The URL can be used to link to this page

Agenda 10/07/2014 W COLLIER COUNTY Board of County Commissioners r +coo► (el WORKSHOP AGENDA Board of County Commission Chambers Collier County Government Center 3299 Tamiami Trail East,3rd Floor Naples FL 34112 October 7,2014 1:00 P.M. Tom Henning-BCC Chairman; BCC Commissioner,District 3 Tim Nance - BCC Vice-Chairman; BCC Commissioner District 5 Donna Fiala- BCC Commissioner,District 1; CRAB Chairwoman Georgia Hiller- BCC Commissioner,District 2 Fred W.Coyle-BCC Commissioner,District 4;CRAB Vice-Chairman 1. Pledge of Allegiance 2. Bicycle Safety 3. Public Comment 4. Adjourn Notice: All persons wishing to speak must turn in a speaker slip. Each speaker will receive no more than three(3)minutes. Collier County Ordinance No.2003-53 as amended by Ordinance 2004-05 and 2007-24,requires that all lobbyists shall,before engaging in any lobbying activities(including but not limited to,addressing the Board of County Commissioners),register with the Clerk to the Board at the Board Minutes and Records Department. Table of Contents 1. Bike Safety Findings (April 2014) Tim Durham, Executive Manager of Corporate Business Operations 2. Bicycle Box (Advantages and Disadvantages) (2009) Metropolitan Transportation Commission (CA) 3. Evaluation of an Innovative Application of the Bike Box (2000) Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Dept. of Transportation 4. Traffic Safety Facts (April 2014) NHTSA, U.S. Dept. of Transportation 5. Slide Presentation (2014) Collier County Transportation Planning Co e-r County Office of the County Manager MEMO Date: 04/11/2014 To: Leo E. Ochs, Jr., County Manager From: Tim C. Durham, Executive Manager Corporate Business Operations Subject: Bike Safety Findings At the February 25, 2014 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners a bicycle safety presentation was given by Mr. Ruff of the Naples Pathways Coalition. The attached report was produced to respond to comments and queries from commissioners regarding bicycle safety and potential solutions. The intent is to provide current and reliable information on crash statistics and to report on the efforts of other jurisdictions to improve bicycle safety. Both positive and negative outcomes have been included, as applicable. Some of the key findings include: • The ratio of bicycle crashes to peak season population is very low. (Peak season is when the most incidents occur. This is one of the findings in the Collier MPO 2014 Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Study.) • Because of new reporting criteria, there was a dramatic increase in the number of reported bicycle crashes statewide for 2012. • Collier County ranks favorably when compared to similar counties in the number of bicycle crashes for 2012. • Education is a core component of any bicycle safety strategy, and it has no negative outcomes. • Experimental road markings, such as painted conflict areas and bike boxes, have serious drawbacks. • In a community that annually experiences as many visitors as Collier County, non-standard road markings would likely cause considerable confusion for motorists. Bike Safety Findings CP7b by Tim Durham Executive Manager Corporate Business Operations April 2014 Preface This report was produced to respond to comments and queries from commissioners prompted by a bicycle safety presentation that was given at a regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners on February 25, 2014. The intent or purpose of this document is to provide current and reliable information on crash statistics and to report on the efforts of other jurisdictions to improve bicycle safety. Both positive and negative outcomes of such efforts have been included for consideration. Crash Statistics For a variety of reasons, not all crashes are reported to law enforcement. For example, those involved in a crash may be reluctant to interact with the police because of unlawful activity or because the damage incurred is deemed to be too minor. This report uses only reported crashes; i.e.,there is no attempt to capture those accidents that go unreported to law enforcement. (There have been attempts to capture unreported crashes through surveys.) Chart 1 shows the number of reported crashes, injuries and fatalities for Collier County from 2010 to 2012, the most current year in which this data is available. Importantly, legislative changes in 2012 expanded the number of crashes and injuries that must be reported by law enforcement agencies to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FDHSMV). A reportable injury now includes "any indication of complaints of pain or discomfort by any of the parties or passengers involved in the crash." (Ch. 2012-197, Laws of Florida) In addition, our population is steadily growing. 160 2010 2011 2012 Peak Season Pop. Peak Season Pop. Peak Season Pop. 140 387,183 392,180 399,153 - _ 127 125 _ ___. 120 100 100 -- 93 '• 88 T i 0 Crashes 80 -,, I, 0 Injuries 1 0 Fatalities 60 r 40 ------ 20 -_ i 1 1 1 0 - 2010 2011 2012 Chart 1. Reported Bicycle Crashes, Injuries and Fatalities in Collier Co. (2010-2012) Source: FDHSMV Traffic Crash Facts Annual Report 2012 (10/07/2013). Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 1 Chart 2 compares Collier County to other Gulf Coast counties with comparable populations using 2012 FDHSMV numbers. Collier County has approximately 220 miles of designated bike lanes. (Collier M PO) Sarasota 173 wilim. Manatee 128 Collier 127 Escambia 11111111111111 1.18 90 120 150 180 Chart 2. Reported 2012 Bicycle Crashes for Comparable Gulf Coast Counties Source: FDHSMV Traffic Crash Facts Annual Report 2012 (10/07/2013). Education Education is a core component of any bicycle safety strategy. According to the Federal Highway Administration: Providing education,training,and reinforcement are key strategies in improving bicyclist and motorist traffic skills and behavior.The primary goal of an educational strategy is to give people both the means and the motivation to alter their behavior and reduce reckless actions and crashes. To implement the strategy, an integrated, multidisciplinary approach that links hard policies (for example, changes in infrastructure) and soft policies (for example, public relations campaigns) and addresses both bicyclists and motorists has the greatest chance of success. Police enforcement is a primary component in reinforcing proper behaviors and maintaining a safe environment for all modes of travel. Well-publicized enforcement campaigns, combined with public education programs, can be effective in deterring careless and reckless driving and encouraging drivers to share the roadway with bicyclists (and pedestrians). Most importantly, by enforcing the traffic code, police reinforce a sense of right and wrong in the general public and lend credibility to traffic safety educational programs and traffic laws and control devices. Law enforcement officers sometimes find it difficult to "ticket" bicyclists, and even to stop a young child. However, warnings, in lieu of citations, can be effective in deterring inappropriate bicyclist behaviors. Link: http://www.pedbikesafe.org/BIKESAFE/countermeasure.cfm?CM NUM=-8 Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 2 In 1974, North Carolina created the Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation (DBPT)within its Department of Transportation. It is the oldest comprehensive state program of its kind in the United States, covering all aspects of bike and pedestrian safety. The DBPT's bicycle and pedestrian education and training programs are quite robust. Below are some sample educational posters used by the DBPT: RIDE PREDICTABLY Someone's z Mother San 1.Always Wear a Bicycle Helmer - +•, Daughter t "ai'' r r -! `i" Brother 2.Ride en the Rigid with the Flow n. .i i Sister of Trallic Undo _y _ ' Aunt: 3.UheyTraicSigdsandShilala •,�t' ,1 . Hu:,batd 4,Ride Predictably add Ise Halal n - wire r Signals '� Grandparent r Fr end L 5,Ise Caudell if Riding at Hight. y Use Headlight Ballet:tors.ainl j Reflective r,I tthes -.__ to ..... I, II will make it 1.6.yield to Pedestrians in Ctosswaiis 4 home tonight t J because k A f l �— , everyan.: i "' 6 Responsible . r i n i rlfl , .Btcyctists and motoreta share the responsibility to (r.Rca t i j I I Nirc.drive safety.be predictable,and obey e traffic Iews i, sF,,. , Bioyebets and motorists idols the reeponarlibry le drive endely,is prsdeubie,and obey al ads;ben .—.._._.r.—_...—.....——..........6 ...........11C.....11....r Appended to this report is very comprehensive informational piece from the DBPT entitled "Bike Safety Tips." For additional DBPT materials go to httn://www.ncdot.gov/bikeped/safetveducation/. (Continued on the next page.) Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 3 The City of Tucson (AZ),with partners, sponsors a bicycle light distribution campaign. (Similar campaigns have taken place in Collier County in the past.) Below is an informational piece regarding the 2014 event In Tucson: L.1 ht t e N. ht F _LIGHT JISTRIBJ ,��z t`tvc 4111°v* A�g Asvi i,E�fiLU�I I�U�� 1 • Hosted by Tuesday, Feb. 1O, 2014 4 pin, until supplies last ft o intersection of Liberty Ave.and Dakota St. Link: http://www.tucsonaz.gov/transportation/news/light-night-bicycle-campaign A robust and comprehensive educational program that includes schools, law enforcement and other partners arguably has no downside other than the cost, which is relatively modest. Appended to this report is very nice informational piece put out by the Collier County Sheriff's Office entitled "Ride Safe." Distracted Driving In 2013 researchers from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Health Services Research and Administration, published their findings concerning the relationship between distracted driving and pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist fatalities. The data collected was from 2005 to 2010. They found "an increasing trend in the rate of fatalities for pedestrian and bicycle rider victims of distracted driving." Our findings show fatality rates for motorist victims of distracted driving crashes are falling, mirroring general trends in motor vehicle fatality rates during the last several years. This finding stands in contrast to the increasing trend in distracted driving fatality rates experienced by pedestrians and bicyclists. Safer vehicles are reducing motorists' risks of dying in crashes involving distraction and other causes.... Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 4 Specifically,the researchers found the following trends: • The rate of bicyclist fatalities per 10 billion vehicle miles traveled from distracted driving crashes increased from 18.7 in 2005 to 24.6 by 2010. • The rate of pedestrian fatalities per 10 billion vehicle miles traveled from distracted driving crashes increased from 116.1 in 2005 to 168.5 by 2010. Link:www.publichealthreports.org/issueopen.cfm?articlelD=3020 Other than building facilities that completely separate bicyclists from motor vehicles, increased awareness and strict enforcement are immediately available strategies for improving bike safety. Road Marking Materials/Applications The visibility of road markings impacts public safety. There are different categories of materials that are commonly used for road markings across the country. Factors such as cost, durability, retroreflectivity, friction coefficient and ease of application are all important considerations in choosing an application. The aforementioned characteristics vary greatly between applications/products. There is no single application/product that is clearly superior to all the others. The table below is based on information from the Federal Highway Administration comparing different categories of applications. Material/ Relative Cost Lifespan Retro- Other Application (low) $---->$$$$ (high) (months) reflectivity Paint $ 3 to 24 Low Relatively easy to apply. Minimal preparation. Epoxy Paint $$ 24 to 48 Medium Elaborate preparation. Difficult to apply. Thermoplastic $$$ 48 to 72 Medium Elaborate preparation. (sprayed) Difficult to apply. Can become slippery with wear. Pre-formed Tape $$$$ 36 to 96 High Elaborate preparation. Difficult to apply. Can become slippery with wear. Although paint has a shorter lifespan, there is research indicating that its lifecycle cost is less than other more durable applications. Link: http://safetv.fhwa.dot.gov/ped bike/tools solve/fhwasa13037/char 5.cfm Proposed FDOT Signage FLORIDA LAW The sign to the left is currently being considered 3 by the FDOT for use in Florida. FOOT MINIMUM Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 5 Painted Conflict Areas "Over half of all bicycle-motor vehicle crashes occur at or near intersections or other junctions." (Federal Highway Administration) "Motorists are often unaware that they must yield to cyclists when crossing a bicycle lane." (City of Portland,Office of Transportation) Some U.S. cities have experimented with painting"conflict areas"to reduce the number of collisions between motor vehicles and bicycles. A conflict area is where motor vehicles must cross a designated bicycle lane. Below is a picture of a painted conflict area in St. Petersburg, Florida. st ' I ♦ y ' rh 6 m a .ca (Continued on the next page.) Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 6 Below are the findings from three U.S. cities that have experimented with painted conflict areas: 1999 Portland(OR)-University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center Introduction Positive Outcome(s) Negative Outcome(s) Ten conflict areas were painted The percentage of motorists Cyclists turned their heads and blue and appropriate signage yielding to cyclists increased as used hand signals less often. was added. did stopping and slowing when (It was opined that cyclists felt Videotape analysis was used to entering a conflict area. safer navigating conflict area, but observe the behavior of More cyclists followed the declining cyclist caution is not motorists and cyclists before and recommended bike path thereby desirable. This behavior was not after the blue application. increasing predictability. observed in subsequent studies.) (The accompanying signage was deemed to be crucial.) 