SAFE CYCLING DESIGN MANUAL FOR ISTANBUL Executive Summary April 2015 www.embarqturkiye.org Report by: Çiğdem Çörek Öztaş Project Manager, Urban and Regional Planner [email protected] Merve Akı Urban and Regional Planner [email protected] Tolga İmamoğlu Transportation Engineer [email protected] Design and layout by: Nick Price, Graphic Designer [email protected] CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4 FOREWORD 5 GLOSSARY 6 INTRODUCTION 9 BENEFITS OF CYCLING 11 MANAGEMENT ASPECT OF THE CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE 13 Management and Jurisdiction of Cycle Facilities 13 Cycling Infrastructure Problems and Proposed Solutions 16 Surveys of User Trends 18 CYCLING PRACTICES 23 Analysis of the Existing Cycle Facilities in Istanbul 25 Site Research on Safe Cycling 26 EVALUATION 27 4 Safe Cycling Design Manual for Istanbul ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report has been prepared with 2014 in the visioning workshop; to Ceyhan Direct Activity Support from the Istanbul Vardar from the Ministry of Health/Public Development Agency. We are also Health Association; to Peter Dalos from grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies Budapest Transport Center; to Marisa for supporting EMBARQ Turkey – SUD Cruz from Evonik; to Halime Tekin to sustain their activities and projects in from Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Turkey1. Transportation Coordination Directorate; to We owe particular thanks to: Carsten the relevant departments of the Istanbul Wass from Consia Consultancy for his Metropolitan Municipality and Kadıköy, hard work during the road safety study of Adalar, Zeytinburnu and Bakırköy existing cycle facilities; to Benjamin Welle, District Municipalities for participating Senior Expert of EMBARQ’s Global Health in face-to-face interviews; and to the NGOs and Road Safety Department; and to Prof. that participated in focus group meetings. Dr. Haluk Gerçek and Asst. Prof. Onur We owe particular thanks to: Güneş Yerli, Tezcan from the İTÜ Department of Civil Operations Manager of EMBARQ Turkey, Engineering for their support in preparing for administrative support; to Pınar Köse the surveys. Support for the survey process as the Projects Coordinator of EMBARQ was also provided by Erman Topgül from Turkey for her comments and text editing; Street Belongs To Us (Sokak Bizim Derneği), to Sercan Selvi as Project Assistant; and Ayşe Pınar Gürer from Active Living to Esra Süel from EMBARQ Turkey for Association (Aktif Yaşam Derneği), Lotte supporting the survey process. We also owe Bech as the Urban Cycle Planner, Bicycle thanks to Superpool for their bicycle track Transportation Platform (Bisikletli visual design and Maggie Biroscak for Ulaşım Platformu), Cyclists’ Association editing this report. (Bisikletliler Derneği), and Salcano as the Furthermore, we present special thanks to corporate member of EMBARQ Turkey. our corporate members Salcano Bicycle Thanks to Philippe Christ from OECD and TEMSA Global for their significant for sharing his invaluable knowledge support to sustainable transport studies. 1All content and opinions provided herein are the properties of the authors of this report. The report does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the funder. FOREWORD In cities around the world, cycling has national and international team of experts, caught the attention of many transport EMBARQ Turkey-SUD conducts research and policy makers. Unplanned growth and urban operations to support cycling, improve the sprawl have increased trip distances and the safety of bicycle transportation, and promote use of motorized transport, at the expense cycling as an integrated mode of transport in of cycling and walking. This process has cities. The ultimate purpose of these efforts created unlivable urban spaces in many is to turn cities into people-oriented and large, economically important cities and livable places, and to prevent the negative metropolitan areas, making new transport implications of fuel-based motor traffic. policies necessary. For policy makers, cycling has become a key component of sustainable With this work, financed with 2014 transport planning which promotes more Direct Activity Support of İSTKA (İstanbul livable environments, energy efficiency, Development Agency), EMBARQ Turkey sustainable environmental approaches, and intends to develop cycling as an alternative more active lifestyles. In Europe, there are mode of transport for cyclists, policy makers, 50 million trips by bicycle per day (5% of all and transport implementers. Within this scope, the trips). This rate is up to 18% in Denmark, EMBARQ Turkey conducted and analyzed 27% in the Netherlands and 60% in some interviews with cyclists and policy makers Asian countries, where cycling is supported in Istanbul, to make the