Main Roads WAPerth Bicycle Network - Operational Overview

Cycling Safety Forum

14th May 2011

Bicycle Facilities – one size does not fit all...• Off – Road

– Principal Shared Paths (PSP)– Recreational Shared Paths (RSP)– Separated Paths– Shared Paths

• On – Road– Bicycle Lanes– Separated Uni-directional Lanes– Separated Bi-directional Lanes– Sealed Shoulders– Wide Kerbside Lanes– Bike Bus Lanes– Local Bicycle Routes

Principal Shared Paths• Intention:

• To provide high quality facilities to enable a range of riders to undertake regional and local trips for transport and recreational purposes

• Preferred Environment:• Along railway lines, freeways and controlled access highways

• Advantages:• Riders removed from traffic and thus suitable for all riders• Enable long distances to be commuted quickly and conveniently• Provide local access to stations

• Disadvantages:• Poor interaction with pedestrians due to rider behaviour and pedestrian behaviour• Crashes between riders becoming more common place on routes with heavy usage

Recreational Shared Paths• Intention:

• To provide high quality facilities through attractive surroundings primarily to encourage children, inexperienced and recreational riders

• Preferred Environment:• Along river frontages, ocean frontages, around lakes and through parks

• Advantages:• Riders removed from traffic and suitable for all riders that are willing to ride at slower

speeds• Can be used as alternative commuter routes where on-road alternatives are poor

• Disadvantages:• Poor interaction with pedestrians due to rider behaviour and pedestrian behaviour

Principal / Recreational Shared Path Usage

2009 2010Bicycle movements

counted2.72

Million2.99

MillionAnnual Growth - 10%

• Narrows West (666k)• Mounts Bay Road (405k)• Causeway (365k)• East Parade (328k)• Mitchell Fwy (289k)• Fremantle PSP (257k)• Windan Bridge (253k)• Narrows East (246k)• Banks Reserve (160k)• Perth – Bunbury Highway (20k)

Separated Paths• Intention:

• To provide high quality separated facilities through attractive surroundings primarily to encourage children, inexperienced and recreational riders

• Preferred Environment:• Areas with high pedestrian usage including urban areas, along river and ocean frontages,

around lakes and through parks• Advantages:

• Riders removed from traffic environment and pedestrians• Can be used as alternative commuter routes where on-road alternatives are poor

• Disadvantages:• Difficult to enforce – pedestrians walk on bike path and vice versa• Individual paths with a gap between them require a significant amount of space

Shared Paths• Intention:

• To provide facilities for slower and inexperienced riders to travel locally• Preferred Environment:

• Along busier streets• Advantages:

• Separation from vehicles • Can be used in conjunction with an on-road facility that inexperienced riders may not feel

confident using• Disadvantages:

• Lack of continuity• Danger from driveway crossings • Interaction with pedestrians• Generally poorly maintained• Obstacles common (signs, bus shelters, bins, seats, power poles, etc)

Bicycle Lanes• Intention:

• To provide a recognised space for bicycles to allow fast and continuous travel on busy distributer roads

• Preferred Environment:• Along distributer roads in urban environments with a speed limit of 60km/h

• Advantages:• Bicycles are provided with their own road space• Bikes are able to overtake other bikes• Continuity maintained for riders• Space efficiency

• Disadvantages:• Is not an attractive option for most inexperienced riders• No physical separation from traffic• Local resident parking restrictions make implementation difficult• Not appropriate for busy high speed roads

Separated Uni-directional Lanes• Intention:

• To provide separation between bicycles and other traffic • Preferred Environment:

• Along busy roads in urban environments with few intersections / turning vehicles where large numbers of pedestrians are present

• Advantages:• Continuity if designed well• Bicycles are provided with their own road space• Bicycles are physically separated from traffic and pedestrians• Attractive to inexperienced riders

• Disadvantages:• Lack of continuity if designed poorly• Narrow lanes can make overtaking impossible• Wider lanes are difficult to implement in most road reserves• Difficult to incorporate bus stops