2008 St. Petersburg(FL)-University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center and FDOT Introduction Positive Outcome(s) Negative Outcome(s) The City of St. Petersburg used A significantly higher percentage Fewer motorists traversed the the same methodology as of motorists yielded to bicycles. green weaving or conflict area mentioned above except that Motorist signaled their even when it was safe. green was used instead of blue intentions more frequently. This was attributed to motorist and a variable message sign was More cyclists scanned for confusion. It should be noted added. (Green is now the vehicles, unlike the earlier that a variable message board nationally recommended color.) Portland experiment. was used to supplement the Only one site was selected. standard "Yield to Bikes" sign. There are five lanes of one-way "It was not surprising to see a traffic at the location selected large number of motorists in a (one left-turn-only lane,three queue maneuvering to get into through lanes,one right-turn- the right turn lane. In times of only lane, and a bike lane in busy motor vehicle traffic,this between the right-turn-only lane location was a severe test of the and the nearest through lane). green bike lane." 2010 Austin(TX)-University of Texas Introduction Positive Outcome(s) Negative Outcome(s) The City of Austin created four At the site where traffic crossed At the site where traffic did not painted conflict areas on two the conflict area perpendicular: cross the conflict area different roadways using green Motorists were more likely to perpendicularly, but ran parallel thermoplastic with yield to bicyclists and to utilize a to the conflict area: accompanying signage. turn signal crossing the conflict Motorists were less likely to yield Two conflict areas were tested area. to bicyclists. using video footage. Bicyclists behaved more This was attributed to motorist predictably negotiating the confusion and possible poor sign conflict area. placement. (Note the configuration of this test site was similar to the one in St. Petersburg.) Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 7 • I • V 1116 YIELD YIELD TO YIELD TO BIKES BIKES CONFLICT AREA SIGNAGE CONFLICT AREA SIGNAGE NON-PERPENDICULAR CROSSING PERPENDICULAR CROSSING (Austin,TX) (Austin,TX) At this time there is little reliable information on the number of crashes avoided by painting conflict areas. The Oregon Department of Transportation, in recent printed materials, suggests that using green bike lanes at conflict points reduces bicycle-motor vehicle crashes by 39%. (Oregon Department of Transportation) But this is not based on actual crash statistics; i.e., it is not based on empirical evidence. It is based on a predictive tool called a "crash reductive factor" or CRF. The crash reduction factor is the percentage of crash reduction that might be expected after implementing a given safety measure. Motorist confusion can be an unintended consequence when new road markings are introduced into a community, particularly if the new markings are very different than what motorists normally encounter. What happened in St. Petersburg is particularly striking given the fact that extra signage was used. In communities where there is a large influx of visitors, the problem of motorist confusion may be greatly exacerbated. (Continued on the next page.) Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 8 The Bike Box Portland, Oregon, which has been at the forefront of implementing bike safety measures, is now using bike boxes. "The main goal of a bike box is to prevent collisions between motorists turning right and cyclists going straight" at intersections. (City of Portland, Office of Transportation) The image below is a bike box. 6 • s � ... -........ .. ti I f I 40111011415. • • 2 r Minnesota's Best Practices for Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety(September 2013) Bike Boxes Positive Outcome(s) Negative Outcome(s) Bike boxes are Improves visibility of cyclists by Cars may encroach into bike boxes. considered motorists. Bike boxes do not address right turn experimental. Reduces cyclist delay by providing a conflicts for moving vehicles. The initial space for"jumping the queue" ahead of In cases where there are multiple travel estimated cost is waiting vehicles. lanes and where the bike box does not $1,000 per bike Allows left-turning bicyclists to be in a extend to all travel lanes, bicyclists may box. better position for making a safe turn. still have difficulty turning left. Assists bicyclists when drivers are Pavement marking maintenance is turning right and bicyclists are going critical for the successful operation of a straight through an intersection, bike box because the markings are because motorists can more easily see subject to weathering and damage. and avoid striking bicyclists. Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 9 Sources Hunter, W. W., Harkey, D. L., and Stewart, J. R. "Portland's Blue Bike Lanes: Improved Safety through Enhanced Visibility." City of Portland, Office of Transportation, Portland Oregon, 1999. Hunter, W. W., Harkey, D. L., and Stewart, J. R. "Evaluation of the Blue Bike Lane Treatment used in Bicycle-Motor Vehicle Conflicts Areas in Portland ." Publication No. FUWA-RD-00-150, Federal Highway Administration, McLean,Virginia, 2000. Hunter, W. W., Srinivasan, R., and Martell, C. A. "Evaluation of a Green Bike Lane Weaving Area in St. Petersburg, Florida." Florida Department of Transportation,Tallahassee, Florida, 2008. Preston H., Farrington, N., and Zegeer, C. "Minnesota's Best Practices for Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety." Report 2013-22, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Roseville, Minnesota, 2013. Stimpson, J.P., Wilson, F. A., and Muelleman, R. L. "Fatalities of Pedestrians, Bicycle Riders, and Motorists Due to Distracted Driving Motor Vehicle Crashes in the U.S., 2005-2010." Public Health Reports,Vol. 128, 2013. www.publichealthreports.org/issueopen.cfm?articlelD=3020 Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, "Traffic Crash Facts—Annual Report 2012." 10/07/2013. https://www.firesportal.com/Pages/Public/DHSMVDocuments.aspx Oregon Department of Transportation, "Systemic Safety Measures: Bicycle Enhancements." 2012. www.oregon.Rov/ODOT/H WY/TRAFFIC-ROADWAY/docs/pdf/BikeEnhancements.pdf Bike Safety Findings (04/2014) by Tim Durham 10 Bicy4ig mar t Safety T Bike = Vehicle Basic traffic ridin• techni• ues Share the Road In North Cadira yvul blcycie is a yellsW and you are lS 0000. Ildre confidenny arm amlRdly in bailee takes ie adore and an Destination and position abb.,-:,+','nnlmaan lon,l boa a. You share 1110 rights and the dudes with al°Mar cinemas you understanding of SOME basic ideas nee of the ntd#Ipotani Road ra 1.1cays..41111•11t 010114 d fermi. use the Stales roadway reform dims srmsrlpoem J u s t where you l'de on 1A roadway Neer InS v+t / 0 anti.t a 1 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 5 0 1 10 1niatxrdnols11 Oath Id triaIrotklInastsittli rtsta0nm efit depends no aweral nlpoda l 11Mgs YOU SFeed the wrh and 0 1.1 rnrw.N mop 1 l aiell Man IM Rona concha of the pad and vote 1 00001100 .T h 1 ' 'Ii I Im,..gm Follow The Road Rules 1 tnr4nlyn `"`bane Ike yI yrltln IDw"a. talented to unloads' ale Speed and road osition P ]In sm4 kn lW hag ter.Y#6 to eN114nldxv dl.ig melon on on Y 0' kwaid glht e' ��y�;;1.Ride on she right ado of the The dosed you gob me sped el traffic.the dam'YOU should mtldlN/tM Imes_ 1 I •1 maid T��E E, traffic.o dgoing with the Ilow of domthal traffic. ]In 10tw her it Ault lnminl 10 al Ilwm ^"^•' IIh bone IA Mill nn We III k9 t Mli a 1# /When ewsmpm e�s going a SA fader plan Ym,Mepwel Ih Yq reelane.rd diming Il wail Mb Khz].Obey all traff k cc.fool: like to the1ghl. alert II spurn..1 0111011 UP 1 i INtI stop.Igor,Oral fir light.,and 97*' , tun:pito ll oak!r.ins sok,lo 41100/Into WIE direerrwidY og.' 2 When hello going a life faster,ride new Italic ic This ,!'il bad l meow,be wrists should I encdreges lipli'tanelsb Yalu and wad Instead of pessng at t1Yat.'N anllxy minions Mtn,:x4:1# 3.009..1 whenever 000 intend to the last moment and culling you ot. r �� ,� : ..... torn,merge to another rood y� l, .. .. position,or oost. 3 When glebe gong the saran speed as you,rule In the line of troth,This laps most Aside position adelsuree Iraa'll be I� , } g way _ where Mims Mk for tiefnt..Themsmreaomm�do fast near of 1t Wear a helmet! iiii 4.Y,old mer thM rood or when you Ihe.nob and a lot of god ransom not m, irkmIr+} r'r f ,sr s; change toner or road paation. �, layµ., INm■knl array bar an:Illai1Yyd•IEMIrllnbwl•VNm `�' h 1,0•10 IOW wutule tern, IWrdN4 Y S.Use a geed set of lights no.1 Making left turns g 1 Yktl nklnnlma.00011111 111 'I;rta,. reflector:whenever you ride {p hi•. 1# 1 n.1 mil Mh OI •Ix 1 MnY St:i alter dark. Yi gaknllntlWnSnukdry lX/rant I.ulnl UMIIon ant I root!1 N dYry ltll '1'1 HA mad I shard and work op Inland imid Why R 6.Dwa•1 Ode your bike an adewalkr Why ® �! and Oreat pedestrians with iirutt Wu coo ro om All doe a real a,11b.a a ac •- Watch for motorist errors ahra pn'We helm lMY Prams eoiwmitmend a h 1. .pal bra.'m11ncYY1 rakers often lb dings that endanger timcIstR usually without Width and road position 2f,41rO11.Wa;tram Whet intending to Knowing what to Smoke can Help you navigate ihy artn;aigalaYlMlay: thmlgh balk more safely Ride iaed'r'to10 and n ave l Onn MOd whh ve7nartow snas detaremugA lmm tlm drum tole nn loon tcl sot td kasngThtsma location. edge to tbm0age(0000.ou0N close passlgb Mine expert does Ale in the car's rght wheel hack 0004 man Ion 91 aM Me 3 Il,,._.it kW. 10000 IN.yckrt.v try fe deepyour eyes open for Ilse fobwig mslakes smite read)to to IWO dm. �r 'N owe lkaRs Ansel 11/01004 0��/Ilp take evasive action! 2 On a rodwtlh wile traMc lanes,dte lest to the light Ot the INsinkftveaIalim that ' , 16 k100 old traffic stream.Tors allows easy pastilgba oIUes tie.danger anew,*]Mann ear* �A 1 Watchl4blslxpnl001 a dI00 ou ao Uigetdnelentonl Now penat. atnnibnta mek road le.iunaM,dmulse,any him caused b/lumlgm nashg hatter. She sksso and wows Mel xgms. re xmws and0000gnu we de Mad derb ]Ooa road smooth pavement n,dpoft ofthem nAMt Ride, firs''ll Me l rblwri e.• we lIaosiMem yo on]Reylla eye hints Inal Ore ear ormht Uowwho might ride on the smooth pavement Stdtlrem. dormrm 01001.0 "--- N MI#t you tam llTli.Listen tar lsnts lnallM roe mgrlice9ownp dnvn. drwdhY fnv.NA'ral lY•• Ally It not MrnN 4 4Arrays ndea god Amex wgh ham prk4d wrs. sully 410411 0 01 0 ere gal If bake soil _ 3 Watch/mmovement Mat mad Indicate,a car s coming out 010 A �s Itdrd YU h.kw ;, as&Noay or sore street �a�`��4'' a Iw nnkaa ]IMrw+fm nonamllna r"'.,i lou011a•mUbV rot 1 x MM Radon. 410 vadt wh 4n�0mi X�..a ern pduag 90110ab 00ol1 ung4M o Mibrnle Nm lt4hlttl Ik.a.el•.elll lko pl.a:. led..to e"- arm., cam MM u .Ion 1 ......ZVI...r» ,Y4101 teak not k yew. kw deb In Ml. tb•Y. ,. } •As ynlaypolMNw 10 M*NI -hl arrow. s,. I4 ay Yd ong S la e' in rw k.o0 ln' 4 .`$. .. I a4 narnmgYdw;. 1 11 •I x AkD dep.01n tnflnh 4 'In NC children ale Her•M M 16 aaag14J _ d nWkkgM rdow/IXlad to toner at approved Wye.Mht•f. a...tar.mar 121 I' 2 We 1, o ti, you p, Dentin• with hills 1g.and WIN el ndipg n.harm lghf lwlnnm [Malin 1p■„ Aik141g•Yw,md to lkv Jorro no tl bane ,#O'0 .%01)1 71,11.nom uugytI 0010,'14�nr'. Rid.defensively 1 .ot titaldn,YOlft NIIII HIM AdwM 11cy4nr114 0,311,4 nakha4 ak I me' Ern.; Left turns on fast roads Going downhill l Nil NY 1„I 11114410,. 3 4 ,,Intl I lont,A. ydr utl l .nth woo optsli fon/04,0st '�- 00.11,00 1 tr s hdh i 1105: 1 a IV I I,to now son 01 XI 1YM to than q.. loth 0 .d o l l --. —1 .-... -_-- n o n Ito a l t Inkrat owl 0ak o1060 AAel sok. kly pli0 l afr Alto ' Iv ark 111 II*r,dar.aeon soy arnso ass Mai Oho I kIWI nlanolat i solh ih a kgt lath bwew .t ants alma era to kl then • wru ry✓Imaim lsXllld knots yule tbs..Shot 11 Bike handlin•an:•ban tilw.km Seine wto 91 Use good equipment 101/GYM Ms IAA A11•11) m:blawsn141:bmnl 141100 110011,1031011 d sout IW ant,11.i,11101. ae.i In*d smooth path that t a u 1IMo io.lk,1,1l mount.idl ono.Oa Mawr Nanmily a look 4110111 hAtt Ike Stopping your bike calk dad Alta mks end Owl ban le tint.l art uh01•1 lakes 0 11 V e: I..1.110110,mane p•NR.404X1 ,WtwKk*101 lyre V 11 non .naikl 4 tafMN nl100aW 4 duet' mM11 n 1 1 63taue•Idh1 00110K1•m lot IMO oM I. •Alt N M .I 1 n.Jhm AI tynl9yr 14khtkmNmar yr Ills .1•AWn i tural red Scanning and signaling 001,01lMWlydprII,,m IY nano,*Incas.per goon 9 t1 gw the p i rowin IM lunation And M.v 4d4 dIM1e �, Iw01100. eluMJaltlVeta conker.1 thildsIe ShIMronia axon ready foe the C>._i •� loang*Mtk err on,li its kik v.,Itas e+n4M sneak,' OP 0,111,no x gong a ha*Mew.ib d en'owns*vim Y 1'dihr11MI:k.t(t nk hlb.Ix,,toilad awd papaws MA etbb.pm lww: / uphill V ndmknl.Min dWk MI01.•MM•IIw•rhtn aRlgUq MAairb. oak. Going v' mot and Nap.Igavx-daml Stellar dell Inc Had[ an , Tot reach from beaks,and yon fwnb{n w"wy A.14 n q I del 4100loWgN Wawa I is M i t qJ pits l k l l b asil x10•. Mlsbtrvintoo lYnwvtg.hY r.Mmg Uhl u Ion r .1011440y 2.11/21nk}t YWI I Iareape aril Ymoiollm to tanllot0ls et.bgmg Tin lh pedals a you ran �,0000ie YWdmdatlaooltlkd ins dneI IMMnI dIMaMWr ysmye lowoo S C,d� lag up 104. 5 �'F ... one YIWWJMlleddyt In m dm mat then + Ya la'FiVr: d , I' r 1.1',r',ae1� 0 Sim N Y1.pMMI Y M IeaWdr/aF IM reM hlklg :. it, f �. k 1 Iw sIa a 01 y.seyea0 hrnmy4Ral9 h fr 1 have'I 1 #t et In V°I udirane Mw oral 4Yt RcIMMrwiwn k IIwrI .. IIYg )',: IoM Itw mod Mil Wen braking IInW. udwok fa faring It 1 Ind get , datranAlt amoral l tg,AIII.. 3 11. t.4 l0k0y't.'swiss n be tl inl .._J i 410 d to see Id rodlow ray nee:tatts,oml Ole "v tea"' Goan. 0- ' l.. yy gM spots fu kn.su l Ye lnnarl vr4tlhi0 Jill b 4 "'>. ,.....