Chapter 2 The Importance of Bicycing and Bicycists Needs The overa goa of the adopted regiona transportation pan is to provide an integrated, a-mode transportation system, which offers the efficient, effective, and safe movement of peope and goods, and provides mode choice wherever possibe whie enhancing and, where reevant, preserving the character and iabiity of neighborhoods. If this goa is to be achieved, the needs of bicycists and other aternative transportation users must be considered when panning and designing a transportation improvements and new neighborhoods. This chapter of the pan draws attention to the benefits of bicycing, and the different types of bicycists and their needs. This information provides a usefu context for the discussion and anaysis of existing faciities, programs, and poicies that foows. It wi aso hep in understanding and interpreting the recommended pan goas and poicies, impementation actions, and faciity improvements. Detaied bicyce faciity design guideines are provided in Appendix A. A. The Benefits of Bicycing The bicyce is an effective means of transportation that is quiet, non-pouting, versatie, heathy, and fun. Bicycing is the most energy-efficient form of transportation, and is particuary we suited for shorter trips up to five mies. Bicycing offers ow-cost mobiity. For those who do not use or have access to a motor vehice, such as schoo-age chidren and students, this is especiay important. Whie bicycing wi not repace a trips by motor vehice, it can be practica for many, such as: Trips to work or schoo; Visits to friends or reatives; Errands, such as picking up a few grocery items; Chidren s activities; Increasing bicycing opportunities and eves wi improve the efficiency of the region s transportation system and improve neighborhood ivabiity by: Reducing motor vehice traffic and associated poution and congestion. Reducing the need for motor vehice parking; and Reducing motor vehice crashes, injuries, and property damage. Bicycists take up itte roadway space. Under most urban traffic conditions, bicycists do not significanty imit traffic fow. Therefore, converting motorists to bicycists wi increase roadway capacity, reduce congestion, and decrease trip times for everyone. 1 Improving the bicycing environment can aso provide nontransportation-reated benefits to communities. Communities benefit from bicyce riders who purchase foods and other needs ocay. The tourism industry benefits as more bicyce riders are attracted from outside the county. Most importanty, the overa quaity of ife of communities is enhanced by the presence of bicycists and pedestrians. For exampe, socia interactions can occur spontaneousy and peope fee safer being outdoors. Increasing bicycing opportunities and eves wi benefit Dane County famiies by: Providing those unabe to drive or without access to a car with more independence; Reducing the need for parents to chauffeur their chidren to schoo and socia and recreationa activities; Aowing househods to meet transportation needs with fewer cars; and Combined trips, such as a recreationa trip and an errand; and Improving recreationa opportunities and pubic heath. Intermoda trips, such as bicycing to a park-and-ride carpoo or transit faciity. 1 John Forester, Bicyce Transportation, 2nd edition (1994), pp. 87-95. Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000) 7
In addition to paying an important roe in the Madison area s transportation system, bicycing is aso a popuar recreationa activity. Improving bicyce faciities for transportation purposes benefits those who bicyce for recreation and exercise as we. Recreationa bicyce rides can begin at home and be combined with other trip purposes. Off-street paths in urban areas that serve transportation needs aso provide recreationa benefits. When inked with a arger bikeway system, off-street paths buit primariy for recreationa use can aso provide important transportation inkages. For exampe, paths through parks can provide short-cuts and rura trais can serve inter-community trips. B. Improving Bicycing Conditions Improving bicycing conditions requires construction of faciities for bicycists. There are many improvements that can be made to make the transportation system work better for bicycists. However, it aso requires consideration of and use practices, street design, and connections with other transportation modes. If and use practices and the street network resut in ong distances between origins and destinations, bicycing is ess practica. Educationa and encouragement programs and enforcement of traffic aws are aso needed. The foowing is an overview of the panning principes, faciity improvements, and other strategies necessary for creating a bicyce-friendy community. Meet the Needs of A Types of Bicycists Whie bicycists tend to be younger than the overa