Evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in Gdansk

Bicycle lanes are lanes marked on a road and dedicated for exclusive use for cyclists.. Because they combine bike and motor traffic they provide directness and flow. However, a shared use of streets could result in bicycle-car accidents. Following up on the good practice Western countries have in pl...

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Main Authors: Romanika Okraszewska, Karolina Kijewska, Joanna Wachnicka, Miroslava Mikusova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Polish Academy of Sciences 2021-12-01
Series:Archives of Civil Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.pan.pl/Content/122005/PDF/art27_corr_LR.pdf
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author Romanika Okraszewska
Karolina Kijewska
Joanna Wachnicka
Miroslava Mikusova
author_facet Romanika Okraszewska
Karolina Kijewska
Joanna Wachnicka
Miroslava Mikusova
author_sort Romanika Okraszewska
collection DOAJ
description Bicycle lanes are lanes marked on a road and dedicated for exclusive use for cyclists.. Because they combine bike and motor traffic they provide directness and flow. However, a shared use of streets could result in bicycle-car accidents. Following up on the good practice Western countries have in planning cycle infrastructure, Gdansk has recently introduced bike lanes on a few streets. The aim of the research was to assess the attractiveness and safety of bike lanes as a relatively new and rare solution in Gdansk. The attractiveness was assessed using the multi-criteria method. The data for the assessment came from surveys and fieldwork (inventory, observation of cyclist behaviour, traffic counts). Additionally, safety information was supplemented with police statistics on collisions and accidents. The results show that the level of bike lane usage is rather high (more than 70%). However, 80% of the respondents do not find them as attractive as separated bike paths. The advantages indicated by bike lane users included speed, surface quality, and comfort. Those who avoiding bike lanes have pointed to insufficient sense of safety. The main problems were identified such as speed and volume of motor traffic, width of bicycle lane, surface quality and parking places located next to bike lanes. The conclusions from the research are consistent with the literature. The findings could improve the attractiveness and safety of bike lanes in Gdansk if implemented by bike infrastructure planners and designers.
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spelling doaj.art-900400e2fe434f9090b6ee23926c6cf42022-12-22T01:40:32ZengPolish Academy of SciencesArchives of Civil Engineering2300-31032021-12-01vol. 67No 4415432https://doi.org/10.24425/ace.2021.138509Evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in GdanskRomanika Okraszewska0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4980-634XKarolina Kijewska1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6655-0900Joanna Wachnicka2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1946-0237Miroslava Mikusova3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4669-3784Gdansk University of Technology, Department of Highway and Transportation Engineering, ul. Gabriela Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, PolandGdansk University of Technology, Department of Highway and Transportation Engineering, ul. Gabriela Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, PolandGdansk University of Technology, Department of Highway and Transportation Engineering, ul. Gabriela Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, PolandUniversity of Zilina, Department of Road and Urban Transport Univerzitná 8215/1, 010 26 Žilina, SlovakiaBicycle lanes are lanes marked on a road and dedicated for exclusive use for cyclists.. Because they combine bike and motor traffic they provide directness and flow. However, a shared use of streets could result in bicycle-car accidents. Following up on the good practice Western countries have in planning cycle infrastructure, Gdansk has recently introduced bike lanes on a few streets. The aim of the research was to assess the attractiveness and safety of bike lanes as a relatively new and rare solution in Gdansk. The attractiveness was assessed using the multi-criteria method. The data for the assessment came from surveys and fieldwork (inventory, observation of cyclist behaviour, traffic counts). Additionally, safety information was supplemented with police statistics on collisions and accidents. The results show that the level of bike lane usage is rather high (more than 70%). However, 80% of the respondents do not find them as attractive as separated bike paths. The advantages indicated by bike lane users included speed, surface quality, and comfort. Those who avoiding bike lanes have pointed to insufficient sense of safety. The main problems were identified such as speed and volume of motor traffic, width of bicycle lane, surface quality and parking places located next to bike lanes. The conclusions from the research are consistent with the literature. The findings could improve the attractiveness and safety of bike lanes in Gdansk if implemented by bike infrastructure planners and designers.https://journals.pan.pl/Content/122005/PDF/art27_corr_LR.pdfbike lanesroad safetyattractiveness assessment
spellingShingle Romanika Okraszewska
Karolina Kijewska
Joanna Wachnicka
Miroslava Mikusova
Evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in Gdansk
Archives of Civil Engineering
bike lanes
road safety
attractiveness assessment
title Evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in Gdansk
title_full Evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in Gdansk
title_fullStr Evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in Gdansk
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in Gdansk
title_short Evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in Gdansk
title_sort evaluating the convenience and safety effects of bicycle lanes in gdansk
topic bike lanes
road safety
attractiveness assessment
url https://journals.pan.pl/Content/122005/PDF/art27_corr_LR.pdf
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AT karolinakijewska evaluatingtheconvenienceandsafetyeffectsofbicyclelanesingdansk
AT joannawachnicka evaluatingtheconvenienceandsafetyeffectsofbicyclelanesingdansk
AT miroslavamikusova evaluatingtheconvenienceandsafetyeffectsofbicyclelanesingdansk