<� era sal I41:k'al aftllM {Y1 !Orals hert44l ho . e 0. eyh NA Xis In A.m.k•wg yew►i1.Co.geed awnadtiwad . {, W, 4 vAen y nit.,limo loiter r ,'e kr#d .. That N-r:.. _fYrYr�rrJ 1_' R ... DE szA\L\ te Bicycle Laws & Safety Tips sm. mow mow am. N SA E NUM VIM Be sure your bicycle is in good repair: •Tighten the seat and make sure it is properly adjusted to your height •Tighten the handlebars •Tighten and lubricate the chain •Check and adjust brakes frequently •Keep the tires properly inflated Avoid riding your bicycle in certain conditions: •During rain •At dawn or dusk •At night •In fog •In heavy traffic If you must ride your bicycle at night, at dusk or at dawn, you must have front headlghts and a rear-flashing red light •Wear light colored clothing and reflective strips on clothing and on your shoes Bicyclists must obey the same traffic laws as motor vehicles when riding on a roadway Put extra reflectors on bicycle wheels, pedals and the front and rear of the frame Always ride with the flow of traffic instead of against the flow of traffic Always wear a helmet 4.'•RION E I C' ,,. LA, ?mo `t1© •Standing on the seat or frame (stunt riding) •Riding at night without proper lighting •Having faulty brakes or no brakes •Failing to obey traffic laws •Carrying passengers on handlebars or foot pegs •Failing to keep at least one hand on the handlebars •Riding without a helmet(under the age of 16) •Failing to yield to pedestrians •Jumping ramps or popping wheelies on a roadway •Wearing a headset, headphone or other listening device •Failing to obey traffic control devices •Towing passengers on roller blades, skates or skateboards •Operating in a reckless or careless manner MIN IMMO M MEM .VNTr RFe. NTY Q COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE „ �r^� y� Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk -1 S m Emergency NON Emergency 252-9300 J www.colliersheriff.org +, 41,CE ,t# F4/FF 41V114 3."*71e R DE tA\\ Of 0 Bicycle Laws & Safety Tips KEEPING YOUR BIKE SECURE Keep a record of the following about your bicycle: Make: Model: Serial Number: Color: Optional Equipment: Special Characteristics: Follow these tips to reduce the chances of having your bicycle stolen: The serial number is usually found stamped on the frame of the bicycle; however, the location can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Record all numbers found on the bicycle frame. A personal identification number of your choice may be engraved onto the frame as well. It is suggested that you use a unique number such as a driver's license number. A quality bicycle lock should be placed through the bike frame whenever the bicycle is not in use.This also includes time when the bicycle is left in a school bike rack. When a bike rack is not available, the bicycle should be securely locked to a fixed object if possible. If your bicycle is stolen call the Collier County Sheriffs Office at 239-252-9300. NOM NI= MEI MEM MINN MIN NMI moo N1Y +SRI. COLLIER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE �r^'Hjy Sheriff Kevin J. Rambosk NtreAr Emergency NON Emergency 252-9300 www.colliersheriff.org , Fk ,�F +' E��Rx Irma o. ��° MTC--Planning--Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Toolbox Metropolitan Transportation Commission Home Bicycles/Pedestrians About MTC News fl Safety Toolbox: Engineering Jobs&Contracts Meetings& Events Previous tool / Next tool Get Involved Index: a.phabetical/cost/crash type/target population Services Library Bicycle box Maps& Data Funding A bicycle box is a"reservoir"on a bike .. , , 1` 1. .1 Planning lane, located at an intersection between •i�, ^,,-• - : ' , P •Plan Bay Area the motor-vehicle stop line and the .4' �y�': t' .., 11 `� s l •• 2035 Plan crosswalk. According to the DETR Traffic ' Fj� 1 i." t • Air Quality Advisory Leaflet 8/93,the bike box 3 .4., ! • Airports should be 4 to 5 meters deep. To }''y �'}`. • Bay Bridge increase its effectiveness, a bicycle _ ,,��,�, -`� • Bay Crossings stencil should be placed in the bike box i'•'--I d , • Bikes& Pedestrians _ " and a contrasting surface color is q 11.•i • Climate Change } � • Community-Based strongly recommended for the reservoir , .. " ;I, , r""--.r- • , Complete Streets and the approach bike lane. Instructional ' r _-- • Coordinated Plan signs and separate cyclist signal heads ,• [ " • Countywide can be installed in conjunction with the Transportation Plans bike box. Encroachment and violation of ; "." ___r • ,I ii "- • Emergency the bike box must be enforced by local , .T — ; - i { a° 1 Coordination : It `t , • Goods Movement law enforcement. -: _' �`""" ., • ITS Architecture n. _— "'� -' t • Joint Policy Committee `• - • Lifeline Transportation 'i=.. "'" . Program ; ti • Regional Rail • Smart Growth tilli'' 4 • Snapshot Analysis .. ' . • Transit Connectivity ""t '. /" " -111,4v, 1 • Transit Coordination �t- • Transit Expansion i� �, • • Transit Sustainability - • Vasco Road ` r • Projects Legislation s, Links http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/bicyclespedestrians/tools/bicycleBox/index.htm[9/22/2014 9:49:16 AM] MTC--Planning--Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Toolbox . • -44 ,.Yar A Jonathan Maus/BikePortland.org-permission received objective To improve the visibility of cyclists at intersections.To enable bicyclists to correctly position themselves for turning movements during the red signal phase by allowing them to proceed to the front of the queue.To provide a transition from a left-side or median bike lane to a right-side lane. applications For use at intersections with high motor vehicle and bicycle volume, frequent turning conflicts, and/or intersections with a high percentage of turning movements by both cyclists and motorists. target population All Bicyclists, Motorists crash type Traffic Signals and Signs, Improper Passing advantages • Increases cyclist visibility, allowing them to move to the front of the line where they are in full view of motorists on all sides of the intersection.Allows cyclist to maneuver to the correct position for turning movements during the red signal phase. • Does not significantly delay motorists since cyclists are usually able to accelerate quickly through intersections. • Reduces conflicts between turning bicycles and vehicles by clearly delineating location for movements to occur. • Provides buffer between vehicles and pedestrians/bicycles crossing the street disadvantages • Effectiveness of the bicycle box may be decreased by motorists encroaching into the bike box area. • Allowing motorists to turn right on red may be hazardous to bicyclists since the approach bike lane leads right up to the intersection (left- turning vehicles in Britain and other countries where motorists drive on the left) • If the signal turns green as a cyclist is approaching the intersection, they may not have enough time to position themselves properly to effectively and safely use the box. • Unfamiliar drivers may be confused or uncertain about intended purpose of markings. • Local traffic laws may not permit the use of this treatment. • Cost of on-going maintenance to maintain color may be a concern. http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/bicyclespedestrians/tools/bicycleBox/index.htm[9/22/2014 9:49:16 AM] MTC--Planning--Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Toolbox Pavement markings obscured by snow may lead to driver uncertainty in winter conditions pointers If the bicycle box is shallower than 4 to 5 meters, bicyclists tend to feel intimidated by the motor vehicles, and if it is deeper, motorists tend to encroach. cost Varies, dependent on the materials and whether signage and new signal heads are needed. responsibility Public Works further reading TRL Project Report 181-Advanced Stop Line for Cyclists: The Role of Central Cycle Lane Approaches and Signal Timings A Wheeler(TRL)Advanced Stop Lines: A Simplified Layout. Traffic Engineering and Control, May 1995 William Hunter, Evaluation of an Innovative Application of the Bike Box. University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center. Prepared for U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Publication Number FHWA-RD-00-141, August 2000 Traffic Advisory Leaflet 10/86: Innovatory Cycle Scheme, Oxford-Parks Road/Broad Street, Advanced Cycle Stop Line, November 1986 Traffic Advisory Leaflet 3/89: Innovatory Cycle Scheme, Newark, Advanced Cycle Stop Line, April 1989 Traffic Advisory Leaflet 6/99: Innovatory Cycle Scheme, Bristol,Advanced Cycle Stop Line, September 1999 Traffic Advisory Leaflet 8/93:Advanced Stop Lines for Cyclists,August 1993 Traffic Advisory Leaflet 5/96: Further Development of Advanced Stop Lines, May 1996 examples City of Cambridge, MA; City of Eugene,OR; United Kingdom, Driver Information and Traffic Management Division related tools Advance Limit Lines, Pavement Legends for Bicyclists Index: alphabetical/cost/crash type/target population Previous tool / Next tool Informacion en Espanol CONTACT US info @mtc.ca.gov• Report Web site comments•Accessibility Information •Site Help Metropolitan Transportation Commission • 101 Eighth Street. Oakland. California 94607 Phone. (510) 817-5700. Fax' (510) 817-5848 This page was last modified Wednesday April 01,2009 Cc)2014 MTC http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/bicyclespedestrians/tools/bicycleBox/index.htm[9/22/2014 9:49:16 AM] Evaluation of an Innovative Application of the Bike Box PUBLICATION NO. FHWA-RD-00-141 August 2000 Si=r- ' R - --, :. ' ` �� . 1 � t om. .� "� -_ 4 ' +. 111111111111111111111111 ti 1111.1111.11111111.11 I ., sir 0 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Research and Development , ilk Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 6300 Georgetown Pike . P ill McLean, VA 22101-2296 Peal striae&Bicycle safely FOREWORD The 1991 congressionally mandated National Bicycle and Walking Study set two goals: to double the percentage of trips made by bicycling and walking,and to reduce by 10 percent the number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed or injured in traffic crashes. During the past decade,the Federal Highway Administration's(FHWA)Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Research Program has supported these goals with its activities. The FHWA's Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Research Program has and will continue to focus on identifying problem areas for pedestrians and bicyclists,developing analysis tools for planners and engineers to target these problem areas, and evaluating countermeasures to reduce crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists. There is a variety of on-and off-road bicycle facilities—each with its advantages and disadvantages. A thorough evaluation of the various kinds of facilities implemented in pro-bicycling communities has been needed by the transportation engineering profession. As part of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Research Program,evaluations of some innovative treatments to accommodate bicyclists were conducted. This report documents the evaluation of a unique application of the"bike box." The bike box,known in Europe as the advanced stop bar,has been shown to be beneficial to bicyclists by making bicyclists more visible to motorists and by eliminating conflicts. The information contained in this document should be of interest to State and local bicycle and pedestrian coordinators and to transportation professionals involved in safety and risk management. Other interested parties include those in enforcement and public health. )fratigie.4,140,4 Michael F.Trentacoste Director,Office of Safety Research&Development NOTICE This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. This report does not constitute a standard,specification, or regulation. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers' names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the object of the publication. Technical Report Documentation Page 1.Report No. 2.Government Accession No. 3.Recipient's Catalog No. FHWA-RD-00-141 4.Title and Subtitle 5.Report Date EVALUATION OF AN INNOVATIVE APPLICATION OF THE August 2000 BIDE BOX 6.Performing Organization Code 7.Author(s) 8.Performing Organization Report No. William W.Hunter 9.Performing Organization Name and Address 10.Work Unit No.(TRAIS) University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center 730 Airport Road, CB#3430 11.Contract or Grant No. Chapel Hill,NC 27599 DTFH61-92-C 00138 12.Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13.Type of Report and Period Covered Office of Safety and Traffic Operations Research&Development Final Report Federal Highway Administration October 1997 -July 1999 6300 Georgetown Pike 14.Sponsoring Agency Code McLean,VA 22101-2296 15.Supplementary Notes Contracting Officer's Technical Representative(COTR): Carol Tan Esse,HSR-20 16.Abstract This paper is an evaluation of an innovative bike box(a right angle extension to a bike lane at the head of the intersection)with accompanying traffic signs,but no extra traffic signals, installed at a busy downtown intersection featuring two one-way streets in Eugene,OR in the summer of 1998. The box allows bicyclists traveling to the intersection on a left-side bike lane to get to the head of the traffic queue on a red traffic signal indication and then proceed ahead of motor vehicle traffic toward a right-side bike lane when the traffic signal changes to green. Cyclists traveling through the intersection were videotaped before and after placement of the box. The videotapes were coded to evaluate operational behaviors and conflicts with motorists,other bicyclists,and pedestrians.Twenty- two percent of the bicyclists who approached in the left side bike lane and then crossed to the bike lane on the right side of the street(the bicyclists for whom the box was most intended)used the box.Many more bicyclists in this target group could have used the box(i.e.,they had a red signal indication and enough time to move into the box).A problem with motor vehicle encroachments into the box likely diminished the amount of use.The rate of conflicts between bicycles and motor vehicles changed little in the before and after periods.No conflicts took place while using the bike box as intended. The bike box needs to be evaluated in other kinds of intersection settings and traffic conditions. 