A one-mile protected bike lane has been shown to decrease driver speeds and attract more cyclists to the route.
Data from a North Kansas City pilot project shows that adding a protected bike lane can play a significant role in reducing vehicle speeds and encouraging more biking. In addition to a one-mile protected bike lane on Armour Road in the summer of 2021, the city also added more visible crosswalks, landscaping, and pedestrian islands, writes Charles Pekow in Smart Cities Dive.
A study by Streetlight found that the number of cars going faster than 40 miles per hour on the mile-long stretch with a protected bike lane was reduced to almost zero. “Meanwhile, bike traffic more than doubled, from a daily average of 50 to 114. The report notes that bike traffic didn’t decrease on a parallel road that was used as a control for the project during that time, indicating that more people were riding, not transferring from nearby streets.”
The study did note that congestion worsened along the bike lane in the early part of the project, but started to dip in 2021.
FULL STORY: Protected bike lanes in North Kansas City slowed traffic, increased biking: study
Houston Mayor Promises Dedicated Austin Street Bike Lane After Public Backlash
Although the one-way bike lane won’t be protected by physical barriers, the proposal is an improvement over the mayor’s initial plan to only include sharrows on the Austin Street project.
A Troubling Trend of Backlash to Bike Lanes
Some cities are going so far as to rip out protected bike infrastructure that took years of advocacy to build.
Austin Outlaws Blocking Bike Lanes
Drivers who park in bike lanes will receive citations of up to $300.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.
Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.
LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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