Study: The Quality of Bike Infrastructure Matters

"A new study [pdf] published in the American Journal of Public Health has concluded that physical separation from motor traffic is “crucial” to reducing the higher than average cyclist injury rates seen across the U.S.," reports Mark Sutton.

The study collected evidence from Europe, ten cities and the United States, and an earlier study of Boston.

An editorial that accompanies the study [pdf] also states the following about the effect of infrastructure quality on safety outcomes:

It is crucial to provide physical separation from fast-moving, high-volume motor vehicle traffic and better intersection design to avoid conflicts between cyclists and motor vehicles. More and better bicycle infrastructure and safer cycling would encourage Americans to make more of their daily trips by bicycle and, thus, help raise the currently low physical activity levels of the US population.

The study's exhibit A is provided by Minneapolis, where the city "grew its cycle network by 113% between 2000 and 2015, delivering a 79% reduction in severe injuries per 100,000 cycle journeys," explains Sutton. "This also tallied with a 203% growth in cycling in the areas where safe infrastructure was present."