17.Key Words: 18.Distribution Statement Bicycle lane,bicycle operations,bicycle maneuvers, No restrictions. This document is available to the conflicts public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield,Virginia 22161 19.Security Classif.(of this report) 20.Security Classif.(of this page) 21.No.of Pages 22.Price Unclassified Unclassified 23 Form DOT F 1700.7(8-72) Reproduction of form and completed page is authorized TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction 1 Background 1 Overview of Current Project 2 Methods 6 Results 6 Videotaped Bicyclist Characteristics 6 Characteristics of Surveyed Bicyclists 8 Maneuvers Through the Intersection and the Use of the Bike Box 9 Motor Vehicle Encroachment 11 Signal Violations 12 Conflicts 13 Discussion 15 Conclusions and Recommendations 16 References 17 ll LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure 1.Example of European bike box 1 Figure 2.Recessed stop line 1 Figure 3.Bike box on High Street in Eugene,Oregon 2 Figure 4.Bicyclist merging across traffic lanes after the intersection 2 Figure 5.Typical bicyclist movements through the intersection 3 Figure 6.Bicyclist correctly using bike box 4 Figure 7.Educational sign near bike box 4 Figure 8. Sign indicating where motor vehicles should stop on red signal 4 Figure 9."BICYCLES MERGING"sign 5 Figure 10. Smaller first box with lane lines removed 5 Figure 11.Enlarged bike box extending across all three lanes of traffic 5 Figure 12.Bicyclist maneuvers through the intersection before and after the installation of the bike box 10 Figure 13.Motor vehicles encroaching into bike box 12 Figure 14.Bicycle/motor vehicle conflict 13 Figure 15. Conflict when bicyclist comes off right sidewalk into street 14 Figure 16.Three bicyclists correctly using the bike box 16 iu LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Gender of bicyclists in before and after periods 7 Table 2. Age of bicyclists in before and after periods 7 Table 3. Bicyclist maneuver through the intersection in before and after periods 9 Table 4. Traffic signal violations by bicyclists in the before and after periods 13 Table 5.Conflicts in the before and after periods 14 v Introduction In the last few years,a variety of innovative on-street bicycle treatments have been implemented.These include bike boxes;raised bicycle lanes;bicycle boulevards;use of paint to delineate paths through intersections,define bicycle-motor vehicle weaving areas,and highlight paved shoulders; and others. This report focuses on bike boxes-a special pavement-marking scheme that was pilot-tested in Eugene,OR Background Bike box is a term that has gained popularity in the United States for a European treatment usually known as "�' l0 the advanced stop bar(figure 1). The box is a right-angle extension to a bike lane at the head of the intersection. = ""'"' The box allows bicyclists to get to the head of the traffic — queue on a red traffic signal indication and then proceed q � p first when the traffic signal changes to green. Such ; "^°+„;'1 � i ,H x � ^eaLrid � ..i$ movement is beneficial to bicyclists and eliminates /� conflicts when,for example,there are many right-turning . �` � 1, . motor vehicles next to a right-side bike lane.Being in the WO; & box, and thus at the front of the traffic queue,also tends _ 7 to make bicyclists more visible to motorists. Figure 1.Example of European bike box. In Europe,one or two traffic signals are usually part of the design.With the single-signal design,one traffic signal is placed at the box.With a two-signal design (used in the United Kingdom),motorists are held by a red signal,while a special green signal directs bicyclists ahead to the box(U.K. Department of Transport, 1993; and Zegeer et al., 1994). Bike boxes have worked successfully on roads in the United Kingdom with up to 1,000 vehicles per hour passing through the intersection.Wheeler(1995)and Wheeler et al. (1993)monitored schemes at nine intersections. Two-thirds or more of the bicyclists used the bicycle lane and the reserved waiting area. Signal violations by bicyclists were less than 20 percent. As many as 16 percent of the motorists '"`` [ 1 [ 1 11 11 I t encroached into the bike lanes(BLs). At one intersection,more than half of all lead motorists encroached into the bicyclists' reserved • waiting area. It is thought that the single-signal design is probably as effective as the two-signal design if a mandatory bicycle lane and a distinctly colored road surface in the bicyclist areas are used. In Denmark,recessed stop lines for motor vehicles are used to accomplish the same purpose(figure 2).This design has been found to Figure 2. Recessed stop significantly reduce the number of crashes between right-turning line. motorists and bicyclists going straight through the intersection Source:Safety of Cyclists (Herrstedt et al., 1994). in Urban Areas,1994 1 Overview of Current Project A bike box and accompanying traffic signs (with no special traffic signals to hold motorists or direct bicyclists to the box) - - ,,,,,,= i M. were installed on High Street at Seventh _ �, + per Avenue in Eugene,OR,in the summer of r,,, :- 1998. The application of the bike box was 7I h , P-il of 4('isl , , Avenue 10 Right Sidi. innovative in the sense that the intent was to _- _.. - - B;r Right S give bicyclists a safer way to change from - one side of the street to the other at a busy downtown intersection featuring two one- way streets(figure 3).Prior to the box,the ' P vast majority of bicyclists approached on I 1 l Bike High Street in the left-side bike lane , j Box gill adjacent to parked motor vehicles.The c.: 114 bike lane was on the left side to match &yES here�''r a I �"'►S'00 gees!will another one-way couplet and to avoid . , 1 . 1 u�=c: having a right-side bike lane next to A'0 s air. A.'i.:3 m intersections with double right-turn lanes. N• I NO SIfe Many of the bicyclists approaching in the left-side bike lane preferred to switch to the Figure 3.Bike box on High Street in Eugene, right-side(through)bike lane on the far side Oregon. of the intersection,because,at the next block,bicyclists in the left-side bike lane must turn left.Moving from the left side to the right side after the intersection entails crossing three lanes of traffic.The average annual daily traffic on High Street is approximately 8,500 vehicles per day,and the peak-hour total is about 1,000 motor vehicles.When traffic was busy,bicyclists could have difficulty finding a gap large enough to allow an easy move from the le• -- •■ - -Arse:.. left to the right. Some bicyclists were aggressive and �' 1 fi 1•� ; - r used hand signals to indicate their movement from left I. ,, to right(figure 4).Many,however,simply stopped in < -= • 'R _the bike lane and waited for a suitable gap.Besides �_ -- _- - T. '• the crossover from left to right after the intersection �. "�, - identified above(figure 5,Movement 1),there were a " ---- ° P1 </ i variety of other ways used by bicyclists to negotiate PM: 5-06 ./ this intersection. Some would shift from the bike lane -�Af R. 9 1998 t to the motor vehicle traffic lanes prior to the - intersection(Movement 2). Others rode or walked Figure 4. Bicyclist merging across traffic their bicycle through the crosswalks on both High lanes after the intersection. Street and Seventh Avenue as pedestrians would,a movement which delays right-turning motorists 2 I ' ' M 1 I I 130SC . ov m en t 3) S 1 11111111111 o m i , e MN MI bi —... —� cy INN 0 IIIM 11.11 0 MI st MEI MN - — - — — w _ ou MINI ... .. _ - -} ld NM MI int. ........'‘ en do 11 1 11111111 na . lly di I I so be 1 I to- ' r Y th IIII I 14 e 11 CtC I 1 tr is „..,...,.....t.cirri) aff is I si . gn I I al Figure 5. Typical bicyclist movements through the intersection. at th e intersection proper while motorists waited for the signal to change,move into the intersection, and then 3 shift from left to right(Movement 4). With the bike box in place,bicyclists desiring to change from the left to the right side of High Street can proceed to the head of the traffic queue on a red traffic signal indication and then cross over to the front of the second lane of traffic.The second lane is a combination through-/right-turn lane.The rightmost lane is right turn only. Right turn on red is not permitted;however,some motorists do not comply. The box is not meant to be used on a green traffic signal indication. Bicyclists have the right of way when in the box.They are I I generally able to accelerate quickly through the intersection ahead of motor vehicles when the signal changes to green and then safely switch to the through bike lane on the right- , hand side of High Street,such that motorists are not ! ! =ali ° 411 inconvenienced(figure 6). 6.1 4.17J LS LIM Figure 6.Bicyclist correctly using Several other steps were taken to help bicyclists and bike box. ;; motorists understand al he the use of this innovative treatment at this intersection.A press �. �. release was prepared and stories were run in the local newspaper and in the University of Oregon student newspaper. A special sign board with information about how to use the bike box was r'm .-.1 v/ placed on a construction barricade near the intersection _ 3 .. pedestrian crosswalk(figure 7).The barricade with an ' I'• educational sign also had a flashing light attached. Figure 7.Educational sign near bike box. Traffic signs with orange diamond attachments added for conspicuity(figure 8)were placed at the intersection to 1 indicate that all traffic,except bikes, should stop prior to ~�' _ ^i i �l the box on a red signal indication(STOP HERE ON RED,with EXCEPT BICYCLES mounted below). Figure 8. Sign indicating where motor vehicles should stop on red signal. 4 • A yellow diagrammatic sign with a BICYCLES MERGING message was already in place(figure j =�� • • 9). An .a - DEC. 0 Figure 9."BICYCLES MERGING"sign. The original configuration of the bike box was w }x . relatively short in length, about 1.8 m. A standard bicycle logo was placed in the box in front of both the through-lane and through-and right lane(figure 10). i Figure 10. Smaller first box with lane lines removed. flhtuIUtUlllljUlI.flI •r ` It was determined through observation that the box should be lengthened to promote understanding and visibility by motorists and easier use by bicyclists. This was accomplished by removing about 1 m of the .. pedestrian crosswalk.The original layout by ; n the paint crew also had lane lines within the ' at� `°keit box,rather than a large rectangular box in `• 7 - 1 ". front of two traffic lanes. This was corrected �" w i `{' when the box was enlarged,but the result Figure 11.Enlarged bike box extending across all was a box that extended across all three three lanes of traffic. lanes.This was not ascertained until some time later, and the decision was made to leave this configuration in place.Thus,this evaluation pertains to a bike box that extended across all three travel lanes on the street(figure 11). 5 While the bike box should only have been extended in front of the combination through-/right-turn lane, and not in front of the right tum only lane,bicyclists tended to use the box correctly anyway(i.e., positioning themselves in front of the combination lane).Thus,the evaluation was not jeopardized. (Note: When the evaluation ended,the bike box was reconfigured to extend across only two traffic lanes.) Methods Bicyclists traveling through the intersection were videotaped before and after placement of the box.The videotapes were coded to evaluate operational behaviors and conflicts with motorists,other bicyclists, and pedestrians. Other data concerning bicyclists' characteristics and experience, as well as their opinion of how the bike box functioned,were obtained through short oral surveys. These surveys were performed on days when videotaping was not being done. Results Using the methods described above,this section presents results of the analysis of the data.The sections that follow are descriptive and focus on bicyclist characteristics,information about movement through the intersection and the use of the bike box, and conflicts. Videotaped Bicyclist Characteristics Several variables describing the videotaped bicyclists are presented in the tables or text that follow.The variables are cross-tabulated by whether the bike box was in place or not(i.e.,before or after the box). Frequencies and column percentages are routinely presented.Totals differing from 747 bicyclists in the before period and 686 bicyclists in the after period are due to missing values. Statistical testing of relationships was done using chi-square tests to determine if differences between the before and after periods were significant or due to chance alone.When the distributions were significantly different,asterisks(*)were placed beside the name of the variable,and the level of significance(p-value)was shown with the appropriate number of asterisks at the bottom of the table. For example,a p-value of<0.05 means that the differences in the distributions could be due to chance less than 5 times out of 100. Generally,the tables show all levels of a variable to convey more information to the reader;however, categories were grouped when necessary to permit appropriate statistical testing. In the text that follows, a single triangle(•)is used to indicate a major individual cell chi-square contribution to a significant chi- square value for the overall distribution. Chi-square testing was not performed in cases where the distributions produced zero cells due to all the effects of a variable being directly related to the before or after period(i.e.,presence or absence of the bike box). Table 1 shows that slightly more than 70 percent of the bicyclists observed on the videotapes were 6 male.There were no differences in the distributions before and after placement of the bike box. Table 1. Gender of bicyclists in before and after periods. Before After Gender Bike