NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Segregated cycle facilities

Segregated cycle facilities may consist of separate roads, tracks, paths or lanes designated for use by cyclists and from which motorised traffic is generally excluded. Segregated cycle facilities are distinct from facilities in which cyclists are integrated with other traffic (i.e., not separated from other traffic by class). Description: Cycleway Bicycle street and Cyclist/Pedestrian Bridge in Nürnberg, Germany Taken: 29/07/2004 Photographer: --Keichwa Copyright status: Source: German Wikipedia de:Nuernberg-spitalbruecke-spital-v-s. ... Description: Cycleway Bicycle street and Cyclist/Pedestrian Bridge in Nürnberg, Germany Taken: 29/07/2004 Photographer: --Keichwa Copyright status: Source: German Wikipedia de:Nuernberg-spitalbruecke-spital-v-s. ... Mountain road with hairpin turns in the French Alps For other uses, see Road (disambiguation). ... A cyclist is a person who engages in cycling whether as a sport or rides a bicycle for recreation or transportation. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

There are various types of cycle facility and different countries use differing, often legally defined, terms to distinguish them. In essence, segregated cycle facilities fall into two categories; "Off-road" and "On-road". "Off-road" facilities may exist on their own dedicated right-of-way or else run alongside an existing roadway. In the United States, off-road unsurfaced trails are commonly called "bike trails" or "mountain-bike trails", while surfaced trails that are separate from roadways and which meet more rigorous standards for width, grade and accessibility are commonly called "bike paths." In the United Kingdom and some other places, the terms "cycle path" or "cycle track" are sometimes used as a blanket term for any off-road device. "On-road" devices are typically termed "cycle lanes" and consist of portions of a roadway or the shoulder which have been designated for use by cyclists.

Caution is required when approaching discussions of the topic. Some of the claims and counter-claims regarding cycle facilities might be best interpreted as competing ideological doctrines rather than established engineering truths. The arguments have also been characterised in terms of a social custom or even taboo which reserves the roadway for motorised users.^[1] Political Ideologies Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box: An ideology is an organized collection of ideas. ... Engineering is the design, analysis, and/or construction of works for practical purposes. ... A common dictionary definition of truth is agreement with fact or reality.[1] There is no single definition of truth about which the majority of philosophers agree. ... It has been suggested that Convention (norm) be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about cultural prohibitions in general, for other uses, see Taboo (disambiguation). ...

The use of such devices has been a source of a great deal of controversy since the 1930s. Some commentators inaccurately use various terms interchangeably. In some cases this is done out of simple ignorance but in other cases this may result from deliberate attempts to confuse matters that involve serious accusations related to fatality, injury and legal culpability. Even the use of the word "facility" is controversial and is disputed. Sub-Zero performing a Head Rip fatality in Mortal Kombat 1 In the Mortal Kombat series of fighting games, a Fatality is a special finishing move that can be used against ones opponent at the end of the final match. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Culpability (Blameworthiness) is the state of deserving to be blamed for a crime or offence. ...

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Explanatory note: Terminology

For the purpose of accurate discussion this article observes the following conventions.

History

Pre-motorisation

At the end of the 19th century ^[2] ^[3], the bicycle was well on its way to becoming a mass form of transport in North America and Europe. This created pressure to improve the existing, often poorly surfaced, roads and tracks for use by cyclists. Simultaneously concerns arose regarding conflicts between cyclists, horse traffic and pedestrians. This led to sections of routes being upgraded to provide smoother surfaces and/or separate portions for distinct groups. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 Ã— 1944 pixel, file size: 548 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Bicyle lane on Hindmarsh Drive in Canberra, Australia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 Ã— 1944 pixel, file size: 548 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Bicyle lane on Hindmarsh Drive in Canberra, Australia. ... For other meanings see Canberra (disambiguation). ...

