Cycle Tracks – MUTCD direction Draft language for next FHWA MUTCD (2016?)

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Section 1A.13 Definitions of Headings, Words, and Phrases in this Manual Cycle Track - exclusive one-way or two-way bicycle facility located within the right-of-way and divided from motor vehicular and pedestrian traffic by some form of vertical separation or raised device, such as curbs, parked cars, planters, bollards, or barriers. Section 9C.xx Cycle Tracks Support: 01 Cycle tracks can take many forms depending on the operational context of the facility. They might be barrier-separated or buffer-separated from the adjacent general-purpose lanes, or they might be separated from the adjacent general-purpose lanes with a parking lane. Some cycle tracks might be operated counter-flow to the direction of traffic on the immediately adjacent general-purpose lanes. Standard: 02 Longitudinal pavement markings and bicycle lane symbol or “cycle track” word markings shall be used to define cycle tracks (see Figures 9C-x). Guidance: 03 The first symbol or word markings should be placed at the beginning of the cycle track and the downstream symbol or word markings should be placed at periodic intervals along the cycle track based on engineering judgment. Option: 04 An arrow marking (see Figure 9C-x) may be used in conjunction with the cycle track symbol or word marking, placed downstream from the symbol or word marking.

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Innovation: Policy & Process

•  New State policy directions: NACTO, MUTCD, HDM

•  FHWA / CTCDC Experiment approval process; streamlining

Experimentation (FHWA / CTCDC)

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Transforming Streets •  Reduce lane widths •  Reuse width of one

or more lanes •  Remove or modify

parking

•  Medians •  Center lanes •  Roundabouts •  Roundabout

corridors

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Reclaiming Road Space

Courtesy Wilbur Smith Associates

START

NO GO

REDUCE LANE WIDTHS

RECLAIM THE WIDTH OF ONE OR

MORE LANES

REMOVE OR RETHINK

PARKING

WIDEN ROADWAY

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Reducing arterial lane widths: Recent findings on safety and capacity

“…all projects evaluated during the study that consisted exclusively of lane widths of 10 feet or more resulted in accident rates that were either reduced or unchanged.” NCHRP Report 330: Effective Utilization of Street Width on Urban Arterials

CONCLUSION: On moderate-speed multilane urban arterials, 10-foot lanes are as safe as 12-foot lanes

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Reducing arterial lane widths: Recent findings on safety and capacity

“A safety evaluation of lane widths for arterial roadway segments found no indication, except in limited cases, that the use of narrower lanes [than 12’] increases crash frequencies.” Potts, Harwood and Richard: Relationship of Lane Width to Safety for Urban and Suburban Arterials, TRB 2007 Annual Meeting

CONCLUSION: On moderate-speed multilane urban arterials, 10-foot lanes are as safe as 12-foot lanes

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Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)

Conserve by Bicycle

Program Study

Phase I Report June 2007

Appendix P:

The Effect of Lane Width on Urban Street Capacity

Reducing arterial lane widths: Recent findings on roadway capacity

“All of the relevant research is in general agreement…. so long as all other geometric and traffic signalization conditions remain constant, there is no measurable decrease in urban street capacity when through lane widths are narrowed form 12 feet to 10 feet.”

CONCLUSION: On urban arterials, 10-foot lanes carry as much traffic as 12-foot lanes

Reclaiming the width of one or more lanes - Guidelines

•  Ideal candidate –  Four lane undivided roadway –  12,000 to 18,000 vehicles per day

•  Other considerations –  Roads with safety issues –  Transit corridors –  Essential bicycle routes/links –  Commercial reinvestment areas –  Economic enterprise zones –  Historic streets –  Scenic roads –  Entertainment districts –  Main streets

Courtesy  of  Dan  Burden  

•  Using the reclaimed space –  Bike lanes –  Center turn lanes (medians) –  Pedestrian refuge (convenience,

safety) –  Wider sidewalks (economic vitality) –  Landscaping –  On-street parking –  Better bus stops

•  Safety benefits –  Reduced crash frequency & severity –  Emergency access –  Speed (and speed profile) reduction

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Reusing lanes: 4-to-3 Conversion SF - Valencia Street

Before

After