BICYCLE FACILITIES

1 DESIGN
OUTLINE
 “Design” vehicle
 “Design” user

 Design parameters

 The design process

 Horizontal and vertical alignment

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THE “DESIGN” VEHICLE
 Road
 Off-road

 Hybrid

 Recumbent

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ROAD BIKES
 “Traditional” configuration
 Higher speed

 Range of riders

 On-street

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ROAD BIKES

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ROAD BIKES

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OFF-ROAD BIKES
 “Mountain” bikes
 Lower speed

 Not usually on trails

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OFF-ROAD BIKES

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HYBRIDS
 Road bikes but not exactly
 Upright riding position

 Lower speed

 Trails and streets

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HYBRIDS

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RECUMBENTS
 More comfortable seating
 2 or 3 wheels

 Less visibility

 Wide range of users

 Mostly on paved trails

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RECUMBENTS

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RECUMBENTS

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DESIGN USERS
 A – advanced user
 B – basic user

 C - children

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TYPES OF FACILITIES
 Normal roadway cross-section
 Bike lane alongside highway

 Multi-use trail

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TYPICAL SECTION – 2-LANE ROAD

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TYPICAL SECTION – SEPARATE PATH

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Source: Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities

(AASHTO – 1999)
DESIGN SPEED
 Grade dependent
 Surface dependent

 Type of user dependent

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STOPPING SIGHT DISTANCE
 S = [V2/(30*(f±G))] +3.67V
 Where V is speed
f is coefficient of friction =
0.25
G is grade in ft/ft.

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CLEARANCE
 Minimum operating
envelope
 Comfortable operating
envelope
 Lateral – depends on
radius and SSD

Source: Guide for the Development of 20

Bicycle Facilities, AASHTO (1999)
LEAN ANGLE
 Superelevation or not
 Speed

 Radius

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HORIZONTAL CURVES
 Speed
R = 0.067V2/tanθ

 Where R is the radius in feet, θ is the lean angle (15

– 20°) and V is the design speed in mph.
 Superelevation – max of 3%
 Surface
 f varies with speed (0.31 @ 12 mph - 0.21 @ 30 mph)
 1/2 for unpaved

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HORIZONTAL CURVES

Source: Guide for the Development of Bicycle

Facilities (AASHTO – 1999)

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HORIZONTAL CURVES

Greater lean angle

Can use superelevation
Need more width

Source: Guide for the Development of Bicycle

Facilities (AASHTO – 1999) 24
VERTICAL CURVES

Source: Guide for

the Development
of Bicycle
Facilities
(AASHTO – 1999)

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GRADIENT
 Minimize large grades
 But, if needed, KISS

 If Unpaved – max 3%

 If paved:

Source: Guide for

the Development
of Bicycle
Facilities
(AASHTO – 1999)

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TRAFFIC CONTROL
 MUTCD
 Similar to roads

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TRAFFIC CONTROL
 Chapter 9
 Size f(facility)

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SURFACING
 Unpaved
 Limestone chips
 Other materials

 Paved
 HMA
 PCC

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DESIGN PROCESS
 Choose facility type
 Inventory existing conditions
 Demand
 Topography
 Roadway traffic
 Available right-of-way (old RR?)

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OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
 Users
 Car parking

 Directness

 Stops

 Conflicts

 Maintenance

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