One example of an early segregated cycle facility was the nine-mile, dedicated Cycle-Way that was built in 1897 to connect Pasadena, California to Los Angeles. Its right of way followed the stream bed of the Arroyo Seco and required 1,250,000 board feet (2,950 m³) of pine to construct. The roundtrip toll was US$.15 and it was lit with electric lights along its entire length. The route did not succeed, and the right of way later became the route for the Arroyo Seco Parkway, an automobile freeway opened in 1940.[4] Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State California County Los Angeles County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government - Type Mayor-Council - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo - Governing body City Council Area - City 498. ... Arroyo Seco refers to Arroyo Seco (Los Angeles County), a watercourse in Los Angeles County, California, United States. ... Subgenera Subgenus Strobus Subgenus Ducampopinus Subgenus Pinus See Pinus classification for complete taxonomy to species level. ... California State Route 110 extends from from California State Route 47 in USA. Most of Route 110 south of Interstate 10 is designated Interstate 110; the southernmost section is again signed as a state route. ... For specific systems, such as the Autobahns of Germany, see list of highway systems with full control of access and no cross traffic. ...

Post motorisation (Pre World War II)

With the advent of the motor car, conflict arose between the increasingly powerful car lobby and the existing population of bicycle users.^{[citation needed]} By the 1920s and 1930s the German authorities had begun to make separate facilities for cyclists to allow the existing roads to be used more safely and effectively by motorists, in contrast with what was happening in the UK, where no such measures were being implemented.^[4]

Germany

In Germany, the National Socialist regime was committed to promoting the mass use of private motor cars and viewed the bicycle as an impediment to this goal. For the National Socialist authorities, the exclusion of cycle traffic from main routes was viewed as an important pre-requisite to the attainment of mass-motorisation. Accordingly a mass programme of cycle track/cycle path construction was implemented ^[4]. In addition, new laws were imposed to force cyclists to use segregated cycle paths.^{[citation needed]} It is reported that German cyclists objected and it is known that the National Socialists outlawed cyclists' organisations.^{[citation needed]} However, it is not clear if this was due to disputes over transport policy, or wider political disputes.^{[citation needed]} The National Socialist German Workers Party (German: , or NSDAP, commonly, the Nazi Party), was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. ...

United Kingdom

In the UK, similar moves were initiated but ran into trenchant opposition from cycling groups.^{[citation needed]} In particular the Cyclists' Touring Club organised mass meetings to reject the use of cycle tracks and any suggestion that cyclists should be forced to used such devices.^{[citation needed]} The CTC was successful and the use of cycle tracks largely fell out of favour in the UK.^{[citation needed]} CTC, the Cyclists Touring Club, is the United Kingdom and Irelands largest and longest established cycling membership organisation. ...

Post World War II

Post-war German governments chose to continue the transportation objectives of their National Socialist predecessors, hence cyclists were viewed as an impediment to motorised traffic to be excluded and restricted whenever feasible ^[5]. These policies eventually resulted in Germany largely eliminating cycling as a significant form of transport. In the UK, little use of separate cycleway/cycle track systems took place except in the so-called "new towns" such as Stevenage and Harlow. From the end of the 1960s in Nordic countries, the Swedish SCAFT guidelines on urban planning were highly influential and argued that non-motorised traffic must be segregated from motorised traffic wherever possible. Under the influence of the SCAFT guidelines cyclists and pedestrians were essentially treated as a homogeneous group to be catered for using similar facilities. The SCAFT guidelines strongly influenced cities such as Helsinki and Västerås to build large cycle path networks. By the late 1960s and 1970s, with the cyclists mainly gone, many German towns even began removing cycle tracks so as to accommodate more car parking. Increasing traffic congestion and the 1970s oil shocks contributed to a resurgence in cycling in some countries. However, outside of SCAFT-inspired developments in Nordic countries, the use of segregated cycle facilities was mainly confined to university towns with established populations of bicycle users. Stevenage is a town and district in Hertfordshire, England. ... Harlow is a new town and local government district in Essex, England. ... Political map of the Nordic countries and associated territories. ... Location of Helsinki in Northern Europe Coordinates: , Country Finland Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki Charter 1550 Capital city 1812 Government - City manager Jussi Pajunen Area - City 187. ... VÃ¤sterÃ¥s [vÉ›stÉ™roËs] is a city in central Sweden, located on the shore of Lake MÃ¤laren in the province VÃ¤stmanland, some 100 km west of Stockholm. ...

