Traffic Signal Guidelines for Bicycles (2014)
In Canada, transportation-related legislation and regulations generally describe people bicycling as being “vehicles”. This language was typically adopted as a mechanism to provide bicyclists the authority to travel on a roadway. However, today people who are bicycling are generally understood to be vulnerable road users having different needs than both motorized vehicles and people who are walking.
The increasing popularity of bicycling as a mode of travel in Canada is leading many jurisdictions to develop new bicycle infrastructure. The goal of these facilities is generally to improve the safety and mobility of bicyclists.
Several bicycle facility planning and design guidelines and resources already exist. These include the TAC publications: “Active Transportation – Making it Work in Canadian Communities (2010)”; “Bikeway Traffic Control Guidelines for Canada (2012)”; and “Traffic Signal Guidelines for Bicycles (2014)”. The “TAC Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads (2017)” also contains significant guidance in the design of these facilities.
Unfortunately, there is an overall lack of understanding within the transportation industry regarding the specific safety performance associated with different types of bicycle facilities in the Canadian context – whether currently in existence or under consideration for possible construction.
The major project objectives are to:
Key tasks to accomplish the project objectives will include:
The work will culminate in a report on study findings and help practitioners evaluate the safety performance of different bicycle facilities within their jurisdiction. The project deliverable will be a supplement to the Traffic Signal Guidelines for Bicycles (2014) and Bikeway Traffic Control Guidelines for Canada (2012) and it will provide the basic requirements for evaluating bicycle facilities, case studies documenting the safety performance of various types of bicycle facilities, and safety heuristics for the associated bicycle facilities.