Capture Short Trips by Bicycle Mode Choice by Trip Length
Where are the Short Trips located?
Assuming safe walking, bicycling, and quality transit: 100% 90% 80%
Short Trips are concentrated in the Central City
Mode Share
70% 60% 50% 40%
AusQn’s Bicycle Mode Share Targets
30% 20% 10%
15% of trips 0-‐3 mi.
7% of trips 3-‐9 mi.
0%
Trip Length
Walking
Bicycling
Best for < .5 mile
Best for trips < 3 miles
Transit + Walking
Transit + Biking
Driving
Best for trips along transit routes. (within 1/2 mile of route)
Best for trips within 2 miles of transit routes.
Best for longer trips not served by transit
Bicycling + Transit = Larger Network, BeWer Mobility The Transit Shed By Bicycle 2 miles ¼ to ½ mile
On Foot
Bicycles expand the transit catchment area by 16 *mes, significantly increasing opportuniQes for transit ridership.
Reduce CongesQon DRAFT Analysis Shows, Of the 160k passenger vehicle trips that enter the “Ring of CongesAon” each day: • 36% of these trips are less than 3 miles • Conver0ng 15% of trips 0-‐3 to miles and 7% of trips 3-‐9 miles, would reduce trips to the CBD by 7.5%.
Network Policies and Design On-‐Street
Cycle Tracks
Quiet Streets
IntersecQon Treatments
Off-‐Street
Complete Network
Urban Trails
All Ages and AbiliQes Network
4 Design Principles to Create and All Ages and AbiliQes Network: 1. SAFETY
• Unsafe condiQons are the largest barrier prevenQng people from bicycling. • Physical separaQon, speed reducQon, and intersecQon improvements are tools that will be used to improve safety.
3. COHESION • The bicycle network will be cohesive with complete routes that are intuiQve and easily recognizable. • Wayfinding, intersecQon markings, coloring and other treatments will be used to provide guidance to cyclists.
2. DIRECTNESS
4. COMFORT & ATTRACTIVENESS
• Direct routes with good access to desQnaQons will be prioriQzed for safe bicycling faciliQes. • Green signal waves Qmed to bicycle speeds and traffic controls that reduce the number of full stops for cyclists will be used to reduce Qme delay.
• Bicycle trips will be pleasant journeys separated from the stress of traffic. • Users will be able to ride side by side and enjoy conversaQon. • The user experience will be comfortable with reduced traffic interacQons, delay, and flow interrupQons. • Design will focus on smoothness and comprehensibility.
Network Design Parameters: Bicycle design should take into account the cyclist’s point of view.
DESIGN CYCLIST: • The 8-‐80 rule is used to design bicycle faciliQes for an All Ages and All AbiliQes Network: An 8 year old traveling with an 80 year old should be able to traverse the city comfortably and safely.
DESIGN SPEED • The network design speed will be accommodate commuter cyclists. • Typical speeds will be 10-‐15 MPH
DESIGN BICYCLE • Designs will accommodate tandems, trail-‐a-‐bikes, trailers and cargo bikes.
NETWORK DENSITY • Space routes every ½ -‐ ¾ mile where short trips are most common (in the central city and near transit staQons) with increased spacing further away from these areas. • Ensure access to residences, businesses, and employment while providing the largest return on infrastructure investment.
On-‐Street FaciliQes: Cycle Tracks A Cycle Track is an on-‐street bicycle facility with physical separaQon from vehicle traffic and pedestrians.
Conflict areas are addressed with appropriate tools to provide safe and clear guidance to all users. Tools include visual cues such as changes in surface type, coloring, or markings.
Cycle Tracks offer a higher level of personal comfort than bike lanes and are aWracQve to a wider spectrum of the public.
Cycle Tracks may be one-‐way or two-‐way and may be at street level, at sidewalk level, or at an intermediate level.
A smooth asphalt surface is ideal; concrete with smooth joints is acceptable
Physical separaQon from motor traffic is created by raised medians, on-‐street parking, bollards, or planters.
On-‐Street Facility SelecQon Effect of Speed on Comfort and Safety •
Motor vehicle speed has a significant effect on the severity of crashes for vulnerable road users.
•
High motor vehicle speeds result in reduced user comfort through increased stress levels and a nosier environment.
•
Physical protec*on is required on higher speed streets to maintain a safe and comfortable environment.
Effect of Traffic Volume on Comfort and Safety •
The frequency of motor vehicle interacQons increases risk and decreases comfort of cyclists.