1980s to present

The 1980s saw the start of experimental cycle route projects in Danish towns such as Århus, Odense, and Herning. In addition, the 1980s saw the Netherlands begin a large programme of cycle facilities construction as part of the so-called "bicycle masterplan". Following the "bicycle boom" of the early '80s, German towns also began revisiting the concept. The use of segregated cycle facilities is a central dogma of many organisations associated with the environmental movement. Accordingly, the rise of the "Green" movement in the 1990s has also been accompanied by vocal calls for the construction of "cycle networks" in many countries. This has led to various high profile "cycle network" projects examples of which can be found in Bogotá, Montreal, Dublin and other cities. The cityhall of Ã…rhus. ... Odense is the third largest city in Denmark with 145,554 inhabitants (Odense city January 1, 2004) and the capital of the island of Funen. ... Location of Herning municipality Herning is a municipality (Danish, kommune) in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. ... Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek , plural ) is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, ideology or any kind of organization, thought to be authoritative and not to be disputed or doubted. ... The environmental movement (a term that sometimes includes the conservation and green movements) is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement. ... Motto: BogotÃ¡, 2600 metros mÃ¡s cerca de las estrellas BogotÃ¡, 2600 meters closer to the stars Localities (localidades) of BogotÃ¡ Country Colombia Department BogotÃ¡, D.C.* Foundation August 6, 1538 Government - Mayor Luis Eduardo GarzÃ³n, PDA Area - City 1,587 kmÂ² (612. ... Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Quebec Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government - Mayor GÃ©rald Tremblay Area [1][2][3] - City 365. ... Dublin city centre at night WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: DÃ¡il Ã‰ireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: 01, +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ...

The safety of segregated cycle facilities

In the UK in the 1930s, the introduction of segregated cycling facilities had been seriously considered as part of a range of measures designed to improve cycling safety. The cycling representative, on a committee set up to study potential solutions to reduce cycling accidents, was sceptical of their likely overall safety benefit. For various reasons, including the intervention of the Second World War, and the resulting twenty year lull in road investment, nothing became of the ideas.^[6] Some of the UK cycling lobby still campaigns against the promotion of any type of cycling facilities, to quote a recent response to a consultation on a Highway Code rule change, from the umbrella body for UK cyclists' groups, "Cycle Campaign Network knows of no evidence that cycle facilities and in particular cycle lanes, generally lead to safer conditions for cycling".^[7] On the other hand, the proponents of segregated cycling facilities frequently proclaim them as being necessary to the provision of a "safe" cycling environment.^{[citation needed]} A review of some of the international literature suggests a finding associating the use of roadside urban segregated cycle paths with increases in the rate and severity of car/bicycle collisions.^[8] Front Cover of the Highway Code The Highway Code is the official road safety manual for the United Kingdom. ...

Direct safety

Diagram showing relative increases in risk of car/bicycle collision for cycle path users --Sf 15:14, 21 Oct 2004 (UTC) © This image is copyrighted. ... Diagram showing relative increases in risk of car/bicycle collision for cycle path users --Sf 15:14, 21 Oct 2004 (UTC) © This image is copyrighted. ...

Urban roads

The source of the direct safety problem lies in the nature of the predominant car/bicycle collision types. The majority of collisions on urban roads occur at junctions and involve turning vehicles.^[9] Rear-end type collisions are only a major factor on arterial or interurban roads.^[10] ^[11] ^[12] ^[13] ^[14] ^[15] ^[16] Thus accident analysis suggests that on rural/arterial routes with few junctions, providing segregated space for cyclists might lower the net number of collisions^[17].