Separated Bi-directional Lanes• Intention:

• To provide separation between bicycles and other traffic in congested situations• Preferred Environment:

• Along busy roads in urban environments with few intersections / turning vehicles where large numbers of pedestrians are present

• Advantages:• Bicycles are provided with their own road space• Bikes are physically separated from traffic and pedestrians• Perceived as safe and thus attractive to inexperienced riders

• Disadvantages:• Lack of continuity – severe delays at intersections if crossing on pedestrian phase• Safety concerns with vehicles turning across lanes• Difficulties accessing and exiting lanes• Issues with bus stops

Sealed Shoulders• Intention:

• To provide a recognised space for bicycles to allow fast and continuous travel on busy distributer roads

• Preferred Environment:• Along distributer roads in urban environments with a speed limit of 60km/h• In rural areas

• Advantages:• Bicycles are provided with their own road space• Bicycles are able to overtake other bikes• Continuity maintained for riders• Space and cost efficiency

• Disadvantages:• Is not an attractive option for most inexperienced riders• No physical separation from traffic• Not appropriate for busy high speed roads

Wide Kerbside Lanes• Intention:

• To provide space for bicycles to safely share a traffic lane with other vehicles in constrained situations on busy roads

• Preferred Environment:• Along distributer roads in urban environments with a speed limit of 60km/h• In rural areas

• Advantages:• Bicycles are not squeezed when passed by other vehicles• Bicycles are able to overtake other bikes• Continuity maintained for riders• Bicycles can claim full lanes as required and are not constrained to a bike lane

• Disadvantages:• Is not an attractive option for most riders• No physical separation from traffic or allocated space for riders• Not appropriate for busy high speed roads

Bike Bus Lanes• Intention:

• To provide space for bicycles to safely share a bus lane • Preferred Environment:

• Along distributer roads in urban environments with a speed limit of 60km/h• Advantages:

• Bicycles are separated from the majority of vehicular traffic• Bicycles are not squeezed when passed by buses• Bicycles are able to overtake other bikes and buses within the lane• Continuity maintained for riders• Space and cost efficiency

• Disadvantages:• Is not an attractive option for most riders• No physical separation from buses• Can be problematic if the lane width is narrow

Local Bicycle Routes• Intention:

• To encourage riders to use the local street network for short trips to local destinations• Preferred Environment:

• Local access roads in suburban residential areas• Advantages:

• Roads with low traffic volumes and low speeds are environments where riders can confidently use the road without the need for specific cycling facilities

• Disadvantages:• Routes are indirect and riders must stop at numerous intersections making them unsuitable

for longer journeys• Difficult to navigate• Traffic calming devices can transform the riding environment from good to poor• Misinterpretation that an LBR is the only road in an area where cycling should be

considered or that they are appropriate commuter routes

Summary of safety issues• PSPs & RSPs:

– Riders travelling too fast, unpredictable behaviour from pedestrians

• Separated Paths:– Poor compliance with riders and

pedestrians using others facilities• Shared Paths:

– Vehicle crossovers and side roads– Street furniture– Intersections

• Bicycle Lanes– No physical separation

• Uni-directional & Bi-directional Lanes– Intersections

• Sealed Shoulders:– No physical separation– Parked vehicles

• Wide Kerbside Lanes:– No physical separation– No marked separation

• Bike Bus Lanes:– No physical separation between bikes

and buses– Narrow lanes can be problematic– Vehicles driving in lanes

• Local Bicycle Routes:– Inappropriate traffic management devices– Various riding conditions (on and off road)

Innovation

• Main Roads WA promotes innovative solutions– Claremont Station– Claisebrook Bridge– Local Bicycle Route pavement markers– Bicycle Awareness Zone pavement markers

• Maurice Cammack (MRWA) heads up innovation committee• Committee representatives from:

– MRWA– Office of Road Safety– Police– IPWEA