Factors that impact safety
for cyclists on bike trails
The following is shared by SOS Committee member Sonja Mason:
Cyclists are at greatest risk for collision in the urban environment at conflict points, aka at intersections and crossings. Raising the cycle path to sidewalk level at midblock is a hybrid approach that is NOT equivalent to a true off-street facility, a “greenway” condition, which avoids nearly all crossing conflicts by location planning, such as placement along a naturally protected corridor like a river. In fact, evidence-based practices show that sidewalk level pathways along urban roadway conditions increase risk to cyclists.
Best practices to provide a safe cycle path experience would be to find an alternate location: such as a greenway conditions along the Short-line railroad spur (connecting to Ayd Mill) or a “Bike boulevard” on a parallel, lower traffic roadway.
Best practices for a low-speed roadway like Summit Avenue, would be to follow the European model and slow traffic down by design (i.e. narrower drive lanes) and provide high visibility on-street bike lanes.
- Safety study by a bike parts manufacturer
- Insurance safety studies
- Crash/falling stats for different bike trail styles
- Crash stats on Summit Avenue by section
- Bike trail designs in Ottawa, Copenhagen and Oslo.