Box Bike Box Total Male 519 504 1023 (70.8)' (74.0) (72.4) Female 214 177 391 (29.2) (26.0) (27.7) Total 733 681 1414 (51.8)2 (48.2) (100.0) 'Column percentage 2Row percentage The ages of the bicyclists were estimated from observing the videotapes and were categorized into the following groups: <16, 16-24,25-64,and>64 years of age. Overall, 52 percent of the bicyclists were 16-24 years of age and 47 percent were 25-64 years of age(table 2), and the Table 2. Age of bicyclists in before and after periods. Before After Age*** Bike Box Bike Box Total < 16 5 7 12 (0.7) (1.1) (0.9) 16-24 428 270 698 (62.1) (40.9) (51.7) 25-64 254 376 630 (36.9) (56.9) (46.7) > 64 2 8 10 (0.3) (1.2) (0.7) Total 689 661 1350 (51.0) (49.0) (100.0) 7 ***p< .001 before and after differences were significant. In the before period, 62 percent of the bicyclists were 16-24 years of age versus 41 percent in the after period(•). Conversely,37 percent of the bicyclists were 25-64 years of age in the before period versus 57 percent in the after period(•).To some extent, this was probably a function of when the videotaping was done. The before data were obtained throughout the month of April 1998,when the University of Oregon was in session and many students were bicycli ng on High Street. The bike box was then installed in July 1998.The after data were collected over a longer period, from August through December 1998. Students were much less prominent in the December data because the semester had ended. At this point,there were more commuter bicyclists using the intersection. In addition,the identification and placement of bicyclists into age groups younger or older than 25 years of age was quite difficult, especially as the weather turned colder and the bicyclists wore more clothing. Observed helmet use was 46 percent and did not differ before or after the bike box.None of the riders were carrying passengers in either period. Characteristics of Surveyed Bicyclists In addition to the videotapes,data concerning bicyclists' characteristics were obtained through short oral surveys administered near the intersection soon after the bike box had been installed. While these surveys provided additional data about the bicyclists using the intersection,the surveys were mainly done to see how well bicyclists thought the bike box was being understood. Results from the oral survey included the following: • 67 percent of the bicyclists were male. • The age distribution was 1 percent<16 years of age,43 percent 16-24 years of age, 55 percent 25- 64 years of age,and 2 percent>64 years of age.This distribution was very similar to that for the bicyclists videotaped using the intersection after the bike box was installed. • Helmet use was 38 percent. • 56 percent considered themselves to be experienced bicyclists.Experienced was defined as the following: "I feel comfortable riding under most traffic conditions,including major streets with busy traffic and higher speeds." • Just more than half rode more than 25 mi(40 km)per week. • While 39 percent correctly indicated that the purpose of the bike box was to enable bicyclists to more easily get from the left to the right side of the street(and another 1 percent said the box was there to get bicycles to the front of traffic),another 59 percent were not sure of the purpose.This prompted the educational sign shown earlier. • 31 percent said they had used the box. • 35 percent said the box was large enough. • About half of those using the box said they had encountered difficulties. Typical complaints were that motor vehicles were in the box,that drivers wanted bicycles out of the way so they could ignore the no-turn-on-red signs,and that it was uncomfortable going out in front of cars. 8 • 35 percent offered suggestions for improving the bike box.Typical comments were: delineation or signing should be more prominent so that cars would stay out of the box;the box needed to be bigger and more visible;the box should be painted;and drivers needed more education about the box. • 23 percent had further comments,including: motor vehicles were not really aware of bikes;the intersection itself was difficult to negotiate;the project was fine and it was drivers that needed to change; and more bike boxes were needed. Maneuvers Through the Intersection and the Use of the Bike Box Table 3 shows bicyclist maneu vers through the intersection before and after the placement of the box. Before the box was in place, 53 percent of the bicyclists approached in the left-side bike Table 3. Bicyclist maneuver through the intersection in before and after periods. Before After Maneuver Bike Box Bike Box Total Left to right before the intersectiont 31 55 86 (4.2) (8.0) (6.0) Left to right after the intersection 392 238 630 (52.6) (34.7) (44.1) Left to right in pedestrian crosswalk 34 30 64 (4.6) (4.4) (4.5) Used bike box after approaching from 0 74 74 left-side bike lane (0.0) (10.8) (5.2) Stayed on left side of street 197 192 389 (26.4) (28.0) (27.2) Approached on right side of street 25 35 60 in the traffic lanes (3.4) (5.1) (4.2) Approached on right side of street 48 46 94 in the sidewalks (6.4) (6.7) (6.6) Other 18 15 33 (2.4) (2.2) (2.3) 9 Total 745 685 1430 (52.1) (47.9) (100.0) Some bicyclists used the bike box from these non-standard approach maneuvers. lane,went straight through the intersection,and then crossed from left to right after the intersection.This movement was reduced to 35 percent after the installation of the bike box(figure 12). Four percent went left to right prior to the intersection in the before period,compared to 8 percent in the after period. Four percent went left to right in the crosswalk both before and after. Some 26 to 28 percent of the riders stayed on the left side of the street before and after,such that the bike box was of no use to them. About 6 to 7 percent approached from the right side of the street on the sidewalk both before and after, while another 3 to 5 percent approached from the right side of the street in the traffic lanes.The vast majority of the"other"category involved bicyclists shifting from the left-side bike lane to the through-traffic lane prior to the intersection 10 1 a I r o f O'�11'�"'�1111 _. . . = —. — a ' — —r. MI 0 1 _ 0 _— — ■ - � NM 0 1 NM ■ ■ ■ - a • 0 ■ — No a ■ Key : ' ," "'"i" 6% Left to right before — ° , ° —L intersection { I g 4 • I Ar' r* Left to right after Before Box _ ,I *. —1 intersection 3b,_4 — —6— Left to right in Ped. I 1 , crosswalk area A _ ---— Used bike box III -. I I ,,• . _ ., ,,.0 Stayed on left side o weet . o . I I ••••+ Approached on right . M ,i 11111 i""' — in traffic 'ane •••••• Approached on right EN ° — on sidewalk ° — No0. — ma ° 1 on— — — _r�bb 2U�`O 1 — — N —— — — —*- ow m ,- a I �`�'3J■ .Ni'lom O - O'I1Ju111Iui11 . f% —qV. ° , 11'.ro 1 • - i I r ,,, 0 — � If I I �} After Box I r � — I I :_ Figure 12. Bicyclist maneuvers through the intersection before and after the installation of the bike box. 11 and then crossing the other two traffic lanes after the intersection. Of all the bicyclists coming through the intersection in the after period, 11 percent used the bike box as intended(i.e., approaching from the left- side bike lane and then moving in front of traffic and into the box on a red traffic signal). Bicyclists sometimes used the bike box in non-standard ways, such as: (1)moving from left to right prior to the intersection and then maneuvering into the box,(2)approaching from the right side of High Street and then moving forward into the box,or(3)approaching from the right sidewalk and then moving into the box. An additional 5 percent of the bicyclists used the box in these three non-standard ways.When these were added to the standard bike box users, 16 percent of all bicyclists coming through the intersection used the box.Eliminating the bicyclists who stayed on the left side of the street(and thus had no need for a bike box to help them cross over to the right side of the street),29 percent of the bicyclists who went through the intersection used the bike box. The bike box was targeted for bicyclists who approached in the left-side bike lane and then crossed to the right side of the street.Use of the box by this group in the after period amounted to 22 percent. Another 105 bicyclists(or 15 percent of the total in the after period)who made the left to right shift could have used the box,but chose not to. Had all of these used the box,the use rate would have been 52 percent,perhaps approaching the practical upper limit for this situation.However,for 38 of these 105 bicyclists(36 percent),a motor vehicle was encroaching into the box from either the far left through-lane or middle combination lane on High Street. The extent to which this affected use of the bike box is unknown,but it is logical to assume that motor vehicle encroachment diminishes use. Motor Vehicle Encroachment A separate set of motor vehicle data pertaining to encroachment into the bike box on a red traffic signal were gathered on 3 days in December 1998,some 5 months after the box had been installed.Times of data collection were varied and covered mid-day,early afternoon,and late afternoon. The camera was positioned at a right angle to the side of the intersection such that motor vehicles would be unaware of videotaping.Encroachments on a red traffic signal indication(figure 13)were coded as minor(up to 1/4 of the motor vehicle in the bike box),moderate(1/4 to 1/2 of the motor vehicle in the box),and severe (>1/2 of the motor vehicle in the box).Results were the following: Level of Encroachment N Percent No encroachment 97 48.0 Minor encroachment 41 20.3 Moderate encroachment 32 15.8 Severe encroachment 32 15.8 Total 202 100.0 (202 total signal cycles) 12 il ', R f. , ,,....„, ; Al !, 1 i i-,,, .......- i , - � '.: - 1 ty - .1 t . , a98. *-_ Figure 13.Motor vehicles encroaching into bike box. There was some variability across the three time periods. It appeared that severe encroachment was somewhat related to the amount of traffic.During heavier traffic,vehicles near the end of the signal cycle who were unable to get through the signal tended to encroach well into the box. Totaling all three data collection periods(202 total signal cycles)shows that vehicles were encroaching into the box in slightly more than half of the signal cycles. Sixteen percent of the encroachments were severe,meaning more than half of the vehicle was in the box.These percentages are similar to those reported earlier in the United Kingdom. Signal Violations Bicyclist signal violations were coded in the before and after periods(table 4).Overall,no signal violations occurred 88 percent of the time a bicyclist approached the intersection. In the before period,bicyclists would occasionally run the red signal to make the move from right to left across the intersection. It was thought that having the box in place might reduce the frequency with which bicyclists either: (1)ran the red signal indication or(2)anticipated the signal change and started moving forward shortly before the red signal changed to green to get ahead of traffic and cross to the right side of the street. However,this was not the case.There were no differences in the before and after distributions. 13 Table 4. Traffic signal violations by bicyclists in the before and after periods. Before After Signal Violations Bike Box Bike Box Total None 658 595 1253 (88.3) (87.1) (87.8) Ran the red signal 47 49 96 (6.3) (7.2) (6.7) Red signal at start-up 40 39 79 (5.4) (5.7) (5.5) Total 745 683 1428 (52.2) (47.8) (100.0) Conflicts '" ;.." , r ; ,�. ., go ;;..-fl, ......., ..„. 1 ,, _ r A conflict between a bicycle `► .4 'z�.;„':' ,,, �'-.` '' - 1 ` 1. and a motor vehicle or - ` .,::',0 iti 'r 'J" another bicycle was defined ...\ . , ,, ,,, , .** . 1 ,_ IN as an interaction such that at least one of the parties had to ,--- �, 1-. tea . i . make a sudden change in I speed or direction to avoid the other(figure 14). -, Conflicts were infrequent,and m —_* _ there were no differences in the before and after ` APR . 20-199 . ." z distributions(table 5). Conflict a rates were quite similar— 1.3 'e- per 100 entering bicyclists before and 1.5 after. One of Figure 14. Bicycle/motor vehicle conflict. the 10 conflicts in the before period was a bike/bike conflict,while all other conflicts in both periods 14 Table 5. Conflicts in the before and after periods. Conflict Before After Occurrence Bike Box Bike Box Total No 737 676 1413 (98.7) (98.5) (98.6) Yes 10 10 20 (1.3) (1.5) (1.4) Total 747 686 1433 (52.1) (47.9) (100.0) were bike/motor vehicle. In addition, 1 of the 10 before conflicts was coded as serious,while all other before and after conflicts were coded as minor. The location of the conflict was also coded. In the before period,two conflicts occurred within the intersection proper(one while crossing from left to right in the crosswalk and one while approaching from the right in the road)and eight after the intersection.The eight conflicts after the intersection involved the bicyclist crossing from the left-side to the right-side bike ipt r-1 lane.In the after period,two conflicts i „,.-,. , , `k . . -.. .occurred prior to the box, six within ....