Protected bike lanes

Description: To reduce the number of bike crashes and increase bicycle ridership, San Francisco, CA has created protected curbside bike lanes on several busy and otherwise hazardous streets. The projects include protected bikeways featuring concrete islands, green paint, and flexible posts. Similar projects have been completed throughout the U.S., including New York, Washington D.C., Seattle, Oakland, Philadelphia, and many other cities.

Goal: Protected bike lanes to encourage active transport and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)

Measurement: Reduced VMT, increased active transport, reduced bicycle-involved accidents

Time to Implement: Approximately two years from planning to implementation

Links:

California’s Protected Bikeways Act
https://www.calbike.org/history-archive/governor_signs_protected_bikeways_act/

Additional Information:

2019 study on how separated bike lanes improve safety
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/05/29/protect-yourself-separated-bike-lanes-means-safer-streets-study-says/

Bicycle Friendly Communities
https://bikeleague.org/content/51-places-honored-fall-2020-round-bicycle-friendly-community-awards

San Francisco’s 17th Street Bicycle Safety Project
https://www.sfmta.com/projects/17th-street-bicycle-safety-project

Oakland CA’s Slow Street initiative response to Covid-19
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-17/how-oakland-made-pedestrian-friendly-slow-streets?sref=N8WhSjFG

Shared Streets – Burlington VT response to Covid-19
https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/dpw/covid-19/shared-streets

Contact Info:

Jared Sanchez
Senior Policy Advocate, California Bicycle Coalition
(714) 262-0921

Sectors(s) Transportation & Land Use
Region(s)
State(s) , , , ,
Location(s) , , , , ,
Status
Date First Adopted Various - first adopted in California in October 2014
Last Updated January 15, 2021
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