Pedestrian
and Bicycle Alternatives
for Towns and
Cities
The
guidelines for
facility design
follow state and
national standards
set by WisDOT
and
the American Association
of State and Highway
Transportation
Officials (AASHTO).
These guidelines
should be followed
for all bicycle
facility development
within Oneida
County, in both
urban and rural
areas, as they
are based on minimum
accommodations
necessary for
user safety. Facility
types fall into
five basic categories:
shared use
roadways, wide
curb lanes, bike
lanes, paved shoulders,
and bike paths/multi-use
trails.
Shared
Use Rural Roadways
On
a shared roadway,
bicyclists
and
motorists
are accommodated
in the same
travel
lane, so that
motorists may sometimes
find it necessary
to overtake
bicyclists
by switching
into the oncoming
travel lane.
The volume
of traffic
on some county
and town roads
is relatively
low, providing
appealing
routes for
adult riders
desiring
longer distance
opportunities.
Where
traffic volumes
are
generally
less than
1,000
ADT (Average
Daily Traffic),
cyclists
and motorists
can share
roadways
with lane
widths ranging
from
9
to 12 feet
(with or
without
shoulders)
with no
additional
improvements
necessary.
In
undertaking
route mapping
or signing,
it should
be remembered
that all
roadways
are
bicycling
routes.
The mapping
or marking
of bike
routes
is done
as
a "wayfinding"
practice
and done
so on
roads
where
the combination
of traffic
and
pavement
width
presents
favorable
conditions
for bicycle
use.
It is
recommended
that regular
roadway
maintenance
is in
place
and all
hazards
to bicycle
travel
including
potholes,
bumps
and
other
pavement
surface
irregularities,
and debris
is removed
before
route
designation.
Shared
Use
Urban Roadways
The
concept
that
every
street
is a
bicycling
street
is
even
more
applicable
in an
urban
street
network.
An urban
street
designated
as a
bike
route
should
have
traffic
volumes
under
2,000
ADT
and
speeds
under
30 mph
are
low
if no
extra
pavement
width
is
considered
for
bicycle
use.
Removal
of
hazards including
wheel-catching
drainage
grates
potholes and
debris
is
important.
Improved
Shoulders
Improving
shoulders by expanding
their width
and/or paving
may be necessary
to
establish
safe bike
routes. This
is particularly recommended
where traffic
volumes
exceed
1,000 ADT.
Paved shoulders
for bicycle
use should
be four
feet wide,
the
AASHTO
minimum standard.
WisDOT recommends
five foot
paved shoulders
on rural
two-lane
state trunk
highways. Paved
area should
be wider at
the intersection
of gravel
Adapted
from NCWRPC drives
to reduce the
amount of loose
gravel carried
onto the
bicycle path.
Rumble strips
should
not be used
unless additional
paved width
is provided
for
bicycle use.
WisDOT
bike facility
warrants state
that when
DOT constructs,
reconstructs, or
finances road
facilities it will
include suitable
space for
bicycling where
the roadway
is on an officially
designated bike
plan wherever
right-of-way permits,
or where bicycle
use or anticipated
use exceeds
25 bicyclists per
day, and
the average
daily traffic
is greater
than 1,000.
Bicycle
Lanes
Bicycle
lanes are
the most
effective way
of encouraging
bicycle travel
on roads leading
into
cities and
towns. Bicycle
lanes could
be considered
when it is
desirable to
delineate available
road space
for preferential
use by bicyclists
and motorists
and to
provide for
more
predictable movements
by each.
Bicycle lane
markings can
increase a
bicyclist’s
confidence
that motorists
will not
stray into
his/her path
of travel.
Bicycle
lanes are delineated
by painted
lane
markings and
should be
one-way facilities.
Bicycle lanes
are usually
at least
4 – 6
feet wide.
Bicycle
and Pedestrian
Paths/Multi-Use
Trails
Bicycle
paths or
multi-use
trails offer
good bicyclist
mobility
under
many circumstances, especially
where
the
paths
are
isolated
from
motor
vehicles,
such as
along
river
grades,
greenways,
abandoned
rail
lines,
and
connections
between
subdivisions
and
cul-de-sacs.
Caution
is always advised
when considering
a bicycle path
adjacent to
an urban
street,
because
of the
increase in
hazards associated
with motorists’ turns.
Considerations
for Designating
Bike Routes
in Your Town/City:
- Traffic
volume
- Road
width
- Presence
and width
of road shoulders
- Quality
of road
shoulders including smooth stable
surfaces or lack
of encroachment
by vegetation
- Road
surface condition
and presence of
potholes
- Segments
of unpaved/gravel
road surface and
suitability for
biking
- Presence
of blind
curves and hills and in some cases
grade.
When
reviewing route
segments or planning
improvements on
a
route, keep
these factors in
mind and
consider ways
of mitigating any
limitations that are present.
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