The Institute of Transportation Engineers is a North American body that develops technical resources including standards and recommended practices used in our road designs. One of their newest resources aims to assist transportation professionals in the planning, design, and operation of bicycle traffic signals. It is available to the public as well, so if you are curious about what could be done to develop the cycling route you use, the site offers plenty of information.
B.C.'s Active Transportation Design Guide is mentioned on the site with the following observations:
Advantages
- Detailed information is presented in this manual for designers and practitioners to assess the need for separated signal phasing scenarios. Recommended traffic thresholds are provided in terms of motor vehicles per hour turning across a protected bicycle lane for lower-speed and higher-speed streets, respectively. These thresholds determine when a time-separated bicycle movement should be considered.
- Specific guidance is presented for green time, change interval, and clearance intervals to maximize bicycle safety and priority at intersections.
Disadvantages
- Examples of bicycle detection are presented but limited to the discretion of the designer.
- Bicycle scramble and bicycle diagonal crossing scenarios at signalized intersections are referenced in the guidelines as a common treatment in the Netherlands. Their use in British Columbia is not recommended.
If you are interested in learning more, a list of Canadian bicycle signal resources is listed along with international resources outside of Canada and the US.
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