Designing Infrastructure for Bicycles

Intersection treatment

Intersections are important points of conflict between bicycles and fast moving vehicles. Over half of the accidents occur here – especially at intersections on 50kmph roads. These intersections need to be dealt with diligently – with provision of traffic signals having dedicated phase for bicycles, advanced stop lines and bicycle boxes for bicycles. It is required to carefully consider the position of the approaching bicycle lane at intersections. Also, at the intermediate points of conflict like at access points to properties, speed ramps for motorised vehicles should be provided to control the speed of the approaching motorised vehicles.

Parking facilities for bicycles

Provision of secure bicycle parking is a key factor in deterring opportunistic and organised bicycle theft. Authorities should encourage the provision of secure bicycle parking at public transport interchanges, including railway stations and park-and-ride facilities to increase the opportunities to use bicycles in combination with public transport. Provision of secure bicycle parking facilities should also be provided in all major developments, town centres and educational institutions.

Other amenities for cyclists

Comfort is related to minimised resistance and less physical and mental exertion while riding. This can be ensured with fewer gradients and uneven surface. By providing attractive facilities, cycling can become enjoyable and be taken as a leisure activity. Socially safe, lively and well lit routes are preferred over dark and mundane roads. Routes across parks and leisure routes can further attract riders. Other facilities for cyclists can also be provided especially in Indian cities like shaded bicycle infrastructure, bicycle repair shops, kiosks for drinking water and eating areas.

Bicycle infrastructure in Delhi

In Delhi, continuous bicycle-friendly infrastructure has been developed on the stretch of 5.6km along the pilot Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor from Ambedkar Nagar to Moolchand flyover. The infrastructure has been planned and designed in line with the principles laid in the previous section. The buses run in an open system on the central lane of the corridor. Bicycle tracks of standard width of 2.5m are developed on either side of the road that can be used by cycle rickshaws also. Bicycle tracks have been segregated from the MV lanes (in addition to 0.115m wide and 0.15m high kerb) by a 0.75m wide median/unpaved zone on 75% of the length, more than 0.75m wide green belt/footpath on 20% of the length and 0.3m wide median on 4% of the length of the corridor. The bicycle track has been combined with the pedestrian walkway (due to space constraints) to provide a 3m wide common path for less than 1% length of the corridor. Bicycle and cycle-rickshaw parking bays have been provided along the bicycle tracks near the intersections. The intersection design aims to minimise conflicts. All traffic movements here are controlled through automatic signal. Since traffic is segregated into bus lanes, motorised vehicle lanes and non-motorised vehicle (walk, cycle and cycle rickshaws) lanes, each of these lanes has its unique signal aspects, which may have overlapping or staggered green phases for different lane movements from the same arm. At the point of access to the properties and smaller intersections, ramps have been provided to reduce the speed of the motorised vehicles. The environment-friendly corridor is operational since April 2008 and has been benefiting all types of road users.

Benefits of bicycle infrastructure in Delhi

Economic Benefits

• Average speed of bicycles on the stretch has increased from 8kmph to 12kmph. The travel time saved by using the entire stretch of the corridor is approximately 15 minutes.

• Bicycles can be easily used for accessing public transport systems because of the planned and secured parking facility near intersections.

• It has resulted in resistance-free and comfortable ride for cyclists. As reported by DIMTS, volume of bicycles has increased from 12000 per day in 2007 to 15000 per day in 2009.

• Dedicated infrastructure for bicycle results in reduced conflicts between different road users and smooth flow of all road users at uniform speed. Moreover, a 3.5m wide lane has a carrying capacity of 1,800 cars per hour whereas the same width can carry up to 5,400 bicycles per hour.

Social Benefits

• It has resulted in reduced conflicts between bicycles and fast moving vehicles leading to improved safety of cyclists. Total number of fatalities on the corridor has reduced from five in 2006 to two in 2008. The probability of cyclists to be victims of fatal accidents on the corridor has reduced to zero in 2008 and 2009 as compared with 0.33 in 2006.

• Slum population is dependent entirely on walk and bicycle for commuting. The dedicated bicycle infrastructure has increased accessibility and safety of the low income group of people, thus increasing social equity.

• If the entire stretch of the corridor is used, it is perceived that the total slum population in the reach of activity centers increases by 120% (if only bicycles are used for the entire trip).

Environmental Benefits

• With reduction in the percentage of acceleration and deceleration time for motorised vehicles, tail pipe emissions have decreased.

• With the estimated modal shifts and increased efficiency in vehicle operations, it is estimated that there will be 12% saving in bus fuel, 18% saving in car fuel and 40% saving in MTW fuel, resulting in about 1 million litres of overall fuel saving per day.

Challenges and way forward

There is a need to shift the focus from the conventional theories to the service provision for sustainable transportation in cities. This requires significant changes in thinking, attitude and priorities.

Cyclists need an appropriate right of way for comfortable and safe riding conditions. The space thus earmarked for cyclists should not be the left over area of the road. The infrastructure for cyclists should be based on the five principles of safety, coherency, directness, comfort and attractiveness. Faulty design and plan of infrastructure that does not meet the five principles can result in decreased utilisation of bicycle infrastructure by cyclists.

Development of bicycle infrastructure needs an all over change in the urban environment. In Indian traffic situation, the lane to the extreme left of the road is used by both – bus and bicycles, thereby creating conflicting situations. Dedicated bicycle infrastructure is provided on the left lane of the road and hence, to reduce conflicts and improve utility of the transportation network, it is required to develop infrastructure for bus on the central lane.

Appropriate design of bicycle infrastructure and strict enforcement of regulations is required to avoid motorised vehicles to use bicycle lanes/tracks for both parking and movement.

Dr Geetam Tiwari

Associate Professor

Dept of Civil Engineering

IIT, Delhi

Deepty Jain

Project Scientist

Transportation Reasearch and

Injury Prevention

Programme, IIT, Delhi