`. t , t - -. le- the intersection proper, and two after , -, the intersection.No conflicts ,' occurred while using the bike box as c i "' _ `! j' - intended(i.e.,approaching from the t - 9 ,,j left-side bike lane and then moving :. -A into the box). It appeared that the '"""'w-'4 ~ y. ,°' bicyclists were able to gauge the .i , timing of the signal quite well One , conflict in the after period occurred -*•9 ;; when a bicyclist was crossing from ,..:4 OCT. 1 X98,;. left to right in the crosswalk and the signal changed from red to green. -=- adr — Three of the after-period conflicts Figure 15.Conflict when bicyclist comes off right resulted from bicyclists approaching sidewalk into street. from the sidewalk on the right-hand side of the street,continuing straight ahead, and then crossing in the Seventh Avenue pedestrian crosswalk.This placed the bicyclist in a position where he/she was difficult to see by motor vehicles 15 making a right turn,particularly motor vehicles turning right from the combination through-/right lane in the middle(figure 15). Discussion The use of a bike box to facilitate the movement of bicyclists from a left-side bike lane,through an intersection, and across several lanes of a one-way street to a right-side bike lane was an innovative approach.During periods of busy traffic,moving from the left to the right side of the roadway after the intersection can be difficult for bicyclists to negotiate.The use of the box is so recent in the United States that, at present,no official design standards are in place.Thus,this pilot effort was a valuable learning experience in many ways. The data indicated that the use of the box was reasonably good. Bicyclists utilized the box several ways: • For all bicyclists coming through this intersection, 11 percent used the box as intended(i.e., approaching from the left-side bike lane and then moving into the box on a red traffic signal indication). • Including bicyclists who used the box through other maneuvers,such as crossing from left to right before the intersection and then moving into the box, 16 percent of all bicyclists used the box. • Of the bicyclists who approached in the left-side bike lane and then crossed to the right side of the street(the bicyclists for whom the box was most intended),22 percent used the box. • Many more bicyclists in this target group could have used the box(i.e.,they had a red signal indication and enough time to move into the box).Had these bicyclists done so,then some 52 percent would have used the box.This last percentage thus approximates the upper limit of bike box use for this pilot location and left-to-right maneuvering during this time period. A problem with motor vehicle encroachments into the box probably diminished the amount of use. Overall,encroachments occurred in 52 percent of the red traffic signal indications after the box had been in place for 5 months.While this is not uncommon,even in Europe where the design has been in place for some time,it is troubling,and remedies should be sought.Bicyclists surveyed about the pilot location tended to complain frequently about the encroachment problem. The bike box had no effect on signal violations. Some 6 to 7 percent of bicyclists violated a red signal indication both before and after placement of the box. The rate of conflicts between bicycles and motor vehicles changed little in the before and after periods. The rate was 1.3 conflicts per 100 entering bicyclists before the bike box and 1.5 conflicts per 100 entering bicyclists after.However,the pattern of the conflicts did change.Eight of the 10 conflicts in the before period involved a bicyclist moving from left to right across the travel lanes after the intersection. 16 Two of the 10 conflicts in the after period were of this type. Six after-period conflicts took place within the intersection proper,but three of these involved bicyclists coming off the right sidewalk and conflicting with right-turning motor vehicles.No conflicts took place while using the bike box as intended. Conclusions and Recommendations Use of the bike box to help bicyclists negotiate a difficult maneuver at this intersection was considered to be a rigorous test. All things considered,the innovative treatment worked reasonably well.More evaluations should be conducted in other settings and for other maneuvers to further understand how well this design works in the United States and how it might be improved. For upcoming evaluations,a number of recommendations can be made: • Education of both bicyclists and drivers as to the proper use of the box is important.This can be accomplished through newspaper stories,radio and television public service announcements, brochures in bike shops,etc.The educational sign posted at the Eugene intersection came about after it was learned in the oral survey of bicyclists that the box was not well understood. One of the bicyclists participating in the oral survey suggested use of a banner across the roadway.This would be an excellent way of drawing attention to the presence of the box and the expected movements, especially for motorists. _ ,.. . ..... io • Bold demarcation of the box is vital. ► --- This could involve wider striping than _ • - . ' the norm or perhaps painting the box a paillip -a _ . bright color. • Steps should be taken to limit motor '"`' "- vehicle encroachment. Setting stop -- -- amp- bars back a short distance from the box - might lessen encroachment.Offset(or .M 4 : 09 Aar staggered) stop bars would also be OCT. L I 7O beneficial,not only for encroachment purposes,but also to help motorists see Figure 16.Three bicyclists correctly using the bike box. bicyclists moving into the box. Some police presence may also be necessary to instruct,warn, or ticket motorists with regard to encroachment. In summary,the bike box is a promising tool to help bicyclists and motorists avoid conflicts due to certain kinds of intersection movements(figure 16). More boxes need to be installed and evaluated to further enhance their effectiveness in different settings. Pilot testing the Danish treatment of recessed stop 17 bars for motor vehicles is also recommended. References Herrstedt,L.;Nielsen,M.A.; Agustson,L.; Krogsgaard,K.M.L.;Jorgensen,E.; and Jorgensen,N.O. Safety of Cyclists in Urban Areas:Danish Experiences,Danish Road Directorate,Copenhagen, Denmark, 1994. U.K.Department of Transport. "Advanced Stop Lines for Cyclists,"Traffic Advisory Leaflet,London, England, 1993. Wheeler,A. "Advanced Stop-Lines for Cyclists—A Simplified Layout," Traffic Engineering and Control,Vol. 36,No. 5,May 1995,pp. 283-289. Wheeler,A.H.;Leicester,M.A.A.; and Underwood,G. "Advanced Stop-Lines for Cyclists," Traffic Engineering and Control,Vol. 34,No. 2, February 1993,pp. 54-60. Zegeer,C.V.;Cynecki,M.; Fegan, J.;Gilleran,B.; Lagerwey,P.;Tan,C.; and Works,B.FHWA Study Tour for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety in England, Germany, and The Netherlands, Report No.FHWA-PL-95-006,Federal Highway Administration,Washington,DC, 1994. 18 ***** �1 NHTSA U.S.Department ...„,46,.........= of Transportation SAFETY FACTS National Highwa .,.w, Safety Administration 2012 Data Administration - DOT HS 812 018 April 2014 Bicyclists and Other Cyclists In 2012,726 pedalcyclists were killed and an additional 49,000 were injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes.Pedalcyclist deaths accounted for 2 percent of all The 726 pedalcyclist motor vehicle traffic fatalities(Table 1),and made up 2 percent of the people deaths in 2012 injured in traffic crashes during the year. For the purpose of this Traffic Safety Fact Sheet,bicyclists and other cyclists include accounted for 2 percent riders of two-wheel,nonmotorized vehicles,tricycles,and unicycles powered of all traffic fatalities solely by pedals.The term pedalcyclist will be used to identify these cyclists. during the year. The number of pedalcyclists killed in 2012 is 6 percent higher than the 682 pedalcyclists killed in 2011. Table 1 Total Fatalities and Pedalcyclist Fatalities in Traffic Crashes, 2003-2012 Percent of Year Total Fatalities Pedalcyclist Fatalities Total Fatalities 2003 42,884 629 1.5% 2004 42,836 727 1.7% 2005 43,510 786 1.8% 2006 42,708 772 1.8% 2007 41,259 701 1.7% 2008 37,423 718 1.9% 2009 33,883 628 1.9% 2010 32,999 623 1.9% 2011 32,479 682 2.1% 2012 33,561 726 2.2% NHTSA's National Center for Statistics and Analysis 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590 2 Table 2 shows the majority of pedalcyclist fatalities in 2012 occurred in urban areas Sixty-nine percent of (69%)and at non-intersections(60%).Almost half of all pedalcyclist fatalities(48%) all pedalcyclist deaths occurred from 4 p.m.to 11:59 p.m.The fewest pedalcyclist fatalities occurred from midnight to 3:59 a.m.(7%). in 2012 occurred in Table 2 urban areas. Percentage of Pedalcyclist Fatalities in Relation to Land Use, Non-Motorist Location, and Time of Day Percentage of the Pedalcyclists Killed Pedalcyclists Killed 2011 2012 Land Use Rural 31% 31% Urban 69% 69% Non-Motorist Location Intersection 31% 30% Important Safety Reminders Non Intersection 58% 60% Other 10% 9% All bicyclists should wear properly Time of Day fitted bicycle helmets every time Midnight-3:59 a.m. 9% 7% they ride.A helmet is the single most 4 a.m.-7:59 a.m. 9% 12% effective way to prevent head injury resulting from a bicycle crash. 8 a.m.-11:59 a.m. 14% 14% Noon-3:59 p.m. 18% 18% Bicyclists are considered vehicle 4 p.m.-7:59 p.m. 30% 24% operators;they are required to obey the same rules of the road as 8 p.m.-11:59 p.m. 21% 24% other vehicle operators,including Note:Percentage of unknown values are not displayed. obeying traffic signs,signals,and lane markings.When cycling in the Age street,cyclists must ride in the same In 2012,the average age of pedalcyclists killed in traffic crashes was 43.During the direction as traffic. past 10 years,there has been a steady increase in the average age of pedalcyclists Drivers of motor vehicles need to killed and injured(Table 3). share the road with bicyclists.Be courteous—allow at least three feet Table 3 of clearance when passing a bicyclist Average Age of Pedalcyclists Killed and Injured, 2003-2012 on the road,look for cyclists before opening a car door or pulling out Year Pedalcyclists Killed Average Age Pedalcyclists Injured Average Age from a parking space,and yield 2003 36 27 to cyclists at intersections and as 2004 39 29 directed by signs and signals.Be 2005 39 29 especially watchful for cyclists when 2006 41 30 making turns,either left or right. 2007 40 29 Bicyclists should increase their 2008 41 30 visibility to drivers by wearing 2009 41 30 fluorescent or brightly colored 2010 42 31 clothing during the day,and at dawn and dusk.To be noticed when riding 2011 43 32 at night,use a front light and a red 2012 43 32 reflector or flashing rear light,and 2003-2012 40 30 use retro-reflective tape or markings on equipment or clothing.(NHTSA's Office of Safety Programs) Pedalcyclists ages 45 to 54 had the highest fatality rate(3.93)based on population (Table 4).However,the highest injury rate(321)occurred in the 10-to-15 age group. NHTSA's National Center for Statistics and Analysis 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590 3 Children 15 and younger accounted for 9 percent of all pedalcyclists killed and 20 percent of all those injured in traffic crashes in 2012.Pedalcyclists ages 45 to 54 were 24 percent of those killed and 14 percent of those injured in that year. Gender The majority of the pedalcyclists killed or injured in 2012 were males(88%and 80%,respectively).The highest number of male fatalities were ages 45 to 54 (154),and the most males injured were between 10 and 15(7,000).In 2012,the pedalcyclist fatality rate per capita was over 7 times higher for males than for females,and the injury rate per capita was over 4 times higher for males(Table 4). Table 4 Pedalcyclists Killed and Injured and Fatality and Injury Rates by Age and Sex, 2012 Male Female Total Age Population Fatality Population Fatality Population Fatality (Years) Killed (thousands) Rate* Killed (thousands) Rate* Killed (thousands) Rate* <5 1 10,216 0.10 1 9,783 0.10 2 19,999 0.10 5-9 16 10,459 1.53 4 10,016 0.40 20 20,476 0.98 10-15 39 12,686 3.07 6 12,128 0.49 45 24,813 1.81 16-20 56 11,179 5.01 10 10,581 0.95 66 21,760 3.03 21-24 22 9,214 2.39 7 8,825 0.79 29 18,039 1.61 25-34 73 21,339 3.42 10 20,971 0.48 83 42,309 1.96 35-44 78 20,174 3.87 11 20,343 0.54 89 40,516 2.20 45-54 154 21,807 7.06 20 22,462 0.89 174 44,269 3.93 55-64 116 18,603 6.24 15 19,983 0.75 131 38,586 3.39 65-74 49 11,203 4.37 3 12,783 0.23 52 23,985 2.17 75-84 21 5,648 3.72 3 7,624 0.39 24 13,273 1.81 85+ 5 1,964 2.55 0 3,923 0.00 5 5,887 0.85 Total 634 154,492 4.10 90 159,422 0.56 724 313,914 2.31 Male Female Total Age Population Injury Population Injury Population Injury (Years) Injured (thousands) Rate* Injured (thousands) Rate* Injured (thousands) Rate* <5 10,216 9,783 "" 19,999 5-9 2,000 10,459 195 "` 10,016 2,000 20,476 111 10-15 7,000 12,686 555 1,000 12,128 77 8,000 24,813 321 16-20 5,000 11,179 446 2,000 10,581 144 7,000 21,760 299 21-24 4,000 9,214 389 1,000 8,825 131 5,000 18,039 263 25-34 6,000 21,339 302 2,000 20,971 101 9,000 42,309 203 35-44 4,000 20,174 206 1,000 20,343 48 5,000 40,516 126 45-54 6,000 21,807 254 1,000 22,462 59 7,000 44,269 155 55-64 4,000 18,603 203 1,000 19,983 54 5,000 38,586 126 65-74 1,000 11,203 108 *` 12,783 `* 2,000 23,985 69 75-84 ** 5,648 '" 7,624 ** 13,273 85+ 1,964 3,923 ** "' 5,887 Total 39,000 154,492 255 10,000 159,422 62 49,000 313,914 157 Rate per million population. "Less than 500 injured,injury rate not shown. #Total includes 4 males killed of unknown age.Two pedalcyclists of unknown gender are not included. Source:Fatalities-Fatality Analysis Reporting System,NHTSA. Injured-General Estimates System,NHTSA. Population-Bureau of the Census projections. NHTSA's National Center for Statistics and Analysis 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590 4 Alcohol Involvement Alcohol involvement More than one-fourth(28%)of the pedalcyclists killed in 2012 had blood alcohol was reported in more concentrations(BACs)of.01 grams per deciliter(g/dL)or higher,and almost one- fourth(24%)had BACs of.08 g/dL or higher.Alcohol involvement—either for the than 37 percent of driver of a motor vehicle or the pedalcyclist—was reported in more than 37 percent all fatal pedalcyclist of the traffic crashes that resulted in pedalcyclist fatalities in 2012.In 32 percent of the crashes,either the driver or the pedalcyclist was reported to have a BAC of crashes in 2012. .08 g/dL or higher.Lower alcohol levels(BAC.01 to.07 g/dL)were reported in 5 percent of the crashes(Table 5). Table 5 Crashes Involving Pedalcyclist Fatalities by the Highest BAC of Involved Riders and Drivers BAC=.00 BAC=.01-.07 BAC=.08+ BAC=.01+ Total Year Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number 2011 429 63% 43 6% 208 31% 251 37% 680 2012 452 63% 36 5% 234 32% 