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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:

1. 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
2. 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?