From Sidewalks to Main Streets

Velo-city 2013 Vienna, June 14

From Sidewalks to Main Streets Changing bicycle usage patterns in Japanese cities Hirotaka Koike Utsunomiya Kyowa University and

Yasuhiro Shoji Ministry of Land, Infrastracture and Transport “It’s fun to cycle in Utsunomiya” 1

Contents Historical background of bicycles in Japan Major national bicycle policy changes Guideline for bicycle usage environment Arrow marking experiment at Utsunomiya Survey results and analysis

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Traffic Accidents in Japan

3

Historical Background g In 1970, traffic accident deaths reached their peak. y were p permitted to run on sidewalks.

Bicycles Confusion arose about how and where to ride a bicycle.

Rapid increase of bicycle usage after Great East Japan Earthquake on 2011.3.11. g of super-aging p g g society. y Progress A sharp increase in bicycle-pedestrian traffic accidents in recent years.

4

Increase in Bicycle-pedestrian Bicycle pedestrian Accidents

-30%

2001

2011

Total traffic accidents

+50%

2001

2011

Bicycle-pedestrian accidents 5

Road Space p for Bicycle y in Japan p Space for Bicycle separated from street (83,600Km) S Separated t d ffrom P Pedestrian d ti

Bike Bikeroad road

Bike lane

By marking only

Others (1.1 Million Km)

N t separated Not t d

Bike/ped road

With Sidewalk

Without Sid Sidewalk lk

Only 3000Km (3.5%) is separated from pedestrians 6

Comprehensive p Measures Toward Better Bicycle Traffic Order (National Police Agency, 2011)

Basic principles p p Bicycle is a vehicle Bicycle should run on the left side of the roadway Exception: E ti children hild under d 13, 13 and d seniors i over 70

Promotion of traffic safety education Enforcement of bicycle traffic laws Provision P i i off bicycle bi l traffic t ffi space 7

Five Basic Safety Rules 1. Bicycle to run on roadway

2. Run left side of roadway

4. Observe safety rules

3. Priorityy to pedestrians

5. Bike helmets for children

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Guidelines for Safe and Comfortable Bicycle y Usage g Environment (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 2012)

Planning of bicycle route network Design of bicycle traffic space Enforcement of bicycle traffic laws Comprehensive measures for bicycle use 9

Bicycle Traffic Spaces ① Bicycle y road

② Exclusive bike lane ③ Shared bike/auto zone

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Problems of Existing Intersections Bicycle crossing and traffic signal

Bicycle crossing design leading to car/bike conflict 11

Utsunomiya y Cityy A regional capital with half a million population Flat terrain suitable for bicycles High bicycle usage

Tochigi Prefecture

Highest auto-dependency in J Japan Planned new LRT system y New campaign to improve city image through the use of bicycles

Utsunomiya

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Current Bicycle Traffic Problems ■ Illegal parking

中戸祭

Test Site

竹林町

東町 戸祭町 戸祭

■ Bicycle lane 今泉町 今泉新町 大曽

■ Exclusive bus lane

清住

西一の沢町

栃木県庁 千波町

睦町

川向町 住吉町

東武 宇都宮駅

日光街道

幸町 京町

Legends

宿郷

宇都宮 市役所

■ Intersection jam

天神

新町

平松町 花房

Frequent accident location High bicycle trafic Bicycle lanes completed Schools Public facilities Commercial area Park

宇都宮駅

滝の原

119

南宇都宮駅

簗瀬町 西原町

宮原

鶴田駅

Current network 下栗 Additional links Future planned links Cycling road

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Arrow Marking Experiment National Highway Route 4 in Utsunomiya Narrow road width (single lane) High traffic volume (over 20,000 vehicles/day) Unable to secure bicycle lane Share roadway with automobile by arrow marking k Direct intersection crossing g for bicycle y One of the first attempts in Japan 14

Arrow Marking and Pictogram Spacing 5 – 10m for roadway, 2m for intersection Right Ri ht edge d with ith reflective fl ti white hit paint i t Bicycle pictogram is compliant with Japan Industrial Standard Symbols

300 400 4 300 1000 1

80

1000 15

Intersections with Arrow Markings

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Flyer to Residents and Road Users (Front)

(Back)

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Intersection and Night View of Roadway

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Survey and Analysis of Experiment Survey Method Method

Video Survey

Subject Pedestrian

Number by direction, direction Safety when crossing intersection intersection, etc etc.

