Scholars Review 23 International Studies. Bicycle Infrastructure Found Safer than Riding on Street

This month a group of scholars at the University of British Columbia conducted a literature review looking at all available studies linking bicycle safety with infrastructure. Their findings are clear, “taking the lane” is not the safest alternative:

“Results to date suggest that sidewalks and multi-use trails pose the highest risk, major roads are more hazardous than minor roads, and the presence of bicycle facilities (e.g. on-road bike routes, on-road marked bike lanes, and off-road bike paths) was associated with the lowest risk.”

The review’s background details the way the studies were selected, and we’ve linked to the tables they used outlining all 23 studies:

“This paper is organized as follows: first we provide an overview of bicycling safety and ridership. Next we offer definitions of, and alternative terminology for, the transportation infrastructure used by cyclists that might be expected to influence their safety (Table 1). We describe our literature search methodology and the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and present the results of the search in two detailed tables. Table 2 describes studies that assess the safety of intersections for cyclists, and Table 3 describes studies related to straightaways (i.e. roads, lanes, paths). We conclude by discussing the findings of this review, critiquing the methodological approaches used, and offering recommendations for future research.”

Building a Complete Street in Oak Cliff

(Image from Copenhagencyclechic.com)

When Google unveiled its new email platform Wave, the developers started from scratch, and decided to throw out preconceived notions of how people already communicate via email’s limited foundation, and built an entirely new platform combining the best features of email, social media, and more. A similar approach must be taken to our roads if we truly hope to change how people move within a city. Most of the engineering and development of complete streets in the US has been adaptive, installing a narrow painted bike lane here or widening a sidewalk there. Often times, these accommodations did little to change the overall problem areas, and would introduce more issues like door zone accidents or overly landscaped medians that relied on property owners to maintain. In European cities, the principals of complete streets development have had much longer time to develop, and have afforded their planners more opportunities to work out many of the problems that we are just now beginning to overcome. To create the best solution for all road users, planners and engineers should begin with a clean slate and revision a road as if nothing currently exists from sidewalk edge to sidewalk edge.

Below is an example of a very well thought out complete street in Amsterdam that calms traffic, allows for safe/dedicated bicycle paths for riders of all comfort levels and ages (as noted by the elderly man leisurely bicycling to the right), sidewalks, pedestrian islands and parking:

Compare this to a similarly sized street like Tyler and Seventh in Oak Cliff, which would be considered the perfect Vehicular Cycling street with a wide Right Lane (20+ Feet), and multiple lanes for passing:

You’ll notice the psychologies of the streets are completely different. Both have residential and commercial areas in close proximity, both are secondary arterials, but one goes out of its way to put people first, the other focuses on moving cars as quickly as possible. Ironically, the dutch street is surrounded by greater density, yet they’ve reduced the street to two lanes…the Oak Cliff street is one way, with three lanes. For an experienced cyclist who has no fear of bicycling in traffic, Tyler presents no problems. The reality is, this same street divides the largest historic neighborhood in Dallas filled with families from the restaurants and shops of the Bishop Arts District (less than a mile away). The street in Amsterdam levels the playing field, and opens up bicycling to all users of all experience levels (children, seniors, families). A bicycle blog in the Northwest recently posed the following request to its readers: “Tonight, tell your kids you want to go to a restaurant, and then ask if they’d rather go by bicycle or by car…you’ll notice, they always say ‘Bicycle!’, but we don’t build our roads for them, we build them for adults driving cars.” The post goes on to note how we complain about obesity trends, environmental issues, and how our kids do nothing but play video games all day, but if we just asked them what they wanted while giving them a safe, viable alternative, they’d jump at the healthier option. For families, Tyler street has no viable alternative.

Data Returns from Pilot Dedicated Bike Lane Show Across the Board Reductions in Accidents

(9th Avenue Cycle Track, Photo from Flickr user AllwayNY)

We had noted the 66% increase in ridership after New York installed 200 miles of bicycle infrastructure in 3 years. Now the data returns from the 9th Avenue pilot dedicated bicycle lane (physically separated) project is in, and showing the following results:

• a 36% reduction in pedestrian-related injuries;
• a 50% reduction in injuries from all crashes;
• a 41% reduction in the total number of crashes; and
• an 80% reduction in sidewalk cycling, all of which occurred despite
• a 57% increase in cycling traffic on that corridor. 2

So not only are cycling accidents reduced, but since protected bike lanes work as simple traffic calming devices they are also reducing the risk and severity of collisions for pedestrians as well…all while increasing cycling levels, improving public
health, creating better air quality and less noise pollution.
The study also notes that physically separated bicycle lanes appear to correct and standardize cyclist behavior:

“bicyclists stop at intersections more often and obey general traffic rules better when roadways are marked to include them. Bicyclists are also less likely to ride on sidewalks when onstreet bike lanes exist.”

