Irish Study Shows Bike Lanes Don’t Slow Emergency Response

A new study from Limerick, Ireland shows that protected bike lanes do not lead to slower emergency response, and in fact “maintained or enhanced” access for emergency vehicles, reports Ron Johnson in Momentum. “According to the report, designs that adhered to Ireland’s national street-design and cycling manuals ‘effectively facilitated the movement of emergency vehicles by ensuring adequate carriageway widths and junction radii.’”

A similar study out of Toronto found that “overall response times within bike lane corridors performed as well as or better than citywide averages.” According to Johnson, “Limerick’s new study adds another strong data point to an already long list—showing that properly designed cycling infrastructure doesn’t just coexist with emergency services. It often improves the streets for everyone who uses them.”