existing conditions (Buehler and Pucher, 2012). safer for cycling and to propose solutions and strategies for implementing new projects. In recent years, Istanbul, Turkey’s densest city, has promoted cycling projects that strive I extend my gratitude to all my colleagues to cope with traffic problems and improve who contributed to this report, to the Istanbul the quality of life. In 2013, the Mayor of the Development Agency for its support, to IMM Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), Dr. and district municipalities, to universities and Kadir Topbaş declared a target of 1050 km of NGOs that promote cycling, and to all the cycle track projects by 2023. respondents who took part in our surveys. EMBARQ Turkey-SUD was founded to improve the quality of life in cities by finding Arzu Tekir sustainable solutions to urban transport and Director of EMBARQ Turkey urban development problems that threaten the environment and human health. With its 6 Safe Cycling Design Manual for Istanbul GLOSSARY CYCLE LANE: A cycle or bicycle lane is a narrow traffic lane set aside on a road for the use of cyclists. It is a protected space on the carriageway, separated from motor traffic by means of road markings, and often additionally announced by road signs. 2 CYCLE TRACK: A bicycle track (or cycle track) is a track, path, or lane designated for use by cyclists from which motorized traffic is generally excluded. They are physically separated from the carriageway, e.g. by curbstones, grass or ditches. 2 GREENWAY OR CYCLE TRAIL: A greenway, or cycle trail, is generally a two-way cycle track that is planted with grass, trees, etc. 3 2 Source: www.nacto.org 3 Source: www.minneapolismn.gov Safe Cycling Design Manual for Istanbul 7 ADVANCED STOP LINE (BIKE BOX): An advanced stop line (ASL), also called an advanced stop box or a bike box, is a set of road markings at signalized road junctions that allows certain types of vehicles (such as bicycles) a head-start when the traffic signal changes from red to green. 2 SHARED BUS-BICYCLE LANE: This is a lane designated for the shared use of busses and cyclists. 4 BICYCLE PARKS/RACKS: A bicycle park or rack is a device at which cyclists can park their bicycles for short or extended periods of time. 5 4 Source: as.sobrenet.pt 5 Source: www.markapon.com Safe Cycling Design Manual for Istanbul 9 INTRODUCTION EMBARQ Turkey has worked on bicycle transportation for the past five years. In 2012, EMBARQ Turkey organized the BikeLab Istanbul Workshop to improve cycling infrastructure and cycling conditions in the city. Since then, EMBARQ Turkey’s continued work on cycling projects led to the release of this report. The report aims to promote a safe and appealing environment for cyclists by creating safe cycling routes, improving intersections, and integrating cycling with public transportation. This report has been prepared between 1st The report has three main sections: of September and 30th of November 2014 by EMBARQ Turkey-SUD with 2014 Direct Activity 1. The Benefits of Cycling: The first section Support of Istanbul Development Agency (İSTKA). describes the economic, environmental, social, and public health benefits of cycling, based on the Based on a literature review, surveys and interviews, resources and reports of international experts. and site visits this report provides an overview of the benefits of cycling and the current ways 2. Management Aspects of Cycling in which cycling projects are managed within Infrastructure: This section provides an overview departments in Istanbul. It goes on to survey cyclists of the current state of cycling infrastructure in and NGOs about current practices, expectations, Istanbul, based on face-to-face interviews with local and challenges that relate to cycling, and suggest government representatives, focus groups meetings ways in which these challenges can be addressed. of NGOs, a visioning workshop, and surveys of The result, “Safe Cycling Design Manual for bicycle users. Istanbul”, is intended as a tool to help municipal authorities, NGOs, and transport practitioners work 3. Cycling Practices: The third section evaluates together to built safer, more convenient cycling existing and potential cycle tracks in Istanbul based infrastructure that is integrated with current modes on current international design standards. of transportation. 10 Safe Cycling Design Manual for Istanbul Figure 1 Timeline - History of studies on cycling Safe Cycling Design Manual for Istanbul 11 THE BENEFITS OF CYCLING The first section of this report covers the ways in which cycling contributes to increased quality of life (QoL) and urban mobility. Although there is no universal consensus on QoL indicators, they typically include economic welfare, health, education, freedom, transportation, social relations, and satisfaction in one’s living