As you’ll note from our past articles, Dallas best chance of creating a successful bicycle friendly community is to develop well beyond simple painted bike lanes, and look to more European influenced dedicated cycle tracks. Danish planner, Soren Jensen, noted this to BFOC here in our correspondance with him, detailing that not only would cycle tracks increase safety, but that they would also increase ridership.

Observer Cover Story on Dallas Bicycle Movement

The Dallas Observer wrote an in-depth article this week on Dallas growing bicycle culture, and the pratts and pittfalls that preceeded it. Read the full article here and photo gallery here.

Dallas Ranks in Top 15 for Most Dangerous Cities for Pedestrians

Early last week, Transportation For America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership released a study of the most dangerous streets in the country for pedestrians among areas of at least a million residents. Dallas ranked 13th, which fortunately beat out Houston’s 8th place ranking. Of the top 10 cities, all were located in the deep South. Florida took the bulk of the list by landing all of the top four spots with Orlando ranking most deadly.

According to Anne Canby, executive director of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, “Many of these communities were designed after WWII with the automobile in mind…You just don’t have walkable communities.”

The paper states “these deaths typically are labeled “accidents,” and attributed to error on the part of motorist or pedestrian. In fact, however, an overwhelming proportion share a similar factor: They occurred along roadways that were dangerous by design, streets that were engineered for speeding cars and made little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs or on a bicycles.”

Dallas roads are a perfect example of infrastructure that was far overbuilt, and heavily skewed toward moving vehicles as quickly as possible. The number of six lane arterials with speed limits of 40 mph bisecting major residential communities is excessive when given our density. Cities that have double are population make due with roads half the size, and have the byproduct of being more livable, sustainable, and walkable.

Another Video from the Tweed Ride

Chris Curnutt just forwarded us this video he made using pictures from the Tweed Ride:

BFOCer’s Featured in the Advocate

(Lisa Lindholm of Free Lisa)

Be sure to pick up a copy of the Oak Cliff Advocate this month. Several BFOC’ers are featured in the cover story on Oak Cliff artisans including our amazing graphic and apparel designer Lisa Lindholm, Tara Tonini of Tara to the T, and Shoshannna Frank of F is For Frank.

Speaking of our amazing locals, Tara Tonini has begun making some spectacular 3-panel bicycling hats. Jeremy at the OCBC showcased a plaid one during the Tweed Ride:

As soon as these are available online we’ll be sure to make another post and let you know where you can order your own (hopefully in time for the holidays!). Stay tuned.

Alley Cat Race 11/28/09

Just got word that East Dallas’ DOOM is presenting another alley cat race. This time, it’s their third annual Kennedy Assassination Race, which has already garnered a bit of controversy due to the subversive nature of their artwork.

For those attending, the race begins at 1 PM this Saturday with racers meeting at Glencoe Park to start and pick up their manifests. Poker run style.

More From the Tweed Ride

The Advocate just posted this video from the ride with music from Matt Tolentino’s performance at Eno’s in the background:

And James Smudgett uploaded a larger image from our group photo on the courthouse steps here:

(click to enlarge)

Dallas Tweed Ride a Smashing Success!

(photo by Andrea Roberts)

Thank you to all who came out to Dallas first ever Tweed Ride! It was an amazing turnout, with an estimated 200 riders decked out in their smartest apparel, and we couldn't have asked for better weather. Congratulations to Hollis Wakefield for winning the audience award for dandiest rider. Special thanks to Matt Tolentino of the Singapore Slingers for performing live music upon our arrival, and Eno’s for their hospitality and libations! Below are a few photos from the ride, with more being uploaded to the facebook event page here.

(photo by David Wilson)

(photo by Chris Curnutt)

(photo by Raul Bonifacio)

(photo by Andrea Roberts)

(photo by Andrea Roberts)

(photo by Bill Courtney)

(photo by Chris Curnutt)

(photo by Chris Curnutt)

(photo by Chris Curnutt)

(photo by Joe Gregory)

(photo by Raul Bonifacio)

(photo by Raul Bonifacio)

(photo by Raul Bonifacio)

(photo by Richard Wezensky)

(photo by Marco Tore)

(photo by Marco Tore)

(photo by Marco Tore)