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Title:

The Safety of Urban Cycle Tracks: A Review of the Literature

Accession Number:

01363044

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

Cycling has to be a safe activity, and perceived as such, if bicycle trips by all populations are to increase and the public health benefits are to be realized. A key characteristic of developed countries with a high cycling mode share is their provision of cycle tracks – separated bikeways along city streets – on major routes. This literature review therefore sought to examine studies of cycle tracks from different countries in order elucidate the safety of these facilities relative to cycling in the street and to point to areas where further research is needed. The review indicates that one-way cycle tracks are generally safer than two-way and that, when effective intersection treatments are employed, constructing cycle tracks on busy streets reduces collisions and injuries. The evidence also suggests that, when controlling for exposure and including all collision types, building one-way cycle tracks reduces injury severity even when such intersection treatments are not employed. However, this has not been thoroughly examined, as very few studies both look at severity and control for exposure. Future studies of the safety of cycle tracks and associated intersection treatments should focus foremost on examining injury severity, while controlling for exposure. In the U.S., where the obesity epidemic and its health consequences and costs are well documented, the benefits of increased cycling should be a focus of research and policy development in order to provide the infrastructure needed to attract people to cycling while minimizing injuries.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANF20 Bicycle Transportation

Monograph Accession #:

01362476

Report/Paper Numbers:

12-4727

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Thomas, Beth
DeRobertis, Michelle

Pagination:

6p

Publication Date:

2012

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2012-1-22 to 2012-1-26
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

References; Tables

Uncontrolled Terms:

Bicycle safety

Subject Areas:

Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors; I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2012 Paper #12-4727

Files:

TRIS, TRB

Created Date:

Feb 8 2012 5:26PM