Photo by Paul Krueger licensed under CC BY 2.0
Traffic congestion is frustrating and complicated, but even more so as the number of motorists, buses, trolleys and bikers all increase on roadways. Designated lanes are the common solution but are rarely popular. Motorists don’t want to share roadway space, but buses, bikers and safety issues can’t be ignored. The trend to more bus and bike lanes is universal in the United States. Other public transit options are also becoming the norm, especially in large cities.
In 2012, Dallas had eight miles of bike lanes adjoining major roads. Now, the city has 39.3 miles, and that will increase to 107 miles within the next few years. The expansion and acclimation to new bike lanes has not been easy. Many of the new lanes have been shared lanes rather than protected lanes, and that increases the need for extreme diligence when it comes to safety. Shared lanes are easier and less costly to build, but provide no physical barrier between automobiles and cyclists.
There are many reasons for the increasing interest in bike lanes. Cities have encouraged bike ridership because it reduces car emissions. But, there are other reasons as well. In Salt Lake City, a bike lane project along Broadway decreased automobile parking by 30 percent, solving a major issue for the city. Then, after two years, retail sales along Broadway had risen 8.8 percent, compared to 7 percent citywide, and the whole area was said to have experienced an economic uptick.
Protected bike lanes make traveling safer for cyclists and they also increase pedestrian safety. In New York City, most traffic injuries involve pedestrians. Streets that had protected bike lanes from 2007-2011 experienced a decrease in injury rates between 12-52 percent.
In 2013, Indianapolis opened an eight-mile bike and pedestrian pathway that connects downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. The route also connects shopping areas, hotels and sports venues. This public-private partnership project was funded by federal transportation grants and private and philanthropic support. The result has been an increase in property values along and near the trail. Property values for commercial, residential and lodging establishments within 500 feet of the trail increased by more than $1 billion between 2008 and 2014.
This year, Los Angeles adopted a plan known as Mobility Plan 2035, which calls for hundreds of miles of new bicycle lanes, bus-only lanes and other road redesigns. By keeping cars within the speed limits, the city also hopes to cut the fatality rate from traffic collisions to zero within 20 years.
Many bike lane resources are available to cities. The Green Lane Project is a program that selects cities and then connects them to the support needed to plan and install bike networks on existing streets. Added protected bike lanes resulted in an average 75 percent increase in bike traffic in the first year. Additionally, the Federal Highway Administration has a Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide to assist cities with understanding and implementing bike lanes.
The United States now has 250 protected bike lanes in 78 cities. In Knoxville, commuter bike traffic increased by 125 percent between 2007 and 2010; in Minneapolis, the number of city bicyclists increased by 174 percent between 2003 and 2008; and in San Jose, biking to work went up by 200 percent from 2006 to 2008. Safer transportation infrastructure will be a key factor in how many people will choose to bike in cities.
The trend is obvious. Cyclists are going to claim roadway space and the same is true for buses, trolleys and light rail – all options related to public transit. But, the transition will require lots of collaboration between communities, businesses, transit authorities, bike enthusiasts and the motoring public. City leaders have many hurdles to leap as these changes occur.