270 37% 722 Table 6 shows total traffic fatalities,pedalcyclist fatalities,population,and fatality rates by State in 2012.Among all States,fatalities in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2012 ranged from 3,398(highest)to 59(lowest)depending on the size and population of the State.Pedalcyclists fatalities were highest in California(124), followed by Florida(122),and Texas(56).There were no pedalcyclist fatalities in Nebraska,New Hampshire,North and South Dakota,Vermont,Wyoming,and the District of Columbia.The proportion of pedalcyclist fatalities among total fatalities in States ranged from a high of 5 percent(Florida)to a low of 0.5 percent (Montana).The highest fatality rate per million population was in Florida(6.32) followed by Louisiana(5.22). For more information: Information on traffic fatalities is available from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis(NCSA),NVS-424,1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington,DC 20590.NCSA can be contacted at 800-934-8517 or via the following e-mail address:ncsaweb@dot.gov.General information on highway traffic safety can be accessed by Internet users at www.nhtsa.gov/NCSA. To report a safety-related problem or to inquire about motor vehicle safety information,contact the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. Other fact sheets available from the National Center for Statistics and Analysis are Alcohol-Impaired Driving,Children,Large Trucks,Motorcycles, Occupant Protection,Older Population,Overview,Passenger Vehicles,Pedestrians, Race and Ethnicity,Rural/Urban Comparisons,School Transportation-Related Crashes,Speeding,State Alcohol Estimates,State Traffic Data,and Young Drivers. eel) Detailed data on motor vehicle traffic crashes are published annually in Traffic Safety Facts:A Compilation of Motor Vehicle Crash Data from the U.S.Department Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the General Estimates System.The fact of Transportation sheets and annual Traffic Safety Facts report can be accessed online at National Safety onal Highway Traffic www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/CATS/index.aspx. Administration NHTSA's National Center for Statistics and Analysis 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590 5 Table 6 Total and Pedalcyclist Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rates by State, 2012 Resident Population Pedalcyclist Fatalities State Total Traffic Fatalities (thousands) Pedalcyclist Fatalities Percent of Total per Million Population Alabama 865 4,822 9 1.0% 1.87 Alaska 59 731 1 1.7% 1.37 Arizona 825 6,553 18 2.2% 2.75 Arkansas 552 2,949 6 1.1% 2.03 California 2,857 38,041 124 4.3% 3.26 Colorado 472 5,188 13 2.8% 2.51 Connecticut 236 3,590 4 1.7% 1.11 Delaware 114 917 4 3.5% 4.36 ■ Dist of Columbia 15 632 0 - - Florida 2,424 19,318 122 5.0% 6.32 Georgia 1,192 9,920 17 1.4% 1.71 Hawaii 126 1,392 2 1.6% 1.44 Idaho 184 1,596 2 1.1% 1.25 Illinois 956 12,875 29 3.0% 2.25 Indiana 779 6,537 15 1.9% 2.29 Iowa 365 3,074 3 0.8% 0.98 Kansas 405 2,886 7 1.7% 2.43 Kentucky 746 4,380 6 0.8% 1.37 Louisiana 722 4,602 24 3.3% 5.22 Maine 164 1,329 1 0.6% 0.75 Maryland 505 5,885 5 1.0% 0.85 Massachusetts 349 6,646 15 4.3% 2.26 Michigan 938 9,883 19 2.0% 1.92 Minnesota 395 5,379 7 1.8% 1.30 Mississippi 582 2,985 4 0.7% 1.34 Missouri 826 6,022 6 0.7% 1.00 Montana 205 1,005 1 0.5% 0.99 Nebraska 212 1,856 0 - - Nevada 258 2,759 3 1.2% 1.09 New Hampshire 108 1,321 0 - - New Jersey 589 8,865 14 2.4% 1.58 New Mexico 365 2,086 7 1.9% 3.36 New York 1,168 19,570 45 3.9% 2.30 North Carolina 1,292 9,752 27 2.1% 2.77 North Dakota 170 700 0 - - Ohio 1,123 11,544 18 1.6% 1.56 Oklahoma 708 3,815 5 0.7% 1.31 ■ Oregon 336 3,899 10 3.0% 2.56 Pennsylvania 1,310 12,764 16 1.2% 1.25 Rhode Island 64 1,050 2 3.1% 1.90 South Carolina 863 4,724 13 1.5% 2.75 South Dakota 133 833 0 - - Tennessee 1,014 6,456 8 0.8% 1.24 Texas 3,398 26,059 56 1.6% 2.15 Utah 217 2,855 3 1.4% 1.05 Vermont 77 626 0 - - Virginia 777 8,186 11 1.4% 1.34 Washington 444 6,897 12 2.7% 1.74 West Virginia 339 1,855 1 0.3% 0.54 Wisconsin 615 5,726 11 1.8% 1.92 Wyoming 123 576 0 - - U.S.Total 33,561 313,914 726 2.2% 2.31 Puerto Rico 347 3,667 14 4.0% 3.82 Sources:Fatalities-Fatality Analysis Reporting System,NHTSA. Population-Bureau of the Census. NHTSA's National Center for Statistics and Analysis 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590 10608-043014-v3 -ii,.., ,, ,, /3 . cn..6\ CZ t, ; 2 --1 i 0 1\cl � :- rn rn M 1.-3 0-t > P C.) cr) V) n - c- ,-it, > Ci cs4 P) alT1 "V 5 m m N °...d Milli 0 O1....i ilirn< M Vi CM MIMI 7111 ■ ■ ■ fle arm w K OJ k!'-k- Pr mi0 0 a: -0 0 c -13 0 "*"' SU 0 f-%-3 o CD o o E o o CD F. Amp co (n cli (cp cn C "1-1 cn ti, iiii" V ir) =11- -..-... ii3 , u) ii; --, = g zi 3 c9 (n3 c9 cp 3 c92 2) ilp CD ci CD Q. CD ci= 0- • • wil< il'i ''''' 1. O O C° ,C ) O :� hij SO — 0 2+ 01 tiiiii, , ,< 3 %.< 3. (n ‘i<cD =- es — o � C C7 Cn eT n (n C) D ~' 400 1." o O f4IlO cn INO , *-, : = = ...-ii cn cn cn 2 2 2 g ; 47) wit v Y.. C) C) C) CD CD D 21) g imp o_ Q. ca. . • • • ■ ■ TIPLA C iv -4 0) (J) .p - ) ar 3 —. _. ZIT _. ,16. 4.„,.. c AR 16. � � o 4101 cn cn 419 q '. b kA !' C) '0 ♦J n D Q O C V>HDERHll TDB _._. • n any rna 7>_ '.• •rt�ri.` n N , ,',.•:',• .i,'� �, at; C ID• S. a n> 7 t. = , n O l * y 31,t -n; > F: > x 7AIRORT rRD. ` 0 " —1 ••�••,..�wr•c• 0 y 73 47 alit/ *ie n> r 7 3,j�t _iViNGSi RD 5 —._ LIVINGSTDM RD N ry �u P^ x o ri i T..wc,,Ar- F, COUNTY DARN nr: . S (07 ,.., ' Q QFFF $ > I o ..0 4, • s IARA t"nA(L B,:L m -�-.—I1 L:I::AN RL\TrN /. Cl)J / ^l m A / ` '71'-- N z r ¢s' Ya ' $ X n ii n �>1 3 n AA�� .4I10''!, l $R@ N NCOti.xR � IZ • e e e. , . . .,11f , „ E ii, .1, .. r d pd tilt f Y' 1 4 ; 3 4 s 41 07, 0.@ r a 3 1 aS! .il t'l W N 1-' • i. 1?"› -01 cp E cf) cf) ..t. ..t )..f. FP 4 FP 'F:i 'CI O O O tik eiti et) , • . �-► P-► O 511 (1111 c.14 I-4 ca,4 P-i :I.A MK rD A' pj So) cra E. P) Pi) :1•4 r-t- 1....i• 4 sv iliir r z. p.) cn 3 711 rD f D C!Q `r' \ ).....k, I 1.--i C t-ri 5 p.) cn VI e-1- 0 Al. P) 411) rt) In 0 ■ ■ ■ • • (-) ,.1t.) (i) (r) E- 4 0 i-......., cit.) O rD Fir Frr cl-+ mD e-1• CD ).-rici '71 1—i.< rD r) '7i 1: .I ' P? ' N.) --'' t"-.11 ED-" =i ra4 Q C7' O F`..)-A cn a) D rD n CD rD cr ''' rD > PA > n . R)) 'FD" iiir) -' n 't4- 0 -4 0 i-t cn ,-t rt) '<-4 (D0 5. 43 5. p i)-t C 1 .P') Oga 0•1 a )--1 O O FA* X E > i Aft cn ra,, O P ii* ).--: 1, O n 8' 8 0 '1,4 40Ik k• 6.m t ).m t P m) 5.a' rD'.1 cj cf) rD <. CD CI D ,r. n �- O (D rD O C • • • V) 1,4110 C.) Z O Pi) 41) cl, 0-Ici ,....., c SO w AMP ).-' C 4 7rs rD O . -119.J • r • . 'Et > o. r '-'d> '"?: 2) n O• 4‹ O n sg, m• Cn n ow Cl)el- isurta 41,1# agli ■ ■ • • ■ < u rn � � d ``'d CI) n' a a 4 5 E" ' til;,-' r 4" . 5 ;) La7 )....a 21: ,___, w _,__ orN /7-,'A < 1,--+ ‘„dv par - > P" n . r r ,--D-i tz sip rD ,-f• u \ o �. a ,� „. Le p) 5” 4r1i5n1.40---1, ap-0 0 ), p." sy ' , rt rt:_ri- p,-- F--raa f .,1- „)-i. 5 ) --` 8 .7..i P.) ; > Nit • q- emit' :1-i < (1) I./ ZS o n 5 0 ...0 )::• c,4.' `ID) rj 1°.. 4 eta :72 SIPA .41% Pin' > fr al n O cn `� cn Z. 5 441 .;,t-tal,,,,,im. 'p. m g; 2 5 att:72 0"." Crg" 5 • r 1• 5 )Ita cr) 'rmi-g)* ...i 13 SW C 'K:$ 4.1 W W = At a.4 r° 0 2) e-1- ,-4. . Fimtl') CD e+ )1mt VI 5 P)A. << 0 5 g n w r-r CD `4< cn fir•• N: illl. 11jL' O•• is (iii. J ,w % ,4th G::;°3, * -', . '-', .„ , ' ' ' i'silayslibli ‘r. : \ q g al IRa !t Z o 1 F S 2 it m. j H v, , = w C011))‘ (I'D` c t s'‹ ro a. GII/1) E., 7 w Z 3 x. iv • rv00c) = C n m -4 '3 rn O _ � Zw Z > tilt) %ilk rii rti 67.)" a Ilis. 1111111 ii1))< Q, 5 < 4. 1:, 0 rn 11( 0 m . -,i>4;,,,,.. r- IpC ,;:0,z, IMMO tF,- z (:,rri xi rii 4 ic, z m w, 0 ›4- M rri _ . 10 e'D VI ,, .c7 , Z ,..' i rii ,„.„, ,,,,, au. a 4,.., a ,,,i .t C) 0 444k, , co Nomit mw ea - (01) vi r wimiseat ri 0 .., v7;., ,. ...,, „, IC. ri.) rat tot *,.„ �■ ■ Itt 0 Om , : 7 . , t til = 4115' SI 3 tIP Z; PINIB Vil F NAPLES INSIDE i LORJIA EEKLY® IN THE KNOW. IN THE NOW. WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 11-17,2014 www.FloridaWeekly.corn Vol.VI,No.48•FREE -' 3 _ . 8.8_ - f 60 5 189 r a . Billions of dollars in the Accidents in Collier Pedestrian fatalities 1'414Flmets given out FDOT budget to improve County involving cars and in Florida from by Charlotte County bicycle-pedestrian roads bicycles this year 2003-2012 police fo safety On the clock f,, `, FLORIDA FGCU students set to create RANKS art in 24 hours.Cl■ U WORST IN tt ;;'THE U.S IN ,e,..:'¢,., PEDESTRIAN ' '8/ElICYCLE ~ w I De . - . fr* * , ,.‘ / . ... 0 ., '4)10 . 1' s ''SW 4 OURT NEDERVELD IS A BICYCLIST.A ROAD w rider.He's ridden across the United A wonderful time .. States.He's journeyed from the VIP guests enjoy tour Nov Canadian border to New Orleans. - ., - v, For years he's spun and mashed those pedals of reinvented gardens, " "r: r °. most days a week up and down the southwest and more Society photos. .-.i coast of the Sunshine State,which leads non- x'29► riders to question his sanity,he says.Florida is r� SEE DEADLY,A8► .mow•. : .t..4. -CC w-,, - Yy��, s+rj. A-1.''-r .1%,, '''''''‘..,,, ''''.4...'if." '--- ...*:: ...4 IL. .4: ot.,170.._ .. ...di._ , ,„,,,,,yoab....11 r''` � � Show us the$$$ r *t , +,' , ' - °"" Florida leads in cash sales .�, for real estate transactions. lq � SURVIVING. ,,^ . * (. t _ ti , - SUICIDE ., ,Y� .. STORY BY ROGER WILLIAMS ''RWILL+ANISCI ,RIDA,WE'EKtY.COM INN.,1N\nK Subtly, autumn creeps in as gardeners prepare for growing season Heartache,humor BY GLENN MILLER here. No kaleidoscope of colors on the Naples woman responds , " ;p 0.' Florida Weekly Correspondent leaves in our forests. No chilly Friday to family tragedy with .,x j- ,„ti vi, night high school football games. grit and guts.All■ F '* $ Change is coming, a change that no But the changes are already under way t"''l . ' election can alter, change that affects and can be seen in gardens and parks and ° t r p Republicans and Democrats alike. on farms. Download "'`" l +r �' (( Autumn is knocking softly on Southwest At Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in our FREE -�- i .1 --- / !1 Florida doors, announcing its upcom- Lee County,supervisor Heather Gienapp App today HEATHER tscswnP/LEEPARKS.oRC ing presence in subtle ways.It officially tells visitors the first signs of fall have Available On 1 Birdwatchers on Wood Duck Deck at Six Mile arrives at 10:29 p.m.Monday,Sept.22. been visible since August.That's when the ITUneS and Cypress Slough Preserve,where the change in But it will arrive without the hoopla of Android App Store. B 9 northern falls.No frost on the pumpkin SEE SEASON,A10► seasons is already noticable. I..____.._._.. OPINION A4 PETS A22 FILM REVIEW C31 PRSRT STD us.POSTAGE PROFILE IN PARADISE AS NETWORKING B6-7 FLORIDA WRITERS C16 w PAID CLUB NOTES A16 OPEN HOUSE MAP B22 SAVE THE DATE C27 -H1 FORT MYERS,FL Nmww•■•■•.r PERMIT NO.715 NEWS OF THE WEIRD ASS PUZZLES C10 VINO&CUISINE C30-31 _..... womosmosmow„WEATHER & TRAFFIC Q MINIONINIMIIII - EVERY 10 MINUTES ON .2 NEWS TODAY N ., A8 I NEWS I WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 11-17,2014 www.FloridaWeekly.com I NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY DEADLY From page 1 ' ► E `:''• . '.4. ,: Ar. now ranked number one as the most i ,: dangerous state in which to walk or bicy- cle somewhere—anywhere. y� , -r' . And now Mr.Nederveld,president of ;"' 1: ! N, the Peace River Riders bicycling club, "' I , is about to leave the North American . continent and travel to Spain,where he plans to embark on a 350-mile journey out of Pamplona. In all his time on the road,the 65-year-old master of a two-wheeled, P; 1 man-powered cycling machine—first 1, 0 invented two centuries ago and cast , , in roughly its current design about 20 2 J °'v. years before Henry Ford ever put a sin ." , dr•• + gle internal combustion automobile on i i`. the road—has never had an encoun- k ter,or even so much as a brush with a a motor vehicle. That's unusual for long-time bicy- clists.Some have been badly injured in COURTESY PHOTOS 4 accidents.But many have been nudged, Steve Rodgers and members of the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on a road with no bike lane. brushed or solidly bumped by vehicle mirrors,or forced off the road to avoid being nudged or brushed or worse. in the know le Sometimes they're merely threatened. States ranked by pedestrian danger index I was riding onto Sanibel a couple Y p g of weeks ago and a guy in a Jeep going toter toutA1vgt +'"""'t the other way started yelling at me to y PeeeeaMo of Mg1k padeaulan e4a { get off the road,"recalls Steve Rodgers, pHq, gut. taWtlee gytmp, deaths Mat deaths Der Pedr10101 past president of the Caloosa Riders pm- Rom. wen 100,000 o011per �, Bicycle Club,who puts in about 125 20121 ma iwas-sin fix- Mwlex t -aofsl 20i2l miles a week on the roads."I wasn't I Flog.1s ze:1C' s:ffr 17■ 2.03 1110.0 anywhere near him;he just didn't like a Aooar*o i u.xh r;0. ,2 •66 1252 me"He's been bumped,too. Not Mr.Nederveld. 3 Lomerna e.e73 Tx 1r.e 2 24 110.0 "It's about thinking,and I'm confi- ' `n carom y„�e. r_ 1104 -‘ t dent in controlling my surroundings,” - t I4 70.e , .