Whether or not people choose to bike is heavily influenced by the stresses they anticipate encountering on their trip. These stresses are related to both real and perceived safety and are generally correlated to the speed and volume of motor vehicle traffic on the streets along their route.
Not every segment of a bike network must have a protected bike lane. Where motor vehicle speeds and volumes are strictly managed, designers can draw on a range of bikeway types.
For shared spaces, advisory bike lanes, bike boulevards, or constrained bike lanes, designers must:
- Create safe, convenient intersection crossings for people on bikes;
- Prioritize the bikeway as it crosses minor streets by assigning the bikeway the right-of-way where practical; and
- Use street design and traffic-calming techniques that bring motor vehicle speeds closer to bicycle speeds and limit total motor vehicle traffic.
Designing for All Ages & Abilities
| Bikeway | Target Motor Vehicle Speed |
Motor Vehicle Lanes In Same Direction |
Motor Vehicle Volume Per Day |
Motor Vehicle Volume Peak Hour in Peak Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Spaces |
≤10 mph ≤15 km/h |
No centerline | ≤1,000 | ≤60 |
| Bicycle Boulevard |
≤20 mph ≤30 km/h |
Single lane or none | ≤500-2,000 | <50-150 |
| Advisory Bike Lane |
≤20 mph ≤30 km/h |
Single lane or none | ≤500-2,000 | <50-150 |
| Constrained Bike Lanes |
≤20 mph ≤30 km/h |
Single lane | ≤1,500-3,000 | ≤300 |
| Constrained Bike Lane with buffer | ≤25 mph≤40 km/h | Single lane | ≤6,000 | ≤600 |