Improved Cycle Facility Design at Intersections

Abstract

The Norwegian transportation authorities have the ambitious goal of improving cycle infrastructure in order to increase the share of cycle commuters. This project was undertaken to find design solutions for cycle facilities that terminate at intersections. Two sites with existing but discontinuous cycle facilities in Trondheim, Norway were used as a case study a roundabout and a signalized regular intersection. An extensive literature review of best practices from around the world was carried out to provide different design solutions. Video recordings and on-site observations were carried out to gather data which was afterwards analyzed to get a better understanding of the behavior and interactions of the traffic users at intersections. Based on the results of the analysis, two solutions were suggested as being appropriate for the roundabout: Raised crossing at the approaches and Separate cycle paths in the inside of the roundabout. The proposed design implementations for the regular intersections were: Cycle lanes through the intersection, Advanced Stop lines and Cycle paths with sidewalk. Although the above solutions were based on the best international practices and the specifics of the studied sites, their expected positive effects cannot be guaranteed. That is why a before-and-after study is highly recommended in the case of their actual implementation.