jon c. 

found this request for proposals interesting:

I. Project Number: P1236
Project Title: Class IV Separated Bikeways in California: A Safety and Mobility Analysis

II. Task Number: 3180
Task Title: Conduct a before and after study of a selection of Class IV Separated Bikeways in California

III. Project Problem Statement:
Analyses of Class IV Separated Bikeway (also referred to as Separated Bike Lanes [FHWA], Protected Bike Lanes or Cycletracks) projects implemented across the United States suggest that these facilities provide mobility and safety benefits- increasing bicycle trips, while decreasing road user crashes and fatality rates. However, a study of a statistically significant sample size of projects has not been conducted to date. With nearly 50 projects implemented in California as of January 2017, there is an opportunity to conduct a before-after analysis of these facilities to answer the following research questions:
1. In which land use contexts are Class IV Separated Bikeways appropriate?
2. In which roadway facility context are Class IV Separated Bikeways appropriate?
3. Do Class IV Separated Bikeways
a. Increase or decrease bicycle trips?
b. Increase or decrease road user crash rates?
c. Increase or decrease road user fatality rates?
4. Are Class IV Separated Bikeways cost-effective in increase bicycle trips while decreasing road user crash and fatality rates?
Utilizing the information analyzed within research questions 3a-3c, this research is intended to contribute to the creation of a crash reduction factor in the FHWA Crash Modification Clearinghouse.

IV. Objective:
A before and after implementation analysis of crash data involving all road users as well as bicycle trip data shall be conducted in order to provide a crash reduction factor for Class IV Separated Bikeways and to assess the impacts on: bicycle trips; bicycle crashes and fatalities; and bicycle crash and fatality rates; to deliver a crash reduction factor to FHWA.

The RFP continues, but is too long to post the full text.

CliffordK

The study will be complex, and ultimately may prove the experimenter's bias.

Through cyclists may have chosen alternative routes prior to the construction so the before and after picture will remain murky.

elocs

Now that's nice, a buffer and a physical barrier to separate cyclists from motor vehicles.
A painted white line is not a force field and motorists have no trouble crossing that line and encroaching on a cyclist's space when they would never risk damaging their car or paint job by even the kind of barriers pictured or they would not risk damaging their front end by hitting a curb.
I saw some pictures of these kinds of lanes in an older study: https://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/dib/dib89.pdf
and I've seen nothing like them where I am in western Wisconsin.

Daniel4

Separated bike lanes installed in Toronto along Bloor Street and Adelaide Street have seen bicycle ridership on these streets shoot right up. Some hard core cyclists may have used alternate routes before these bike lanes were installed but these installations tell them they now have a safe place to ride on a major street. And the safety now invites those who were previously too scared to cycle to now cycle safely on these streets.

elocs

My city has begun using what is called a "road diet" where they take what is a 4 lane road that never really had the traffic to merit it being 4 lanes and converting it to a 3 lane road with a turn lane in the middle, a lane on each side, and then a painted bike lane on each side. They've already done this with 1 short stretch of road but the center turn lane is too wide, the traffic lanes are too narrow, and the result is that the motor traffic routine crosses the white painted line for the bike lane. Frankly I feel safer using the sidewalks there which have very little pedestrian traffic.

Now they are proposing the same thing (actually it's been in the works for years) to a less than half mile stretch of road that is 4 lanes and yet without that much traffic that connects the city to a township next to it separated by a small river so the kids can ride their bikes to school (there is no other way on to or off the island except for the Interstate at the other end). The parents are up in arms because they claim that a painted white line on the street is not enough protection for their kids--and they're right. A painted white line with no physical barrier still leaves the bike rider of any age at the mercy of the motor vehicles coming behind them and how well those motorists view the bike lane as belonging to the bike riders and not put there just to inconvenience them.
There is a sidewalk but unfortunately it is on the opposite side of the residential area. So out come the torches and pitchforks over the situation.

CliffordK

White plastic posts provide a visual barrier, but not a physical barrier.

Jersey barriers provide a physical barrier.

An uninhibited road shoulder provides some level of buffer for motor vehicles. In the case of the occasional cyclist, the white painted line probably serves everyone best. The more cars and bikes, the greater the barrier that is needed.