•
See examples of different street volumes below:
Under 3,000 vehicles per day 46th Street – 2000 vpd Shared Lane
3,000 – 10,000 vehicles per day Oak Springs – 8,000 vpd Wide Bicycle Lane
10,000+ vehicles per day South Lamar, 36,000 vpd Narrow Bicycle Lane
10,000+ vehicles per day Barton Springs, 25,000 vpd Cycle Track
A vehicle every 18 seconds in peak hour
A vehicle every 5 seconds in peak hour
A vehicle every 1 second in peak hour
A vehicle every 1.4 seconds in peak hour
City of AusQn Planning Guidance for On-‐Street Bicycle FaciliQes • Motor vehicle speed and volume are the main factors affecQng cyclist safety and level of comfort. • At higher speeds and volumes physical separaQon is necessary for the majority of people to feel comfortable enough to ride. • In addiQon to speed and volume criteria, special consideraQon will be given to: • On-‐street parking pressures • Delivery acQvity • Network context
On-‐Street FaciliQes: Cycle Track Types of SeparaQon
TradiQonal Bicycle Lane
Bicycle Lane with Painted Buffer
SeparaQon Via Bollards
SeparaQon Via Barrier Humps
SeparaQon Via Concrete Median
SeparaQon Via Parked Cars
On-‐Street FaciliQes: Quiet Streets Quiet Streets are traffic calmed corridors that provide a comfortable environment for all ages and abiliQes.
Provide the opportunity for green streets elements such as tree planQngs and rain gardens.
Motor vehicle speed and volumes are managed to achieve safety and comfort for all ages or abiliQes. Target Speed and Volume: • 25 mph or less (20 mph preferred) • 1,500 vehicles per day preferred; up to 3,000 vehicles per day in limited areas.
Route guidance is provided through pavement markings and signage.
Target Loca*ons: • Residen*al streets where traffic calming is desired. • Commercial corridors where heavy motor vehicle traffic is less desired.
On-‐Street FaciliQes: IntersecQon Treatments INTERSECTION TREATMENTS help users comfortably cross major streets on key routes.
IntersecQon Treatments Include: • Crossing signs and markings • Median refuge islands and curb extensions.
Crossing Qmes should account for all ages. Actuated warning beacons and signals make the toughest crossings a breeze Median refuges make tricky crossings a simple two step process
• Crossing devices including actuated warning beacons and signals.
Widths accommodate trailers and cargo bikes
CreaQng a Network: Factors to Consider
Cost & ImplementaQon
Cost
Urban Trails
On-‐Street Facili*es
The ul*mate protected environment
Providing safe access to local des*na*ons
$1.5 -‐ $2 million per mile*
$50 -‐ $500 thousand per mile*
*For comparison: construcQon of a 6-‐ lane freeway costs approximately $51 million per mile and a 4-‐lane arterial roadway costs approximately $22 million per mile. (Source: CAMPO 2035 Plan) Timeline
Implementa*on Considera*ons
3-‐8 years per project
6 months -‐ 2 years per project
New construcQon
UQlizes exisQng streets, Widening potenQally required
Property/easement acquisiQon
ROW is owned
Minor environmental assessment Environmental assessment required required Heavy engineering
Minor engineering required
Lengthy construcQon
Short construcQon duraQon
Factors for PrioriQzaQon: • • • • • • •
Availability of corridor (within public ROW, parkland, easements, etc.), Improves connec*vity, addresses barriers or gaps in the network, Ease of implementaQon / construcQon, Minimal to no impact to environmental features (creeks, trees, etc.), Cost, Ci*zen input and support, and Ability to capture short trips (short trips to desQnaQons or transit staQons).
CreaQng A Network On-‐street bicycle faciliQes and off-‐street Urban Trails work together to complete an all ages and abiliQes acQve transportaQon network which will provide access to local desQnaQons. On-‐Street
Cycle Tracks
Quiet Streets
IntersecQon Treatments
Off-‐Street
Complete Network
Urban Trails
All Ages and AbiliQes Network
The on-‐ and off-‐street recommended improvements will be classified as long-‐ and short-‐term recommendaQons. Long-‐Term RecommendaQons • The collecQon of all recommendaQons in this plan form a set of long-‐term recommendaQons. • The expected build-‐out of the long-‐term recommendaQons will likely take many decades; opportuniQes depend on funding, redevelopment, and other factors.
Short-‐Term RecommendaQons • Short-‐term recommendaQons together create an all ages and abiliQes network that could be built within a target 5-‐year period. • Short-‐term recommendaQons provide the highest return on investment by targeQng the capture of short trips in two opportunity areas: • Short trips concentrated in the Central City, and • Short trips feeding high capacity transit sta*ons outside of the Central City.
Click to view North enlarged map (pdf)
Click to view South enlarged map (pdf)
PotenQal Short Term Network Central City
Click to view enlarged map (pdf)
PotenQal Short Term Network Transit Focus Areas
Click to view enlarged map (pdf)
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For more informaQon about the Bike and Urban Trails Plan, visit: www.ausQntexas.gov/yourpath