Publication Details

Separated bike lanes on higher speed roadways: A toolkit and guide

Type: Paper

Author(s): Buck, Darren; Dupont, Bernadette; Semler, Conor; Hicks, John; Schaffer, Kaitlyn; Foster, Nick; Gelinne, Dan

Publisher: Federal Highway Administration

Url: https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/75901/dot_75901_DS1.pdf

Publication Date: Jun-2024

Address: Washington, DC

Abstract: This toolkit includes information references, agency policies, processes, and other resources and procedures that can help agencies overcome the obstacles limiting them from implementing separated bicycle lanes where users most require separation from motor vehicles: on higher speed roads. Despite their importance in higher speed contexts, installations of separated bicycle lanes in the U.S. have so far occurred largely in lower speed environments. This toolkit defines separated bicycle lanes as (1) intended exclusively for bicyclists; (2) havinga horizontal buffer that separates bicyclists frommotor vehicle traffic; and (3) using some type ofvertical element within that buffer space. Higherspeed roadways were defined for the purposeof this guide as roadways with a posted speedlimit of 35 mph or greater. This toolkit doesnot define an upper speed limit where shareduse paths separated from the roadways wouldbe the preferred treatment. Speeds 50 mphor greater are most likely on limited-accessroadways, which are not the focus of thisguide. However, in general, the importance ofhorizontal and vertical separation of cyclistsincreases along with speed.