The most dangerous place is at intersections, and good visibility is needed for all, as well as considering turning traffic.

elocs

White plastic posts that are only even a visual barrier are better than just a white painted line because the vast majority of motorists are not going to casually hit them just to encroach upon the area of a bike lane while they have no trouble at all doing that with just a white painted bike lane line. We have painted bike lanes on side streets where there is room to park cars on each side and for 2 vehicles to pass one another going opposite ways without having to stop and there the lines are just fine.

There are pictures here: https://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/oppd/dib/dib89.pdf
of other bike lanes I like.

Daniel4

I've seen what some idiot motorists do with those plastic posts. They look for two to be spaced wide enough and then park in the bike lane!! That was on Wellesley Street. On Bloor, the bike lanes are separated by sections of parked cars. And even then, I've seen cars parked in the bike lane beyond those parking spaces. Other sections have planters placed between the plastic posts.

The best arrangement I've seen is in Portland. Painted white lines for bike lanes but what makes all the difference is driver attitude. They have so much more patience and courtesy than what I'm used to in Toronto.

elocs

I think that some of these bike lane solutions that might work well in California or elsewhere that is relatively warm in the winter would never work here in Wisconsin where snow needs to be plowed and cleared in the winter and the streets get more narrow with each passing month.

Iride01 

We have quite a few bike lanes around my area. Some separated and some just lined off from the road. I'm not sure I like them at all.

I think I'd rather have the outer lanes of the road just two to three feet wider than normal and not lined off. That way drivers won't get complacent and expect bicycles to only be in the bike lane. There are valid reasons for bikes to occupy the left turn lane. IE, I want to turn left. Not stop at a crosswalk and then be in the gray area of pedestrians have the right of way (here in the USA) but bicyclists on bikes are supposed to obey vehicular traffic law.

Also, the speed and wider tires on a motorized vehicle tend to keep the road surface very clean and gravel free. Indeed it winds up in the marked off bike lane that the motorized vehicle cannot drive in. Many such bike lanes in my area tend to have so much gravel and trash in them that I will not ride in them. Nor do I expect my tax money to be spent to keep them clean. Just give me a wider, outer lane that cars can get around me safely without having to change lanes.

Fully separated lanes might be okay if there is a barrier for trash and road debris.

B. Carfree

In urban areas, this is certainly the case and that's why these separated creations, while visually appealing to many inexperienced cyclists, don't really improve safety. Put cyclists outside the normal scan zone for turning motorists and it should be no surprise when someone turns into them.

They seem to work fine when placed along roads that don't have intersections or driveways on one side. However, such roads are rather rare in cities.

CliffordK

They have some along the riverfront in Portland. They seemed effective there, although the stoplights seemed odd.

I did pass a truck parked behind the posts, but it wasn't a big problem.

CliffordK

Interesting idea about extra wide lanes. Of course there are those who would still advocate always taking the lane.

If I have a left turn from a wide marked road shoulder or bike lane, I'll look back, then merge left. Perhaps the line helps remind one to use caution when merging left.

Good point about maintenance. There are paths that I prefer to ride the line where it is cleaner. The posts become as much of a barrier for bicycles as cars.

As far as who should pay, cyclists are most bothered by gravel, glass, and debris on the road shoulders. However much of the debris was dropped by cars and trucks, so cleaning up after themselves would seem logical.

All these road markings are handy for the hardcore riders and comuters. But they are really nice for the novice riders.

elocs

Here is the dilemma: What about the bike riders who are not the road warriors and have the ability to ride in traffic as many of us do? The children, the casual bike riders, or those who just feel too vulnerable riding their bikes out there with the trucks and cars yet still want to get out there on their bikes as much as possible. They will demand that their riding needs be met and tax dollars spent for the kind of bike lanes they require that are different than ours. Which also leads to the question, what percentage of the bicycle riding population are we?
The ones who will bravely (or perhaps in some cases, foolishly) ride among the cars and trucks, take the lane, and for some, to aggressively assert our right to be there (often blissfully unaware of how close we've come to being hit). When communities are looking to improve bike lanes and encourage bike riding, which population are they likely to cater to?

