Separated bike lanes and the potential to transform nonmotorized travel

The Federal Highway Administration will soon release “Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide” developed at the UNC Highway Safety Research Center. Separated bike lanes (SBLs) are exclusive facilities for bicyclists located within or directly adjacent to roadways but physically separated from motor vehicle traffic with a vertical element. 

These facilities, sometimes called “cycle tracks” or “protected bike lanes,” have the potential to improve traffic safety for all street users, can contribute to increased bicycling volumes and mode shares, and may help improve the mobility and health of a community. Many communities are installing SBLs as a means of meeting transportation, public health, environmental, and economic goals by providing comfortable and attractive facilities that will shift more people towards active modes of transportation for commuting and recreational purposes.

The development of this Guide included a comprehensive safety analysis of separated bike lanes throughout the U.S., detailed planning and design best practices based on interviews with 35 municipalities, and reviews of current planning and design resources. This presentation will discuss the results of this research as well as the challenges to evaluating these new facility types. Discussion will focus particularly on the holistic evaluation of SBLs and their potential to attract a more diverse ridership across age, gender, income, and ability towards bicycling as a viable mode of transport and recreation.