Bicycle

Directional and positional volume, speed, dangerous action, Waiting position, trajectory of crossing and turning, etc.

Automobile

Traffic volume, speed, conflict with bicycle, priority between bicycle and automobile at intersection, etc.

Pedestrian

Questionnaire

Congestion

Surveyed items

Comfort and safety of walking, etc.

Bicycle

Comfort and safety, evaluation of arrow sign and picto, etc.

Automobile

Comfort and safety, evaluation of arrow sign and picto, etc.

Length of automobile traffic backup 19

Video Survey ■ Bicycle traffic volume by direction, speed, trajectory, etc. ◆ Survey date and time: Before: Tuesday, January 29 After: Friday, February 22 Time: 7 7-9 9 AM and 3 3-5 5 PM ◆ Number of video cameras 2 along roadway, 13 at intersection, 4 at each eac end e d of o survey su ey sect section o Arrow spacing 5m Total length 560ｍ To Tokyo

起終点 交差点 部 部

交差点 部 交差点 部

消防署前 交差点

Arrow spacing 10m Total length 530ｍ

交差点 単路部 部

交差点 部

National Highway Route 4

起終点 部

単路部

交差点 部

To 起終点 Fukushima 部

交差点 部 起終点 部 20

Bicycle Speed Analysis ■ Some bicycles previously running over 15km/h on sidewalk moved to roadway after installation of arrows.

■Sidewalk ■Roadway 20 走 行 15 台 数 10 （ ）

◆Before

Numb ber of bicycless

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台

5 0 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29自転車走行速度（ km /h） Speed km/h

◆After

Number of b bicycles

25

（ ）

20 走 行 15 台 数 10 台

5 0 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29自転車走行速度（ km /h） Speed km/h

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Survey time 7-9 AM and 3-5 PM

Bicycle Trajectory from Video Imagery ■ After bicycle crossing strip removal and provision of straight-across arrow markings markings, 50% of bicycles crossed along arrow markings markings.

Video position and direction

Bicycles run on roadway (7-9 AM) Before: 4/25（16％）

Legends:

After: 12/25（48％）

Blue, Purple, Blue Purple Green in right direction Red, Yellow, Orange in reverse direction 22

Cyclists Attitude Change from Questionnaire ■ Provision of arrows on roadway helped to understand traffic

rules and change cyclist attitudes to some extent.

30% off cyclists li t run along l roadway, d and d pay attention tt ti to pedestrian when riding on sidewalk.

Q： How did you change your bicycle riding method (multiple answer) ? ａ．Ride along left side of roadway

29票

ｂ．Yield to pedestrian when ride on sidewalk

30票

ｃ．Avoid A id running i in i reverse direction di ti on roadway

13票

ｄ．Turn to the right on roadway at intersection

4票

ｅ．No change

34票

ｆ．Other From response of 121 cyclists

4票 0

10

20

30

40 23

Drivers Attitude Change from Questionnaire ■ 20% of drivers responded that they paid more attention to bicycles due to arrow markings in roadway, a good effect on drivers’ attitudes.

■ On the other hand, some show concerns about conflict with bicycles.

Q： How did yyour driving Q g change g after arrow marking g introduced (multiple answer) ? a.

Payy more attention to bicycles y

b.

Pay attention to spacing with bicycles when passing by

c.

g in intersection Easier to recognize

d.

Feel bicycles are more hazardous

36票

e.

Difficult to drive due to narrower roadwayy

36票

f.

No change

39票 33票 4票

12票 0票

From response of 160 drivers

0

10

20

30

40

50

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Overall Opinions about Arrow Markings ■ 80% agreed to expanding this measure to other areas Q： Do you think this measure should be expanded to other areas ?

ｃ．進めるべきではない 29票, 17% 29票, 17%

ａ．進めていくべき

a. Expand to other areas (38%) b With some improvement, b. i t expand to other areas (45%)

64票, 38%

ｂ．改善の余地はあるが、

c. Should h ld not expand d (17%) ( )

進めていくべき

76票, 45%

Overall responses of 169 people 25

Conclusion and Future Work In this paper, paper we tried to solve: How to share bicycle and auto space on a narrow street Ensure straight path for bicycle in intersection

In In the future, we will pursue: Design for irregular and complex intersection Reallocation of road space among various modes Coordination between bicycle and public transport Achieving a comprehensive urban transport network where bicycles play an important role

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Th k you Thank o !

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