For urban roads, with many junctions, accident analysis suggests the opposite, that segregated cycling facilities are likely to produce a net increase collisions. These conclusions are supported by the experience of countries that have implemented segregated cycling facilities. In the U.S.^[18], UK^[19], Germany, Sweden^[20], Denmark^[21], Canada ^[22] and Finland^[23], it has been found that cycling on roadside urban cycle tracks/sidepaths results in significant, up to 12 fold, increases in the rate of car/bicycle collisions. At a 1990 European conference on cycling, the term Russian roulette was openly used to describe the use of roadside cycle paths.^[24] Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic - President George Walker Bush (R) - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Russian roulette is a lethal form of gambling in which participants place a single round in a chamber of a revolver and, spinning the cylinder such that the location of the round is unknown, take turns putting the weapon to their temples (heads) and pulling the trigger until the weapon...

In Helsinki, research has shown that cyclists are safer cycling on the roads mixed in with the traffic than they are using that city's 800 km of cycle paths ^[25]. The Berlin police and Senate conducted studies which led to a similar conclusion in the 1980s ^[26]. In Berlin 10% of the roads have cycle paths but these produce 75% of fatalities and serious injuries among cyclists ^[27]. In the UK town of Milton Keynes it has been shown that cyclists using the "off-road" Milton Keynes redway system have, on a per journey basis, a significantly higher rate of fatal car-bicycle collisions than cyclists who simply cycle on the ordinary unsegregated roads^[19]. Cycle lanes / bike lanes are less dangerous than cycle paths in urban situations but even well-implemented examples have still been associated with 10% increases in casualty rates. However particular concern attaches to the use of cycle lanes in specific urban situations, especially large roundabouts. For adult cyclists, the standard safe cycling advice for handling roundabouts is to try to maintain a prominent position while circulating ^[28]. The use of cycle lanes runs counter to this advice and places cyclists outside the main "zone of observation" of entering motorists; who represent the overwhelming source of risk (50% of collisions) ^[29]. In 2002, cycle lanes were removed from a roundabout in the British town of Weymouth after 20 months because the casualty rate had increased significantly ^[30]. German research has also indicated that cyclists are safer negotiating roundabouts within the main traffic mix rather than on separate cycle lanes or cycle paths ^[31]. See also cycle facilities at roundabouts. Location of Helsinki in Northern Europe Coordinates: , Country Finland Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki Charter 1550 Capital city 1812 Government - City manager Jussi Pajunen Area - City 187. ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... The Milton Keynes redway system is a 200km network of cycleways/paths for cyclists and pedestrians in Milton Keynes, England. ... Weymouth is a town in Dorset, England, situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast. ... Cycle lanes on a roundabout in Newbury, Berkshire. ...

Rural / Arterial roads

Direct rear impacts with cyclists are a more prominent collision type in arterial/rural road type situations. When they occur in such circumstances they are also associated with significantly increased risk of fatality. Data collated by the OECD indicates that rural locations account for 35% or more of cycling fatalities in Denmark, Finland, France, Great Britain, Japan, the Netherlands and Spain. ^[32] UK police-recorded cycling collision data indicates that at non-junction locations, where a cyclist was struck directly from behind, there was an overall fatality rate of 17%. The risk of fatality increases with speed limit of the road. Where such collisions occurred on 30 mph roads a 5% fatality rate was recorded, climbing to 13% at 40 mph, 21% at 60 mph and a fatality rate of 31% on 70 mph roads. ^[33] The use of appropriately designed segregated space on arterial or interurban routes does appear to be associated with reductions in overall risk. In Ireland, the provision of hard shoulders on interurban routes in the 1970s reportedly resulted in a 50% decrease in fatal collisions ^[34]. It is reported that the Danes have also found that separate cycle tracks lead to a reduction in rural collisions. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization of those developed countries that accept the principles of representative democracy and a free market economy. ...

