Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure Updated 7 May 2020 CONTENTS Summary of Design Principles Legislation regulation and guidelines that for Good Bicycle Infrastructure ..................... 3 should be applied ............................................ 33 Gradient ....................................................................... 3 Infrastructure ignoring bikes? ...........................33 Rider envelope .......................................................... 4 Encouraging active travel (walking and cycling) and using public transport ................33 Design principles for bike riding ....................... 6 Not safe enough? ...................................................34 Coherence .............................................................. 7 Inclusion Fail? ..........................................................35 Directness ............................................................... 7 Ageist? .......................................................................35 Safety ....................................................................... 7 Infrastructure failing bike riders? .....................36 Attractiveness ....................................................... 7 Construction management seems unsafe? ..37 Comfort ................................................................... 7 Risk .........................................................................37 Path Types .................................................................. 8 Traffic Management Plan .............................37 Surface Tolerances and Paint Treatments .....11 Safety ....................................................................38 Bicycle Lane ..............................................................12 Accessibility ........................................................38 What should be provided ...................................13 Amenity ................................................................38 Road crossings (lanterns/marking/signals) .15 Duty of Care .......................................................38 Lighting .......................................................................21 Bibliography.......................................................39 Kerbs and lips ..........................................................22 Path curvature .........................................................23 Markings and signs ................................................24 Hook Turns ...............................................................27 Fences and Railings ..............................................28 Drainage ...................................................................29 Sight lines ................................................................30 Bollards .......................................................................31 Speed control .........................................................32 Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 2 SUMMARY OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE Austroads, Roads and Maritime Services and NSW Transport have a range of design principles for good bicycle infrastructure. Reviewing bike plans for anyone will be easier as we have developed a range of helpful graphics drawing on, and referencing, these principles Principle Rationale Source Gradient Uphill: for shared paths no more than 5% if a Austroads wheelchair user may use the path AS 1428.1. Guidelines 7.4 For bike only 3% is the maximum desirable gradient and 5% is maximum and should have regular flat intervals of 20m length. Downhill: gradients shouldn’t be more than 5% unless unavoidable and no sharp corners, obstacles or pinch points should be at the bottom due to collision/ crash risk Uphill gradient only Max 5% for shared paths Desirable max 3% with regular 20m flat intervals 20m flat intervals 3% 5% 3% Downhill gradient Should not be more than 5% To minimise collision risk, unless unavoidable NO Sharp corners Obstacles Pinch points at the bottom 5% Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 3 Principle Rationale Source Rider envelope These are the measurements that RTA Bicycle How much space infrastructure is designed to accommodate Guidelines is planned to Bike Path Widths accommodate Shared Path Widths Austroads 7.5.2 riders? Austroads 7.5.3 Austroads 7.5 & 7.6 Rider envelope Operating width of bicyle & rider 1m 1m 0.75m Width of bicyle & rider 0.75m 0.2m Head clearance Height of bicycle & rider 2.2m Eye height of rider 1.4m 0.2 – 0.5m Clearance from walls, 0.125m poles, fences & bollards 0.5m desirable 0.2m minimum Bike Path Widths Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 4 Shared Path Widths Separated Path Widths Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 5 Principle Rationale Source Design principles Design principles for bike riding, Surfaces RTA Bicycle for bike riding (smooth), continuous network, enables Guidelines Coherent, direct, rider to maintain speed (av 20-30km/h, Austroads 6a 4.2 safe, attractive, appropriate sight lines, connectivity comfortable. (coherent network) and has information (directions, signage) See table on following page Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 6 Design Principles for Bicycle Riding Principle Criteria Design considerations Regional routes Local routes Mixed traffic streets Coherence Continuity of routes No breaks in Connect to Easy access to routes regional route local routes Consistent quality of Minimal quality Minimal quality N/A routes and facilities changes changes Easy to follow Regional route Local route All street signs signage signage visible Freedom of choice of Choice of at Choice of at Less than 250m to routes least two least two a route Directness Efficient operating 50km/h design 30km/h design Consistent with speed speed speed street design Delay time 15 sec/km 20 sec/km 20 sec/km Detour factor 20%* 30%* 40%* *Detour factor is the relationship between the most direct distance between origin and destination and the distance taken by the actual route taken. A detour factor of 20% means that the route will be 20% longer than the distance as the crow flies. Safety Minimum risk of Monitor use Monitor use Monitor use accident on route of facility and of facility and of facility and Minimum risk of investigate any investigate any investigate any conflict with car traffic links between links between links between accidents and accidents and accidents and Minimum risk of design. design. design. unsafe infrastructure Attractiveness Support for the Public support Public support N/A system and ownership and ownership Attractiveness of Well lit & open Well lit & open N/A environment appearance appearance Perception of social Minimum reports Minimum N/A safety of vandalism & reports of harassment vandalism & harassment System attractiveness Coordination of Coordination of N/A all supporting all supporting system elements system (maps, fittings, elements (maps, signage etc) fittings, signage etc) Comfort Smoothness of ride Smooth riding Smooth riding Smooth riding (Refer to Austroads - Part 14 surface surface surface Section 8.5) Comfortable gradient Steep climbs Steep climbs N/A minimised minimised Minimise obstruction Minimise illegal Minimise illegal N/A from vehicles parking parking Reduced need to stop 0.5 1.0 1.5 - number of stops (average per km) Protection from Shade trees & Shade trees & N/A adverse climate wind wind Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 7 Principle Rationale Source Path Types Different types of path – RTA bicycle footpath, bike path, shared path, separated guidelines, path Austroads Part 14 S. 6 Separated paths should be used where “… there is a significant volume of both cyclists and pedestrians such that shared use would lead to safety and operational problems”. Commonly used path terms Space for bike path Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 8 Bicycle path Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 9 Shared path Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 10 Principle Rationale Source Surface Tolerances • The surface of a bicycle lane Austroads Part 14 S. 6 4.2.3 and Paint or path should be smooth RMS QA Specification R110 Treatments and straight to avoid causing crashes. Coloured Surface Coatings for Bus Lanes and Cycleways • Surfaces shouldn’t deviate recommends a minimum Skid from a 3m straight edge by Resistance Value of 55 for more than 5mm at any point. normal applications and 65 for • Grooves and lips should be high skid risk applications avoided and tolerances for Australian Standards these are below. (Table 4.1) Safe Environments AS1141.42 • Paths should be wider if they and AS 4663:2013 set the are steeper or promote fast standard for measuring slip travel. resistance • Sprayed, sealed surfaces should use a stone size of <14mm, and conform with frictional properties set in Australian Standard 1141.42 Surface Tolerances Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 11 Principle Rationale Source Bicycle Lane Separated operating space for bicycles on RTA bicycle the road. Extra space should be allocated if guidelines parking is allowed so riders don’t get doored. If marked as a ‘bicycle lane’ with signage, riders have to stay in it unless impractical Summary of Design Principles for Good Bicycle Infrastructure 7 May 2020 12 Principle