popuation, they are sti a very diverse group in terms of age, eve of fitness, skis, riding habits, etc. Some peope bicyce to meet their daiy needs (i.e., commuting to work, running errands, etc.), whie others bicyce primariy for exercise and recreation. Some peope bicyce ong distances, whie others rarey trave more than a few mies per trip. Some peope bicyce throughout the year, whie others ony bicyce during the warmer months. Some bicycists are experienced, highy skied riders who are comfortabe riding in traffic on busier roads. Others prefer riding primariy on oca streets and off-street faciities. Bicyces aso come in different shapes and sizes. The needs of a of these bicycists need to be considered in panning and designing bikeway systems. A streets shoud be designed to accommodate bicycists. Streets designed to accommodate bicycists with moderate skis wi meet the needs of most riders. Aternative through routes to major arteria roads on parae streets, and/or off-street paths shoud be designed and identified wherever possibe. Specia consideration shoud be given to areas cose to schoos and parks, where faciities designed specificay for chidren shoud aso be provided. Neighborhood design shoud incorporate a grid of streets and paths, connecting a areas of the neighborhood and adjoining neighborhoods. Specia attention shoud be given to providing safe crossings of major streets that divide neighborhoods. Accommodate Bicycists on Roadways Roadways must serve as the backbone for any bikeway system. The roadway system aready exists and therefore presents the greatest opportunity for improving bicycists mobiity and access needs. Creating a totay new infrastructure for bicycists is not physicay or financiay feasibe. In 8 Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000)
addition, the destinations that bicycists want to reach are ocated aong the existing roadway system. Neighborhood streets have ow voumes of traffic and sow speeds, so bicycists can use them without the need for any specia treatments. However these streets are usuay not continuous and have frequent stops, making them inconvenient for a but the shortest of trips. Likewise, in rura areas, roads with a ow traffic voume (generay ess than 1,000 vehices per day) can be shared by adut bicycists and motorists without the need for extra space for bicycists. In urban areas, the appropriate faciities on arteria and coector streets are bicyce anes and wide curb anes. Bicyce anes are the preferred faciity, particuary on arteria roads, because they: Hep define the road space; Provide bicycists with adequate space free of obstructions; Decrease the stress eve of bicycists riding in traffic; and Signa to motorists that bicycists have a right to share the road. To safey accommodate bicycists on busier coector and arteria roadways, however, the roadway system needs to incude additiona space. Accommodating bicycists on arterias and coectors is critica because they: Serve mobiity needs by providing the most direct, continuous routes; Bicyce anes can be designed as shared use faciities with parking, as shown, or as bus/bicyce anes. Have many destination points ocated on them for which they provide convenient access; Are protected from minor street cross traffic; Provide controed crossings of other arteria streets; and Bridge obstaces such as expressways and rairoad tracks. Provide Appropriate Faciities We-designed bicyce faciities attract users. Lack of faciities on major streets denies access to bicycists, resuts in a fragmented bikeway system, and creates hazardous conditions for bicycists, pedestrians, and motorists. Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000) 9
On those roads where bike anes are warranted, but cannot be provided due to physica constraints, widening the right-hand or curb ane is an aternative design soution. Wide curb anes shoud be at east 14 feet wide, excuding the gutter on streets without parking, and 16 feet wide excuding the parking ane on streets with parking. The extra width is needed to provide sufficient space for a motorist and bicycist to operate parae to each other in the same ane without coming too cose, and without the motorist having to change anes to pass a bicyce. Bicyce anes and paved shouders provide additiona benefits beyond those provided to bicycists. Bike anes can hep serve as a buffer between motorists and pedestrians and improve motorists sight distance. Paved shouders reduce run-off-the-road motor vehice crashes and provide an emergency breakdown area. They aso reduce road maintenance costs by imiting edge deterioration probems. Provide Safe Intersections and Street Crossings Most conficts between various roadway users occur at intersections and driveways. Intersections and ramp interchange areas designed for the movement of motor vehices can be very difficut for bicycists to cross. A network of streets with bike anes does not fuy meet bicycists needs if intersections present obstaces. On rura roadways, the appropriate faciity is paved shouders (four feet minimum), which can accommodate bicycists with few conficts with motor vehices. Generay, paved shouders are desirabe when average daiy traffic voumes reach 750-1,000, depending on truck voumes and roadway characteristics. They are particuary important in areas with high bicyce use, such as in semi-rura residentia areas, near parks, or cose to urban areas. Intersection design shoud create space and a trave path for bicycists that is direct, ogica and as consistent with the path of motor vehice traffic as possibe. 