Zlatko Krstulich, P.Eng. City of O9awa
1. Introduction to the Ontario Traffic Manual Series 2. What is OTM Book 18: Bicycle Facilities? 3. Study / Committee Team Members 4. Brief overview of the content contained in OTM Book 18, including innovative facility types which are under consideration 5. Highway Traffic Act recommendations and amendments 6. What has been done to date 7. An Ottawa Perspective Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 2
These manuals provide practical guidance and design information for the fields of traffic engineering, operations and management Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 2
The OTM Book 18 will be a primary reference document used by engineers, planners and designers throughout Ontario. It will contain information on legal requirements, standards, best practices, procedures, guidelines and recommendations for the justification, planning, design, timing and operation of bicycle facilities and control measures. Phase 1: Literature Review, Jurisdictional Scan & HTA Review Phase 2: Review of Recent / Relevant Municipal Studies / Policies and Practices Phase 3: Identify Bicycle Facility Design Best Practices Phase 4: Develop and Provide Recommendations for the Manual Phase 5: Develop the Manual Phase 6: Incorporate Materials from the Update of the Ontario Bikeway Planning and Design Guide Phase 7: Develop Recommendations for Provincial Regulatory Changes to the HTA Phase 8: Submit Draft of OTM Book 18 Phase 9: Finalize OTM Book 18 Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 2
Committee Team Members : Consultant Team: Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 4
Table of Contents: Section 1.0 General Information Section 2.0 Legal Requirements Section 3.0 Bikeway Network Planning Section 4.0 Bicycle Facility Type Selection Section 5.0 Bicycle Facility Design Section 6.0 Implementation Process Section 7.0 Supplemental Features Section 8.0 Maintenance Strategies for Bicycle Facilities Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 19
The Bicycle Facility Selection Tool can be used to assist practitioners in selecting appropriate bicycle facilities for urban and rural road rights-of-way. There is no formula for appropriate bicycle facility selection It is a process that combines an analysis and understanding of the conditions of the location being considered with sound engineering judgement Things to Remember: Cyclists vary widely in levels of skill, experience and confidence No single type of bicycle facility design will suit every cyclist Planners and designers need to gather information on existing and future conditions in order to identify cyclist needs and safety concerns for a given location The choice to provide a separated versus non-separated facility is not a simple yes or no answer, it is based on the consideration of a number of factors described in the slides that follow Criteria or thresholds to select one facility type over another need to be flexible to be able to accommodate each site s unique set of circumstances No facility design can overcome a lack of operator skill or lack of attention Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 19
Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 19
Step 2: Examine Other Factors Skill level of anticipated users (e.g. novice/recreational vs. skilled/utilitarian) Number of lanes Traffic characteristics Number and frequency of potential conflict points (e.g. driveways/entrances and road intersections) Adjacent land uses and lot patterns Frequency of transit stops Pedestrian safety Collision patterns Step 3: Select Appropriate Facility Type Based on results from Steps 1 and 2, plus sound engineering judgement 9 Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 19
Shared Space Signed-only Cycling Routes on a Local Road Signed-only Cycling Routes on Wide Outside/Curb Lane Bikeway Boulevards Edge Lines Sharrow Markings Paved Shoulders Generally Lower Volume, Lower Speed Less Facility Separation Dedicated Space Bike Lanes Separated Facilities Buffered Bike Lanes Cycle Tracks In-Boulevard Multi-use Pathways Within the Road Rightof-Way Multi-use Pathways Outside the Road Right-of-Way Generally Higher Volume, Higher Speed Greater Facility Separation Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 19
Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 19
Clear pavement markings and signs illustrate the concept of share the road within space-confined roadways. Pavement markings indicate appropriate positioning for cyclists. Cyclists align their front wheel with the point on the chevron. Especially useful in congested areas where traffic is generally moving slowly (e.g. a downtown street).
Buffered bike lanes provide additional space/separation between the cyclist and motor vehicles. They should be considered on high volume, higher speed roads. Buffered Bike Lane Toronto, ON
Cycle tracks can be either oneway or two-way, on one or both sides of a street, and are separated from vehicles and pedestrians by pavement markings or coloring, bollards, curbs/medians or a combination of these elements. Two-way Cycle Track One- way CycleTrack with rolled curb
One- way CycleTrack with landscaped median for separation Laurier Ave., Ottawa, ON Separated Cycling Facility Pilot Project, implemented in 2011. Utilizes painted buffers, painted buffers with flexible bollards, removeable barrier curbs, and planter boxes in various locations along corridor. Painted zones at intersections assist cyclists with 2-stage left turns.
Bike Boxes Two- Stage Left Turn Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 9
Bicycle Traffic Signals Mid-Block Bicycle Crossings Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 9
In order for Ontario municipalities to expand bicycle infrastructure, it is important to provide universal, province-wide regulations on the use of the road with regard to bicycle facilities. Engineers and planners in Ontario have raised legitimate questions about the legality of implementing certain types of bicycle facilities, since they may encourage motorists or cyclists to use the road in ways that contravene the current Ontario Highway Traffic Act (HTA) Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 9
The following is a summary of proposed additions / modifications to the HTA as outlined in OTM Book 18: Modify to explicitly permit cyclists to ride / travel on the shoulder of a roadway Modify to allow cyclists to cross either within or along the designated midblock crossings without dismounting Add clauses for bicycle traffic control signals Define conditions under which bicycle riding is permitted on pedestrian streets Define conditions under which bicycle riding by children is permitted on sidewalks Prohibit right-turns on red at intersections with bike boxes or launchpads unless explicitly permitted by the municipality Modify to remove the obligation for cyclists to keep to the right most lane in the roundabout Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 9
Add exceptions requiring motorists: on a road with a bicycle lane (marked or separated from other lanes) to turn right from the lane immediately to the left of a bicycle lane, if the bicycle lane is the rightmost lane motorists turning right onto a road where the rightmost lane is a bicycle lane (marked or separated from other lanes) to turn into the traffic lane immediately to the left of the bicycle lane Introduce a rule allowing (but not requiring) cyclists to stop immediately to the left of a right turn lane at an intersection Modify to exempt cyclists from having to turn left from and to the lane adjacent to the centerline insert language allowing but not mandating cyclists to perform L-shaped (two-stage) left turns at busy intersections specify where cyclists are to make their intermediate stop behind or ahead of the crosswalk, or in a launchpad if available Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 9
1. Contract Signing Meeting March, 2011 2. Intial HTA Review & Draft Online Questionnaire Development 3. HTA Review & Study Kick-off Meeting Preparataion June, 2011 4. Design Charrette Meeting November, 2011 5. Submission of Draft Table of Contents and Final HTA Review December, 2011 6. Review and Revise the Draft Table of Contents and HTA Review April, 2012 7. Develop the Individual Chapter for Manual April September, 2012 Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 9
A City of Ottawa perspective.. We are counting on the Book 18 process to.. Provide a cost- effective tool- kit for our Cycling Safety Improvement Program Reconcile new designs with the HTA, to eliminate potential implementation obstacles Supersede (as much as possible) our Ottawa Bike Plan technical annex- used to plan our new cycling facilities We hope the Book 18 team members can also.. Support on- going improvement process (continuous evolution of Book18, identification of future Pilot Project targets) Co- operate on related areas (sharing best practices and tools on Cycling Safety outreach, provide visibility through RWPCO, AMO, etc.) Outreach with vendors on new equipment supporting Book 18 guidelines (signals, Ironwork, snow clearing equipment) 22
Assessment of Active Transportation Design Options: Highway 400 and Duckworth Street Interchange May 26, 2011 2