Separated Bicycle Facilities

Purpose

Provides physical separation between the bike lane and travel lane.

Description

Separated bike lanes (often referred to as protected bike lanes) are separated from vehicles horizontally through a buffer and vertically with a physical object. Vertical separation may be in the form of a flex post, parking stop, flexible delineators, planter, or concrete barrier. In areas with on street parking, the bike lane can be located between the parked cars and curb, using the parked cars as a barrier. Separated bike lanes may be one- or two-way (also called “cycle tracks”).

Safety Benefits

Reduces conflicts with vehicles and bicycles.
Provides a higher level of comfort and safety for people in the bike lane due to physical separation.
Prevents vehicles from driving, stopping, or waiting in the bike lane.
Better option than conventional bike lanes for roads with high traffic volumes, frequent parking turnover, and/or high transit or truck volumes.
When implemented with a reduction in the number of width of travel lanes, can reduce driver speeding.

Street Types and Context

Applicable Street Types

All arterial streets and some Local Principal Streets.

Other Location Guidance

Any street where a conventional or buffered bike lane is being considered or where a separated facility is not feasible.
Streets with extra lanes or lane width
Preferred in higher density areas, adjacent to commercial and mixed-use development, and near major transit stations or locations where observed or anticipated pedestrian volumes will be higher.
Typically not implemented where many driveways are present due to crossing conflicts, sight distance limitations, and maintenance/solid waste removal.

Primary User Groups

Key Implementation Considerations

Consider pedestrian and bicycle conflicts, especially people with limited mobility or impaired vision. These interactions need special consideration near crosswalks and transit stops.
As with all transportation facilities, separated bike lanes need to follow state fire code regulations.
Consider sightlines near driveways and intersections. Turns across protected bike lanes should be carefully managed.
Green colored pavement markings can be used to accentuate the transit priority lane or parts thereof.
Where bus stops are present, bus boarding islands may be considered to remove potential conflicts between buses and bikes.
May be infeasible without general travel or parking lane width reduction or reconfiguration.
May impact on-street parking.
Additional maintenance and specialized equipment may be needed to keep debris and snow cleared.
Drainage structures and utilities may need to be added or relocated, particularly when a continuous concrete curb is used.

Expected Crash Reduction

74% reduction in crashes reported in Montreal, but reduction varies overall from 8-94%. (City of Minneapolis, 2019).

28 % reduction in average top vehicle speeds and a 21% reduction in average vehicle speeds along the corridor (Younes, Andrews, et al, 2024)

Cost

Separated bike lanes can be implemented as part of routine resurfacing projects using low cost materials, or as part of reconstruction projects using curbing and grade separation. Even with low-cost materials, separated bike lanes require a relatively high degree of engineering and typically involve a relatively high level of public engagement.

Timeline

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One to three or more years, depending on complexity and implementation approach.

References