Indirect safety

There is evidence that one of the main factors influencing the individual safety of cyclists is the base number of cyclists using the roads. See safety in numbers effect. Therefore it is arguable that if a segregated cycle facility does genuinely act to create a more attractive cycling environment, and actually attracts more people to cycle, then this effect should contribute to an overall increase in safety.^{[original research?]} In addition it has been shown that, in Western countries, the health benefits of regular cycling significantly outweigh the risks due to traffic danger.^[35]^[36]^[37] Therefore, notwithstanding an increase in individual accident risk, measures that promote cycling should produce an overall societal health benefit.^[38] Dutch research shows that dependent upon the mix of motorised and cyclist traffic, the effect on overall safety of changing the balance varies. They conclude that given that three times as many cyclists as car occupants are injured in collisions, and that cars harm about three times the number of other road users as bicycles do, that increasing the number of cycling journeys whilst reducing the number of car journeys would only reduce the total number of casualties in localities where the total number of car occupant casualties plus those injured by cars is greater than the total number of cyclist casualties plus those injured by bicycles.^[39] However, given their historical purpose, a positive relationship between the use of segregated cycle facilities and increased cyclist numbers cannot be assumed.^{[original research?]} Safety in numbers is the theory that by being part of a large group, an individual member is proportionally less likely to be the victim of a mishap, accident, or other bad event. ...

The "safety in numbers" argument has also be used to explain the apparent success of cycle facilities in some cities. In most cases, the most prominent examples of "successful" cycle networks were implemented in towns that already had significant numbers of cyclists.^[6] It is argued that in such cases this existing large cycling population already exerts a strong "safety in numbers" effect, and it is this, rather than their diversion onto off-road tracks that accounts for the higher safety seen.^[40]

Remedial measures

Various remedial measures have been developed in an attempt to solve the identified safety problems of segregated cycle facilities. In some environments these represent established engineering practice while in others they may have to be retroactively applied in response to complaints and safety concerns. Examples include the addition of a separate system of traffic signals for bicycle traffic. This can get extremely complex, particularly if there are already separate traffic signal phases for pedestrians, motorised traffic and public transport modes such as trams and/or buses. The need for a separate system of traffic lights also means that building a functioning, completely segregated, cycle path system is a non-trivial exercise in terms of both expense and engineering effort. Some treatments involve raising the cycle track onto a speed ramp type structure where it crosses side roads. In addition, various road markings have been developed in an attempt to remedy the issue of increased junction collisions. Examples of these include the use of special road markings e.g. "sharks teeth" or "elephants footprints" and special coloured treatments using red, green or blue coloured tarmac. When such treatments are implemented retroactively they are often proclaimed as safety "improvements" [5]. However, cycle-facility sceptics view such claims as, at best, disingenuous. They argue that in many cases the actual purpose is to "restore" the level of safety that existed before the marking/construction of the segregated cycle facility. An associated approach may be to "traffic calm" the bicycle traffic by introducing tight curves or bends to slow the cyclists down as they near a junction. Alternatively traffic engineers may simply remove priority from the cyclists and require them to yield to turning traffic at every side road. In 2002, engineers proposing a sidepath scheme in the Irish University city of Galway stated that cyclists would be required to dismount and "become pedestrians" at every junction on the finished route^[41]. Traffic lights will sometimes differ where there are several lanes of traffic. ... Look up Pedestrian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Skytrain Bangkok. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Bus (disambiguation). ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Connacht County: DÃ¡il Ã‰ireann: Galway West European Parliament: North-West Dialling Code: 091 Postal District(s): G Area: 50. ... Look up Pedestrian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Road traffic legislation and its implications