10 Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000)
Ensure that Traffic Signas Work for Bicycists Traffic signas can aso present probems for bicycists. Demand-actuated (vs. pre-timed) traffic signas, which turn green ony when the system detects traffic, often do not detect bicycists we. Bicyce-sensitive oop detectors shoud be used to make traffic signas work for bicycists. Stencis, ike the one shown beow, can be used to show bicycists where to ride to cross the most sensitive portion of a oop. The City of Madison has recenty instaed oop detectors on its bicyce paths at street crossings as a means of counting bicyces and detecting them in order to change the signa to green. Major barriers and hazards and some soutions to overcoming them are: Freeways and rivers divide a community if there are few crossings. Soutions: Buid bridges with adequate space to accommodate bicyces and pedestrians, buid separate pedestrian/bicyce bridges, overpasses, or underpasses to provide important inks in the bikeway system. Bicyces shoud aso be considered in the timing of the signa cyce to ensure bicycists have adequate time to cear the intersection. At-grade rairoad crossings can be difficut for bicycists to negotiate if the road surface is not at the same eevation as the rairoad tracks and/or bicycists are unabe to cross the tracks at a right ange. Soutions: Widening of the roadway to aow bicycists to cross at a safe ange and use of rubberized mats to provide a smooth crossing of the tracks. Eiminate Barriers and Hazards to Bicycists Barriers and hazards create gaps in the bikeway system and present safety risks to bicycists. They need to be identified and removed or addressed to ensure network continuity and connectivity as we as safety. 11 Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000)
Impropery designed and/or ocated drainage grates. Soutions: Insta bicyce safe stormwater drainage grates and ocate them outside of bicycists path. Ensure Reguar Faciity Maintenance Utiize Opportunities for Off-Street Faciities Off-street paths can suppement the roadway system to improve bikeway system continuity and inkages, overcome barriers, and provide recreationa opportunities. Off-street paths are most effective when they: Provide short cuts and improve connections within and between neighborhoods; Bikeways are subject to debris accumuation and surface deterioration, and require reguar maintenance to function we. Bicyces ride on two narrow, high-pressure tires. Sma rocks, sand, and other debris can defect a whee, and minor ridges in the pavement can cause spis. Broken gass can puncture tires. Bike anes and paved shouders in particuar require reguar sweeping, as motor vehice traffic tends to sweep debris onto them. Bikeways must aso be kept free of snow and ice in the winter. Can be buit with a minima number of street or driveway crossings; Take advantage of opportunities such as rai corridors, greenways, watercourses, and other inear corridors; and Provide network continuity where bicycists cannot be safey accommodated on the roadway. 12 Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000)
Impement Neighborhood Traffic Management Strategies Residentia streets especiay those that run parae to higher-voume arteria streets are generay idea for bicycing. However, cut-through traffic and speeding may aso occur on those residentia streets, making them ess comfortabe and safe for bicycists and pedestrians. Traffic caming measures can be used to divert and/or reduce the speed of traffic. Exampes incude traffic circes, diverters, and speed humps. Some of these measures can increase bicycists mobiity on residentia streets by reducing stops and providing pedestrian/bicyce-ony connections. Traffic caming devices must be propery appied and designed, however, so as not to create bicycing hazards or barriers. Provide Intermoda Connections Transit and bicycing have the potentia to compement each other we. The transit system can benefit from bicycebus trips. Bicycists can benefit from transit, which can increase their access to the overa transportation system by bridging