{"id":46020,"date":"2016-04-05T21:09:36","date_gmt":"2016-04-05T21:09:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zonda-develop.go-vip.net\/concrete-construction\/article\/protected-intersections_o"},"modified":"2016-04-05T21:09:36","modified_gmt":"2016-04-05T21:09:36","slug":"protected-intersections_o","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zonda-develop.go-vip.net\/concrete-construction\/projects\/infrastructure\/protected-intersections_o\/","title":{"rendered":"Protected Intersections"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Protected bicycle lanes are popping up in cities all over the country. The number of these lanes, also called cycle tracks, has more than tripled in the past five years.\r <\/p>

But what happens when cyclists reach an intersection? The buffers that separate bike lanes from car traffic such as medians, planters, even parking spaces, disappear and bikers are on their own.<\/p>\r

The solution: an intersection design that continues the protected lane with a layout that improves sightlines and guides cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians through seamlessly.<\/p>\r

\u201cA collection of design elements makes left turns simple and secure, right turns protected and fast, and provides straight through movements that minimize or eliminate conflicts from turning cars,\u201d says Nick Falbo, senior planner for Alta Planning + Design<\/a>. \u201cThe model can be adapted even on streets without protected bike lanes.\u201d<\/p>

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Davis intersection first to open<\/h3>\r

In the past year, such intersections have been built in several cities, including Davis, Calif. Home of the Bicycling Hall of Fame<\/a>, the city launched its cycling network in 1966, installed the nation\u2019s first cycle signal in the 1990s, and has a bicycle commuting rate of 22%.<\/p>\r

Davis\u2019 protected intersection sits at the entrance of the Cannery, a new 100-acre mixed-use development of low- to high-density residential and agricultural areas, parks, and greenbelts.<\/p>\r

The initial plan was to separate traffic with multimillion-dollar grade-separated crossings for bicycles and pedestrians. But when the city council reviewed the proposal in April 2014, council member Brett Lee offered a different idea. An engineer and avid cyclist, he advocated for a protected intersection design he\u2019d encountered when cycling in the Netherlands.<\/p>\r

Davis tapped the Dutch consulting firm Mobycon<\/a>, which recommended using at-grade crossings rather than bridges or tunnels. This would give commuters and Cannery residents direct access to bicycle lanes on the intersecting streets and overshoot a nearby shopping plaza. The council approved the Dutch-style intersection in September 2014.<\/p>\r

Cannery developer The New Home Company<\/a> collaborated with the city on the design, which was completed in May 2015, and funded the $1 million construction project, which was completed in August.<\/p>\r

Feedback from drivers and cyclists has been \u201cmostly positive,\u201d says Public Works Senior Civil Engineer Roxanne Namazi. \u201cWe\u2019ll construct more similar intersections.\u201d
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Salt Lake City<\/h3>\r
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Meanwhile, Salt Lake City was tackling a traffic flow issue that arose from plans to build a new cycle track on a major thoroughfare that would cross an existing protected bike lane at the intersection of 200 West and 300 South.\r <\/p>

Salt Lake City Transportation Project Manager Colin Quinn-Hurst laid out potential solutions and Falbo came in with Alta Planning + Design to help evaluate alternatives. Working closely with Alta, project manager Brian Christensen of Horrocks Engineers<\/a> implemented the design.<\/p>\r

A Dutch-style intersection was the most practical and functional design. \u201cIt provided a solution for the two intersecting bike lanes,\u201d says Salt Lake City Transportation Director Robin Hutcheson. \u201cAlso, the location has high pedestrian traffic and the design improved pedestrian safety.\u201d<\/p>\r

Salt Lake City streets are wide, allowing higher speeds. The protected intersection narrows the space and reduces the number of lanes, slowing cars down. This was a plus; at 7,000 cars per day, the low-volume intersection was operating below traffic capacity. \u201cWe accomplished this innovative design with a very minimal additional cost margin,\u201d Hutcheson says.<\/p>\r

The intersection opened in October 2015. In other cities:<\/p>

\r \r The first U.S. protected intersection appeared in September 2014 in Austin, Texas. Located in an uninhabited part of a new development, it is not yet in use. The city has several more planned.
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