Improving Suburbs for Cycling

Incorporating Best Safe Practices for Bicycle Transportation in Cary, North Carolina

The Town of Cary, North Carolina recently began implementation of the Bicycle component of its Comprehensive Transportation Plan. The Cary Bicycle Plan is designed to facilitate bicycle transportation on every street with access to every destination. The plan also promotes recreational opportunities for cyclists with a diversity of skill levels. The Town of Cary used scientific principles of safe traffic engineering and engaged in extensive dialog with the cycling community in order to plan for the safety and convenience of all users.

Roadway Design The Town of Cary treats all streets as bicycle facilities. In order to improve the safety and comfort of cycling and encourage bicycle transportation, the Town has established bicycle-driver-friendly design standards for all new and improved roadways. Improvements to existing streets will be made through re-striping projects and as reconstruction opportunities arise. The roadway design standards are as follows:

Arterial Roads: Arterial roads with four or more lanes will feature 14' wide outside through lanes to facilitate safe and comfortable same-lane passing of cyclists by automobiles. On existing roads with two 12' lanes in each direction, re- striping projects will be conducted to widen the outside lanes to 13' by narrowing the inside lanes to 11'.

Collector Roads: The standard section for two-lane collector roads that carry significant traffic volumes features 16' wide lanes to provide for easier lane sharing and adequate shy distance between overtaking traffic and opposite-direction traffic or center medians. These roads comprise some of the most enjoyable routes for cycling in Cary.

Other Roads: Some low-volume residential through streets with speed limits posted 25 mph or less feature 12' travel lanes. The nature of traffic on these roads minimizes friction between cyclists and automobile drivers. In the pedestrian- oriented downtown core, some travel lanes are narrow or feature adjacent on-street parking. Vehicle speeds are low here, and cyclists are allowed and expected to use an entire travel lane when using these streets.

Traffic Signal Detection The Town of Cary is investigating the effective detection of bicycles at demand-activated traffic signals via inductive loop sensors and video sensors. Some existing inductive loop sensors may be adjusted to sense bicycles, while others require redesign. Bicycle detection is especially important at left-turn lanes and cross-streets.

Street Connectivity The Town of Cary has a street connectivity ordinance that encourages useful street connections in new residential development. The "connectivity index" formula of the ordinance increases convenience for all vehicle users by reducing the distance required to enter and leave residential subdivisions. It also provides cyclists a wider choice of pleasant alternative routes through neighborhoods. A study conducted by the adjacent City of Raleigh provided a comparison of a neighborhood street pattern that incorporated a interconnected street every 1,500 linear feet with a neighborhood street pattern that relied heavily on cul-de-sacs. Vehicles traveling on the interconnected street network traveled an average of 16% less miles per day than the vehicles on the mostly cul-de-sac street pattern. The main streets comprising the interconnected street network averaged less than ½ the vehicle traffic volumes that the main streets carried on the cul-de-sac street pattern. The Cary ordinance still allows construction of new culs-de-sac, which are popular with homebuyers, but requires that subdivision street networks perform efficiently with adequate through routes and connections. Signed Bicycle Routes The Town is developing a system of mapped recreational bicycle routes with posted signs to assist cyclists with navigation through unfamiliar streets. These routes are placed on roads that meet the target standards for bicyclist-friendly design and that many cyclists enjoy for recreational purposes. The routes are arranged as loops to minimize backtracking, and are interconnected so cyclists can combine them to create the ride distance that they desire.

Non-Motorized Pathways Cary features a growing system of recreational greenways shared by walkers, joggers, and low-speed cyclists. These paths are typically situated parallel to streams or other natural features to minimize or eliminate at-grade street crossings. Short-cut connector paths linking neighborhoods and between residential subdivisions and nearby destinations are encouraged by the Town's design guidelines for new development in order to reduce trip distances.

Some 10' wide multi-use asphalt pathways are planned in locations parallel to roadways where there are few driveways or intersection interruptions. These paths are designed to accommodate high volumes of runners, walkers, skaters, and some low-speed bicycle use. The adjacent roadways will feature 14' wide outside through lanes, and an education program is planned to remind the public that cyclists are allowed to use the roadway and that the roadway is generally the safest place for cyclists to travel. Marking of the adjacent roadways with bicycle "sharrow" symbols is being explored as a potential part of the education strategy.

Parking The Town of Cary Design Guidelines Manual recommends installation of bicycle racks at commercial destinations. Instead of large racks serving the entire property, smaller racks located closer to individual entrances are preferred.

Ordinance Changes The Town of Cary repealed two of its old ordinance sections that were incompatible with safe, effective bicycle driving. One section required that cyclists use adjacent paths wherever available instead of the roadway. Another required that cyclists stay to the extreme right side of the roadway at all times without exceptions for left turns, avoidance of right turn lanes, or narrow lane widths. These sections were removed entirely from the code of ordinances because they were discriminatory and more dangerous than the state traffic laws that apply to all drivers of vehicles.

North Carolina Coalition for Bicycle Driving Bicyclists are drivers of vehicles. Every street is a bicycle facility. http://humantrasport.org/bicycledriving/ [email protected]