable crashes)
* a 36 percent decline in crashes involving pedestrians
* a drop in sidewalk riding
* a 57 percent increase in cyclists
The real benefit is that, in addition to improving comfort for experienced cyclists, cycletracks tend to attract many new riders who do not feel comfortable riding in traffic. This includes inexperienced cyclists, families, younger people, older people, etc.
As Jan Gehl would put it, cities need to *invite* people to ride bicycles and walk if you expect more people to do so.
Outside of NYC, I don't know of any existing cycletracks in the US. The City of Vancouver is currently constructing one as part of a really nice street improvement project on Carrall Street, which also includes pedestrian improvements, sustainable stormwater treatments, and a planned streetcar.
http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/streets/greenways...
You can see the graphic of the planned cycletrack in Board 2.
Be sure to report back anything you find out on your trip!!
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