After reading many posts in a lot of these forums I now realize that in my nearly 60 years of bike riding in the same city of 50,000 that the streets get swept so there's not garbage and debris in the gutters, and even the MUPs are kept clean and quickly cleared of snow in the winter. I've come to expect this and have not really appreciated enough what is done here. I've been through communities that have very low taxes and the place looks like it with weeds growing in public spaces with little concern for how things look other than people's private yards. I need to be grateful for what I have here and that attention and concern and public money is spent on giving cyclists better and safer places to ride their bikes as well as maintaining them.

berner

There is likely no best arrangement for bike lanes given the large number of situations transportation departments have to deal with, and this includes funding constraints. I'm happy that the discussion here and in those transportation departments has gathered momentum and is more about ways and means.

Iride01 

Glad you all were receptive to my comments and not just outright nay-sayers. My hope is to always keep these thoughts and other in the conversation so such studies don't become the end-all perfect solution to every biking situation. If we all know the pros and cons we might can get community leaders to understand the pros and cons and look at each situation more uniquely.

We can't blame cars for the litter exclusively. The 14 mile multi-purpose-trail I ride regularly has plenty of litter and no cars are anywhere around to contribute. Gel wrappers, drink bottles, sweat towels, diapers............. Must be them marathoner's

To it's credit, the city does regularly pull a big blower down it to clean accumulated gravel and debris off of it. Our mayor is a long time bicyclist. That helps too.
So far in my area, the lined bike lanes and separated bike lanes that are in areas that are used by children and the majority of cyclist of all categories are kept clean by the city. To what additional expense, I don't know. Just because it's a bike lane should not mean it's suitable for all types and categories of bicyclist. I didn't let my kids walk, run, bike, or drive just anywhere they wanted to go.

The lined off bike lanes that are the subject of my initial post are lanes that will typically only be used by bikers looking to do routes of 30 or more miles. The bike lanes don't go the entire distance. They just serve to get bikers safely through areas of more motor vehicle congestion. However, IMO, removing the line and letting motorized vehicle use that space too when not occupied by cyclist will help keep these lanes clean and give everyone more room. Plus, more drivers will not get complacent......maybe..... and only look in the bike lane for cyclist or worse, only believe a bike should be in the bike lane.

So in simply widening the roads and putting signage up along such roads that likely will only serve a certain type biker as just described in the above paragraph might be more cost efficient. Maybe just as safe. We won't know if there are no valid studies and comparisons done. And those won't be done if few people are willing to ask the questions.

Ninety5rpm

Link to full RFP?

genec

Where exactly do you live that you have such wonderful conditions?

elocs

I live in La Crosse, Wisconsin where streets are swept and there is not normally crap in the gutters. If you have a problem here you can call City Hall and tell them. I recently went up to the Public Works Department to let them know of a pothole at the end of a sidewalk under a bridge and it was taken care of within days.
Yes, taxes are high here but you get what you pay. But I now understand that my bike riding conditions are much better than many others have.

Ironically, 3 minutes after I posted this the street sweeper came past my house which is on a side street.

genec

I understand that Madison, Wisconsin is also nice for cycling... being a college town and all... Seems they realized that embracing cycling was easier than fighting it.

mr_bill

-mr. bill

genec

Back in the '70s, San Diego had one of those... used to keep bike paths along Friars road and others clean... It broke down in the '80s, and I don't believe they ever got it fixed or got a new one.

They certainly let the bike paths along Friars road do to heck.... letting it get all cut up by driveways and all... while raising the speed limit on Friars so taking the lane became a real challenge.

Bike lanes are coming back, with buffered lanes... but the paths on Friars and I suspect that sweeper, are long a thing of the past.

mr_bill

Wow, you all bought a whole *ONE* back in the 70's?

Back in the '70s, people drove C/K pickups and Vegas too. Not many of those left on the road either.

-mr. bill

elocs

La Crosse is a college town as well with 2 universities and a tech college. By this time next week our population will take a jump. We even have a couple of cops who are on bikes during the first shift at least and I've seen them on the streets and on the trails.

genec

Heck yeah, the 9th largest city in the US also has a bicycle coordinator.

BikeSD Tom Landre ? San Diego?s New Bicycle Coordinator - BikeSD

(I swear I thought it was Gordy Shields... who did a lot for cycling in the city... and deserves honorable mention.)
Cycling icon Gordy Shields dead at 95 - The San Diego Union-Tribune
Bayshore Bikeway supports ride in honor of advocate - The San Diego Union-Tribune