One of the potential pitfalls for observers trying to interpret the operation of segregated cycle facilities is that legal assumptions which apply in one environment do not apply elsewhere. For instance, in contrast to most English speaking countries, some Northern European countries, including Germany, France, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands have defined liability legislation. ^[42] Thus there is a legal assumption that motorists are automatically considered liable in law for any injuries that occur if they collide with a cyclist.^[43] This may hold regardless of any fault on the part of the cyclist and may significantly affect the behaviour of motorists when they encounter cyclists.^[44] ^[45] In some countries, it may already be legal for cyclists to overtake motor-vehicles on the inside, and cyclists doing so may enjoy the protection of the law. In this case, the use of segregated cycle facilities conforms to existing traffic law. In other jurisdictions, similar "undertaking" manoeuvres by cyclists may be illegal.^[46] Such distinctions form the basis of the argument that segregated cycle facilities encourage behaviours that flout existing traffic law and in which cyclists enjoy no legal protection. ^[47]^[48]^[49]

This variation also applies to the operation of traffic signals, or most importantly cyclist-specific traffic lights. For instance in Germany, but also elsewhere, at junctions with segregated facilities, all the traffic in a given direction; motorists, pedestrians and cyclists, may get a green signal at the same time.^[50] Turning motor traffic is obliged to wait for cyclists and pedestrians to clear the junction before proceeding. In this situation all the transport modes get equal green time. In contrast, UK and Irish practice restricts pedestrians to a dedicated signal phase, separate from and usually much shorter than, the green phase for motorists (e.g. 6-12 seconds vs. signal cycle times of anything up to 120 seconds). ^[51]^[52] If cyclists were to be segregated and treated in a similar manner this would infer a significant reduction in green time for the cycle-traffic at every junction. In the English city of Cambridge the use of cyclist-specific traffic signals is reported to have resulted in increased delays for cyclists, leading some to ignore the cycle-facilities and stay on the road. ^[53] A similar example occurred in a Parisian bikepath scheme in 1999. Cyclists faced twice the number of traffic signals as motorised traffic and were expected to wait over one minute to get seven seconds of green time^[54]. Geography Status City (1951) Region East of England Admin. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du TrocadÃ©ro. ...

The design vehicle and design users

Other potential pitfalls in interpreting the operation of segregated cycle facilities are the issues of design vehicles and design users. The Netherlands is a flat country and Dutch town planning keeps cycling distances short. The typical Dutch town bike or "granny bike" has either no gears or a three speed hub gear and uses back pedal brakes. In other countries with different geographies and cycling cultures, bicycles may tend to have 7 to 15 gears (not counting duplicates), and a reasonably fit adult commuter can expect to reach speeds of 30 km/h (20 mph). Sports cyclists can travel even faster. With tailwinds or downhill gradients, some cyclists may exceed 50 km/h (30 mph). While a Dutch sidepath system may work for Dutch cyclists, serious questions have been raised since at least the 1970s that other cyclists using faster bicycle types cannot use such a system safely at what, for them, are normal cycling speeds.^[55] The Danish Roads Directorate acknowledges that the advent of faster bicycle types has not benefited safety since their cycle track system "functions best when cyclists travel at relatively low speeds"^[56] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

In some cases designers may focus on a particular design user. The UK’s Sustrans guidelines for the National Cycle Network are based on recreational use and assume a design user who is an unaccompanied twelve-year-old. The Dublin Transportation Office has advertised their cycle facilities as being based on a design user who is an unaccompanied ten-year-old. This then raises the issue of what happens if different cyclist types find themselves forced onto such devices either by legal coercion or as a result of motorist aggression. This issue is captured in a 1996 review of the Sustrans approach from the Proceedings of the Institute of Civil Engineers. "The fast cycle commuter must not be driven off the highway onto a route that is designed for a 12-year-old or a novice on a leisure trip, because if that happens, the whole attempt to enlarge the use of the bicycle will have failed " ^[57] Sustrans is a British engineering charity which promotes sustainable transport. ... The first section of the NCN to be built was the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, opened in 1984. ... The Institutions headquarters Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers (the ICE) is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineers. ...

A feature of a "real" cyclist (i.e. experienced adult on a MTB/tourer) that is ignored by planners is of physics. Centripetal acceleration and stopping distances go with the square of the speed. Curves and other features that are adequate for a 12 year old/novice moving at 5mph are inadequate/dangerous for an adult moving at 20-30mph.

