Communities across North Carolina are stepping up efforts to
plan and design safe, comfortable and connected networks of transportation
facilities that serve bicyclists of all ages and abilities. Design and planning
guidance on the national level has expanded in recent years to feature a range
of bicycle facilities, from more common shared lane markings and bicycle lanes
to innovative treatments like buffered and separated bicycle lanes. This
guidance is based on a growing body of research documenting the benefits of
separated bicycle facilities for safety and mobility. With more local agencies
in North Carolina pursuing separated bike lanes (SBLs) and other low-stress bicycle
facilities, there is an opportunity to assess the state of the practice with
respect to SBLs in North Carolina and perform research that can influence
future projects.
Our team proposes to work with the North Carolina Department
of Transportation (NCDOT) to assess the state of the practice with respect to
SBL planning and design, conduct research on the performance of SBL
applications in North Carolina, and summarize these findings in a report that
will also make recommendations for future activities related to SBL planning
and design. The first phase of this work will involve a review of national
guidance and existing research around SBLs with the goal of documenting what is
currently known about these facilities and how they can be incorporated into
roadway design. We will then examine how SBLs are being incorporated into plans
and projects around the State of North Carolina by surveying practitioners
working in local agencies, NCDOT stakeholders, and others who have been part of
discussions around SBL projects in North Carolina. We will seek to learn about
barriers and challenges encountered during these projects, documenting both
successes and missed opportunities. The third phase of this project will
involve observational data collection at sites where SBLs will be installed in
North Carolina. By collecting data at these sites before and after the projects
are implemented, our team will be able to document their impacts on safety,
bicyclist volumes, motor vehicle volumes, speed, and other outcomes. We will
document our findings from our literature review, the assessment of practices
around the State, and observational research into a final report that will also
make recommendations for future work on this topic.
This project will help NCDOT lead a consistent approach to
planning and designing bicycle facilities across the State of North Carolina.