ong distances. In order to deveop this connection and encourage use of both modes, secure bicyce parking needs to be provided at bus stations and major stops, and bicyces must have access to the transit system, such as through bike racks on buses. Provide Convenient, Secure Parking and Other Anciary Faciities Just as motorists expect convenienty ocated and secure parking at their destination, so shoud bicycists. Adequate, secure parking shoud be provided at a ikey destination points. Bicyce theft is common and the ack of secure parking is often cited as a reason peope do not ride to certain destinations. Bicyce racks shoud accommodate the high security U-shaped bike ocks and aow securing of the frame and at east one whee. Other important anciary faciities incude ighting for offstreet paths and shower and ocker faciities at empoyment centers. 13 Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000)
Bicyce-Friendy Land Use and Street Design The genera patterns of and use in communities and the design of neighborhoods determine to a arge degree whether bicycing is practica and attractive for meeting one s transportation needs. The most important features of bicyce-friendy and use and urban design are: An interconnected street system, which provides bicycists with direct routes and aternatives to trave aong high-voume roadways, as iustrated beow. A highy connected street system spreads motor vehice traffic over a arger number of streets. This heps to minimize the need for muti-ane roadways with arge, compex intersections that create barriers for bicycists. Compact, mixed-use deveopment, which provides destinations within easy bicycing of peope s homes and workpaces. Many newer neighborhoods incude numerous cu-de-sacs, as iustrated beow. This requires a ong circuitous route to cover a short distance and forces bicycists to use busy arteria streets to reach many common destinations. The number of cu-de-sacs shoud be minimized. Land uses shoud be organized so that schoos, neighborhood-oriented shopping, parks, and other destinations are within waking and bicycing distance. A network of streets and paths shoud connect the different and uses. Mixeduse empoyment centers aow bicycists to run errands at unch time and after work. Where cu-de-sacs are incorporated into deveopments, a path shoud be provided between the cu-de-sac and other streets for bicyce and pedestrian access. 14 Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000)
Access management on arteria streets. Limiting and consoidating driveways and providing raised or andscaped medians on urban arteria roads benefits bicycists and pedestrians in severa ways. It reduces the number of points of confict between cars entering or eaving a roadway and bicycists riding on the road and pedestrians waking on the sidewak. It aso improves crossing opportunities for pedestrians and bicycists turning pedestrian stye at non-signaized street intersecions by providing a refuge and heping to maintain gaps in the traffic stream. Traffic fow is aso improved, which may deay the need for road widening. Whie driveway access shoud be imited, a sufficient number of oca street crossings shoud be provided to ensure adequate crossing opportunities for pedestrians and bicycists. Open space between communities aong bicyce commuter and recreationa routes. Provision of green space between communities heps imit urban spraw and can provide peasant areas for the ocation of bicyce routes out of and into urban areas. Enforce Traffic Laws Most motor vehice-bicyce coisions occur from motorists or bicycists not foowing the rues of the road. Safety education programs need to be combined with enforcement programs focusing on common vioations by motorists and bicycists that ead to crashes. Provide Education and Training Opportunities and Encouragement Construction of bicyce faciities must be combined with education and encouragement activities in order to increase bicycing for transportation. The positive effect of faciity improvements is increased when combined with training and promotion. The most critica education program for bicycists is traffic operation. Training bicycists to ride as vehice operators on the street system in mixed traffic increases their effective mobiity and reduces their crash potentia. Education of motorists in sharing the roadway with bicycists, and education of deveopers, panners, engineers, and others invoved in the and deveopment process about the needs of bicycists is aso important. Encouragement poicies by pubic agencies and private empoyers, such as provision of covered bike parking, showers and changing rooms, fextime, a guaranteed ride home program, and financia incentives can make bicyce commuting easier and more attractive. 15 Bicyce Transportation Pan for Madison Urban Area and Dane County (September 2000)