The maintenance issue

Moving motor vehicles generate a "sweeping" effect that pushes debris such as grit and broken glass to the edge of the roadway. By excluding motor traffic, cycle lanes and cycle tracks become parts of the road that are no longer routinely "swept" thus collecting more broken glass and gravel. In addition, some off-road designs are simply not accessible to standard road sweeping equipment. One UK study estimated that cycle path users are seven times more likely to get punctures than are road cyclists. ^[58] Both sides of the argument acknowledge that many cyclists will simply refuse to use poorly maintained facilities. Cycle facilities skeptics go further and argue that there is no point funding new cycle facilities unless there is a simultaneous commitment of increased funds to maintenance and sweeping afterwards. Similar problems arise in areas subject to high leaffall in autumn, or high snowfall in winter, any cycle facilities must be subject to regular clearing or else rapidly become unusable. For example, the city of Copenhagen spends of the order of DKK 9.9 million (US$1.72 million, EUR1.33 million) annually on maintaining its cycle track network ^[59]. German federal law requires local authorities to declassify cycle tracks that do not conform to strict design and maintenance criteria^[60]. Image File history File links Cycle_lane_debris. ... Image File history File links Cycle_lane_debris. ...

In Harlow New Town UK, which was built in the late 1950s, there is a dual infrastructure. The cycle paths are/were swept every two days; this keeps them free of leaves and glass.

Segregated cycle facilities and transportation cycling

There is well-established historical precedent for the use of cycle facilities as a means of promoting motoring at the expense of cyclists’ access.^[4]^[5] Despite this, it has become customary for certain commentators, particularly those associated with the environmental and/or motoring lobbies, to proclaim segregated cycle facilities as the "measure of choice" for restoring cyclist access to western cities. Perhaps understandably, this is highly controversial and is a source of, occasionally quite bitter, dispute. See also cycle path debate. Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1106 KB) This photo shows a roundabout with cycle lanes around the outside. ... Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1106 KB) This photo shows a roundabout with cycle lanes around the outside. ... A roundabout or rotary is a type of road junction (or traffic calming device) at which traffic enters a stream around a central island after first yielding (giving way) to the circulating traffic. ... Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() â€“ on the European continent() â€“ in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto)1 Government Constitutional monarchy - Monarch Queen Elizabeth II... The cycle path debate concerns the issues surrounding the provision and use of cycle paths. ...

In contrast, in 1996 the Cyclists' Touring Club and Institute of Highways and Transportation jointly produced a set of guidelines Cycle-Friendly Infrastructure which placed segregated cycling facilities at the bottom of any hierarchy of measures designed to promote cycling.^[61] Planners at the Directorate Infrastructure Traffic and Transport [6] in Amsterdam place cyclists and motorists together on roads with speed limits at or below 30 km/h, but segregate them by means of bicycle lanes when motorists are permitted to travel faster. However, this is in a context where most of the measures prioritised by Cycle-Friendly Infrastructure; HGV restrictions, area-wide traffic calming, speed limit enforcement etc, are already in place. See the Utility cycling article for more detail. It has been suggested that Mokum be merged into this article or section. ... Ugandan bicycle taxi or bodaboda Cargo-bicycle and Trike for rent Bremen. ...

Evidence

Between the late '80s and early '90s the Netherlands spent 1.5 billion guilders (the equivalent of US$945 million) on cycling infrastructure, yet cycling levels practically stayed the same.^[62] In the UK, a ten year study of the effect of cycle facilities in eight UK towns and cities found no evidence that they had resulted in any diversion from other transport modes to cycling ^[63] A similar finding had been reported for Denmark in 1989, where it was found that there was no correlation between cycle facilities and increased cycling unless active traffic restraint measures were also present. In Denmark as a whole, the establishment of a huge cycling infrastructure has been accompanied by cycling levels that have stayed roughly stable (with minor fluctuations) since 1975. The construction of 320 km of "Strategic cycle network" in Dublin been accompanied by a 15% fall in commuter cycling and 40% falls in cycling by second and third level students. In contrast, in the late 1970s and early 1980s cycling underwent robust growth in Germany, the UK and Ireland while there was little or no investment in cycling infrastructure. Dublin city centre at night WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: DÃ¡il Ã‰ireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: 01, +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ... Bicycle commuting is the act of commuting to work or school by bicycle, a common form of utility cycling. ...

