Rethinking Streets for Bikes
I quickly read through this. Context: I&#x27;m Dutch and live in Utrecht, The Netherlands.<p>This booklet has one massive flaw: it is constructed using American best-practices. At best, a couple of examples could be considered almost acceptable. Most of them were woefully inadequate and consist of little more than a blob of quickly-fading green paint in ill-considered positions. Worst of all, several examples are clearly flawed, and to me seem even more dangerous than not having any infrastructure at all.<p>If the goal is to show to unimaginative people that it is indeed physically possible to create something resembling bike infrastructure, then it will do fine. But if you&#x27;re trying to actually create a good, safe, well-used cycling network, then this is not the way to do it.<p>If you want good examples, go visit something like <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;bicycledutch.wordpress.com&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;bicycledutch.wordpress.com&#x2F;</a> . This booklet almost reads as if it was written by someone who has only heard about cycling infrastructure, but never actually lived in a city which has it. The intention is there, but there&#x27;s an even longer way to go.<p>Some trivial stuff to change:<p>- Add green dye to the asphalt instead of adding a layer of green paint. This means that it will not fade.
- Color the whole cycle path, not just a few small parts of it. You&#x27;re trying to create a continuous network, remember?
- Don&#x27;t use a zebra-crossing style striping at crossings. A continuous green bar would be way easier to see and interpret as something to stop for.
- Don&#x27;t create turn boxes. They are always in dangerous positions and there are better alternatives.<p>But most important of all: don&#x27;t just add cycle paths to your main car roads. You wouldn&#x27;t add a sidewalk and crosswalk to an interstate, would you? Create the main cycle routes on secondary streets, and make them unattractive for cars.