01663558

Component

When buses and bicycles must share the road, their opposing characteristics of size, maneuverability and visibility leads to concern over safety and comfort for both user groups. As designs for bicycle and transit priority facilities evolve, cities and transit agencies seek better information about how new infrastructure addresses these concerns, as well as affects performance, such as transit speed and reliability. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority sought to study recent bicycle and transit infrastructure across its service area. This paper details the methodology developed to study bus and bicycle interaction on corridors using data before and after the installation of new treatments such as bike lanes or bus only lanes. This paper describes decisions made in developing the methodology, challenges faced, and lessons learned, to inform the development of future similar studies. The methodology developed allows the researcher to determine the effects that particular designs have had on safety, bicycling comfort, and transit performance, and ultimately select designs that support community priorities. A qualitative, survey research approach builds a foundation for determining user priorities by surveying bus operators and bicyclists who have experience on the study corridors, as well as the planners involved in the design. An extensive quantitative analysis shows the changes in vehicle, transit, and bicycle travel patterns after installation of the facility, and can serve to test user perceptions from the qualitative data collection. When paired, the two approaches deliver an understanding of the total facility experience.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ABE30 Standing Committee on Transportation Issues in Major Cities.

18-03278

English

16p

2018

Transportation Research Board 97th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

References; Tables

Bicycle facilities; Bicycles; Buses; Public transit; Safety; Transportation corridors

Bicycle vehicle interface

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2018 Paper #18-03278

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Jan 8 2018 10:48AM