Cycle facilities vs. facilitating cyclists

A key criticism made by the opponents of such schemes is that the focus is often on constructing "cycle facilities" rather than "facilitating cyclists". It is readily apparent that there are many cities that have extensive cycle networks and also high levels of cycling. However, the most prominent examples tend to be compact, often mediaeval, university cities. This common theme has been taken to suggest that other underlying factors are driving the levels of cycle use. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 Ã— 960 pixel, file size: 481 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Taken by uploader, all rights released I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 Ã— 960 pixel, file size: 481 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Taken by uploader, all rights released I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under... â€œLouisvilleâ€ redirects here. ...

The issue with "cycle facilities" is that they are designed around the needs of a 12year old/novice cyclist; the lowest common denominator. The features penalise the higher quality cyclists. The better the cyclist the more the inconvenience/danger caused.

Some commentators even argue that the "cause and effect" being seen is actually the reverse of that which is often claimed: That it is the presence of large numbers of cyclists that tends to precipitate the construction of segregated cycle facilities. Possibly the best that can be said, is that in various cities, the safety of cycling, and the number of cyclists present, will result from a complex interaction of spatial planning, population density, legislative environment, and wider traffic/transportation management policies. The evidence suggests that within this mix, segregated cycle facilities can play either a positive or negative role, but this role will be secondary to other factors. The utility cycling article provides a more detailed treatment of these issues. Ugandan bicycle taxi or bodaboda Cargo-bicycle and Trike for rent Bremen. ...

The large student populations of these towns increase the green vote, so greenwash is more likely to occur. Because cyclists and their bikes are not examined for roadworthyness the political solution is to be seen to be doing something, even if it is counterproductive. Greenwash (a portmanteau of green and whitewash) is a pejorative term that environmentalists and other critics use to describe the activity of giving a positive public image to putatively environmentally unsound practices. ...

Cycle facilities in promoting recreational cycling

The use of separate cycleways or bike trails as a means of promoting recreational cycling is much less controversial. In Northern European countries, extensive interurban cycleway networks can be found: Denmark has had a national system of cycle routes since 1993. These may use roads dedicated to exclusively cycle traffic or minor rural roads whose use is otherwise restricted to local motor traffic and agricultural machinery. In Northern Europe, cycling tourism represents a significant proportion of overall tourist activity. The UK and US have recently implemented similar programs such as the UK's National Cycle Network. In the US, the Rails-to-Trails program seeks to convert abandoned railroad beds to recreational trails. In 2003 the longest continuous cycleway in Europe was opened, along the Albacete-Valdeganga highway in Spain, a total distance of 22 km ^[64]. Bogota's Bike Paths Network or "Ciclo-Ruta" in Spanish, designed and built during the administration of Mayor Enrique Peñalosa attracts significant recreational use. Download high resolution version (861x640, 125 KB)German cycle route on disused railway corridor Description: Mosel Maare Cycle route on converted Railway corridor between Daun and Wittlich (Eifel: Germany) Taken: 30. ... Download high resolution version (861x640, 125 KB)German cycle route on disused railway corridor Description: Mosel Maare Cycle route on converted Railway corridor between Daun and Wittlich (Eifel: Germany) Taken: 30. ... The first section of the NCN to be built was the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, opened in 1984. ... Railbanking is the practice of preserving railroad rights-of-way by using them as multi-use trails. ... Albacete its origins is derived from Arabic Al Basita (the plain, or the simple). ... Valdeganga is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. ... A bikepath in Chapinero Bogota is the Colombian city with the most extensive and comprehensive network of bike paths. ...

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