Selected issues of designing cycling infrastructure in the aspect of road traffic safety

Abstract

Increasing mobility results in growing overcrowding of roads and streets. Attempts to improve travel conditions through an increase in road capacity usually only worsen the situation. The main purpose should be an increased share of public transport, including bicycle traffic, in the modal split. An increased share of bicycles in everyday traveling requires, however, a competitive advantage of that means of transport over other transport possibilities. It involves the need for adequate infrastructure which would provide bicycle users with the possibility to move efficiently, comfortably, and above all, safely. This paper describes the problems resulting from insufficient quality of the regulations on cycling infrastructure design and proposes directions of changes and complements that are vital for traffic safety. It applies mainly to design speed on bicycle routes, widening of bikeways on curves, bikeway clearances, and visibility on cycle crossings enabling uninterrupted cycling.