%t IC 0 ST 104.0 , i `; "' " he says,echoing the personal-respon- e Gk4ay.are rt , 16 4 2- 1034 y. sibility,personal-care mantra that most - rray;ss . c,, 9;;=. -, g 7 ,88 serious cyclists adhere to.It's about 14.;4 ;40. r,a 101.2 knowing the bike,choosing a safe route *n „� - n 00� and time of day,wearing a helmet, using a mirror,observing laws that s ' apply to cyclists as well as drivers,and avoiding confrontations with drivers citizen volunteers who have worked that fails to consider people on foot who sometimes seem to be looking for together for years to improve condi- or bicycle,says Margaret Banyan,an rrl Jf' trouble. Lions for bicycling and walking,not to assistant professor of public policy at it "I have lights on my bike,I wear mention driving and riding on public Florida Gulf Coast University. h t 17. brightly covered clothing. And I rec- transit,in the region. Professor Banyan lives in the Tice e ommend to all cyclists that they use That effort is a process not yet an region of East Fort Myers,one of the lights on their bikes even in the day, achievement,says Darla Letourneau, county's older neighborhoods criss- • because if you can increase your chanc- executive director of BikeWalkLee— crossed by the fabric of roads,small ✓ 1'` es of being seen even a little bit,that one that will be years or decades in the homes,closely entwined neighbor- is huge,"says Jane Cheffy,president of making. hoods on narrow streets,and vibrant the Naples Pathways Coalition. "We're a suburban sprawl state—it's immigrant lives that appeals to her so She learned that again the other day. why Florida's safety record is so bad," much,she says. Retrofitting roads with bicycle lanes or side- "I've had so many friends get injured, she explains."Two-lane roads got six What does not appeal,however,are walks is more difficult and much mots expert- and I've had a mirror on Crayton Road lanes.We kept widening roads for the plans some county designers put sive than designing them in the That place. brush my arm.But the other day I was years without thinking about bicyclists into place on Palm Beach Boulevard, driving my car to the office at 750 and pedestrians,and people are sup- or laid out to rum Ortiz Avenue into which is good for the environment." a.m.,and the bright sunlight was in my posed to cross six lanes of traffic to get six lanes and make other changes that eyes,blinding me.A cyclist in front of to a shopping But other proposed changes in the Y $ Y pping center.So improving the would accommodate communities there or elsewhere have me was riding with flashing lights,and crash injury and fatality thing is going drivers,but not the r remained on the desks of some county that kept me from hitting him.I really to take a long time.And if you keep significant number a f' ' officials,advocates say,going nowhere. could have hit him.Now that I've had building more high-speed roads that of walkers and bicy- And the accident numbers keep this experience from a driver's point run through neighborhoods,no matter chits in the corn- r of view,I'm telling everyone I know to how many bike paths you put out,you munity. { going up. ride with their lights on." still have to cross the busy street.It's a "On Palm Beach," ,ter` Tossing money et them does help, very long term proposition" she explains"a big k but it doesn't solve the problem,say When luck runs out Progress has been made,no doubt part of the problem the advocates of safety. All of which would be a smart about that,acknowledges everyone tak- is speed,and anoth- This unfortunate distinction as the approach for pedestrians,too. ing part in the ongoing debate about er part is that there RAN number one state in the country for the But sometimes what happens is how to use money,and where.There is not a lot of right highest bike pedestrian fatalities is not solv- about luck,or the lack thereof. are hundreds of miles of bicycling lanes of way to build sidewalks,and no right a distinction we want to keep,but e," For almost 2,000 bicyclists and and paths that weren't here a decade of way for bike lanes." ing the various problems takes time;' pedestrians in Charlotte,Lee and ago.There are education programs says Ms.Tower of the FDOT. P g . p ograms That wasn't part of the planning, So nowadays,the FDOT looks at Collier Counties just in the last four and law enforcement audits of danger- even when the road was redesigned a safety on all roads for all users in terms years alone,Mr.Nederveld's brand of out intersections.There is money for few years ago. of what Ms.Tower calls"the three E's: spot-free luck eventually ran out in what the advocates have long called "So we sort of said,'that's not an education,enforcement and engineer- one degree or another,according to "Complete Streets"—that almost insurmountable problem.'And we pro- accounts and estimates by planning magical comingling of bicycle,pedes- posed better bike and pedestrian path- ing." organizations,law enforcement officials trian and public transit needs with the ways north and south of Palm Beach. The money is there,too—$8.8 bil- and local cycling organizations such as motor vehicle culture and its needs:for "We know roads and streets can lion in the budget this year for improv- BikeWalkLee,the most organized and example,$8.8 billion this year alone in transform communities,and one of ing road safety.Sometimes that means politically active citizens'group in the the Florida Department of Transports- those is Honore Avenue.They studying danger spots to determine P Y $ P P P Y prO future action.Sometimes it means region. tion budget aimed at helping to create posed a six-laner there at first,then a retrofitting what the experts call"Car They were injured,killed or(if they complete streets,says Debbie Tower,a four-laner,then they reduced it to two, sewers":roads that were originally were lucky)merely had their bicycles spokeswoman for the 12-county District with a turn,low-impact greening,great designed only to move motor vehicles, damaged or destroyed. 1 that includes Southwest Florida. bike-laning and bike walks,and good and now accommodate pedestrians, It's a dismaying number for the many Meanwhile,some of the old planning shade.The drainage,instead of being bicyclists or public transit opportuni- local and state officials along with notions persist,the dinosaur thinking typical gutter drainage,is low impact, ties either poorly or not at all.Some- NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY I www.FloridaWeekly.com WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 11-17,2014 I NEWS I A9 times it means putting in sidewalks we're looking at some of the same old (which are not recommended for bicy- (dangerous)spots—U.S.41 at Crystal clists since they're more dangerous or in old Bonita,the 41 and Del Prado than roads). corridors,Palm Beach Boulevard—but And it employs officials who deeply & one of the problems we face when we care—a District 1 engineer named i say,'What are the dangerous locations?' Matt Weaver,for example,whose title f , is that they're spread out." is Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Cham- ! . •aE Why? pion for District 1. ,a' f 9jifq The answer may be an imperfect When Mr.Weaver and his colleague Pao q� but still dangerous storm of differ- in District 1,Providance Nagy,received ! , 'a , % ent factors.Among them,years of bad complaints from members of a bike- Y w o'1, , N planning.Streets that are not both safe pedestrian committee about travel over ' k and accessible.A failure on the part of the Peace River Bridge on U.S.41,they 'S many drivers to recognize that bicycles decided to climb on their bikes and • are vehicles with the full compliment ride it—several times. ' 1 of road rights—and responsibilities— She was on her mountain bike,"he of any motor vehicles. says of Ms.Nagy,who also serves a For example,on streets that are 14 reservist in the Marine Corps and has �� \\ feet wide or less,bicycles can take the now been deployed to South Africa, r *1, t full lane,by law.That's based on the "and I was on my somewhat fancier f,,, calculation of 9 feet in width from side street bike." mirror to side mirror for a truck,plus They discovered bolts sticking out of gi• ;t,-' another 3 feet of space that motorists the guardrails into the bike lane,and a , are required to give bicyclists,plus 2 lot more trash in the northbound lane . feet out from a curb that cyclists are because the bridge slants that direc- supposed to ride. Lion,and it collected there. y"; And on any streets,while drivers As a result,in the coming couple of must give a bicyclist a minimum of weeks the shoulder will be marked asL` three feet,by law,bicyclists must stay NO°a bike lane,and made contiguous with -) " in bike lanes,where provided.And stop projects north of the bridge so riders at stop signs or lights. will have an easier time Z But even if many other problems The first thing I tell anybody who t could be solved,the old bugaboos cares is that first and foremost I'm a ' °; ti still haunt the streets,too:drinking or citizen cyclist bicyclist runner,and I 4 I drugging and riding,either bikes or also happen to be an engineer.If you lit vehicles.Or drinking and drugging and have any problems,complaints or even walking.Or telephoning,texting and suggestions,just get in touch with the j\,, R ear-budding. DOT Just call us.We do come to work , "We've become complacent,not trying to make things better here,"says ► , ,,, only as drivers but as bicyclists and Mr.Weaver. a walkers,"says Jay Anderson,executive a director of Stay Alive-Just Drive. , "Especially with these electronic In Collier County, for , . devices.It puzzles me to death why •example, in only four of \ someone biking or walking feels it l) , y necessary to engage in this behavior. I watched someone riding a bicycle the 60 accidents involving down the sidewalk with their ear to a bicycles and cars inves''Qat- phone the other day.If you can't do it y investigat- why can you do it bicycling?" ed this year were citations J + The rash of crashes proved so alarm- ing to officials m the Trauma Center at issued,three of them to Lee Memorial Health Services that they looked into the details of pedestrian- the bicyclists. COURTESY PHOTO car accidents just in April alone,when Court Nederveld people on foot kept getting nailed at sig- the numbers As of late August, We gave away 159 last month and at nificantly higher than the usual recent By another event in September we'll prob- rates. And so do the private organizations 16 bicyclists or ably give away 200.We fit the helmet "In April alone we had 20 pedestri- in Collier,Lee and Charlotte,first by on the person and make sure it's sized am hit by autos,and 14 became trauma getting a grip on the problems and the pedestrians correctly." alerts,"notes Syndi Bultman,injury pre- numbers. But a change in the way police treat vention manager for Trauma Services. Working hand-in-hand with Lee's have been killed drivers who hit bicyclists is also essen- "In April,2013,by contrast.12 were hit Metropolitan Planning Organization fiat,says Dan Moser,Florida Weekly's by autos,with eight trauma alerts. (comprised of elected leaders from on Lee roads. bicycle columnist and a member of "We did a further breakdown for each local government along with a BikeWalkLee. April—our average age of victim was few staffers),BikeWalkLee offers a map Many bicyclists insist that police "In enforcement,what Eve seen is 53,although it ranged from 18 to 87. that shows exactly where each reported must become much more aggressive that they do a pretty well-rounded job, There were 11 males and nine females. accident involving a motor vehicle and in charging drivers who hit bicyclists now. They're focusing on the motorist Fifteen percent of those had to go up to a bicyclist or pedestrian occurred in who are following the rules of the road. more,especially when it comes to giv- the Operating Room.And 40 percent Lee County,the most dangerous county And unless an obvious violation has ing citations out. required ICU care." on the coast,between 2011 and 2013— occurred—DUI,for example—they "That's what should happen.The kill- All that becomes a bloody,costly all 1,197 of them. have often been reluctant to charge ing machine is the car." process for everybody.Perhaps more Those accidents resulted in injuries, drivers with any crime,or even to But the issues become more compli- significantly,however,were these sta- fatalities or occasionally just property ticket them. cated,he admits,because bicyclists and tistics:"Of the victims,30 percent had damage,and they appear in locations In Collier County,for example,in pedestrians often break the rules—in alcohol on board,and 25 percent had from urban center to country road° only four of the 60 accidents involving part because the rules don't work. toxic substances on board—drugs," The current year has been even bicycles and cars investigated this year "The reason frequently that pedestri- Ms.Bultman says. worse,to date.The numbers suggest were citations issued,three of them to ans and bicyclists misbehave is because "In the end.13 out of 20 were able that 2014 is on par to set a several-year the bicyclists. of their experience,"he says."When to go home,four had to go to a rehab record for injuries or fatalities—espe- Police are more aggressive about they do behave,it doesn't get them facility,one is still here at the hospi- cially with the snowbirds and late fall safety now than they used to be,how- anywhere.For example,they don't use tal,and a couple went to the morgue tourists set to pour into the region ever.In Charlotte County,for example, crosswalks because when they're in because they died." beginning in October. "we try to educate the public as much them,they almost get run over.So they Those who were killed,she says,"did In Charlotte County as of last month, as possible,"says Deputy Dan Cotton,a say,'I'll go downstream or upstream not have drugs or alcohol aboard." the sheriff's office responded to 23 acci- community policing officer who patrols and cross where I can.I'm protecting That was just in a single month.Ms. dents involving bicycles alone during the on a bicycle. my interest.'In many places they're Bultman adds this sobering statistic, year,and in Collier that number amount- In five years on that job,he's never facing motorists who don't even think about pedestrians and the drivers of ed to 60 as of the last week in August. been hit or bumped by a motor vehicle. about their right to be there.And that's motor vehicles who hit them:"If you're But in Lee County the number was But off the job he was run off the road because we've designed those roads to the driver,at 30 miles per hour you more than double Collier's,and the wile riding his own bicycle.He got the accommodate speed and motor vehi- have a 50-50 chance of killing someone. number of bicycle and pedestrian acci- license plate of the road rager,called Iles.Only." And at 45 miles per hour it jumps to dents together have run well over 150 the company,and accepted an apology But that problem will not be solved an 85 percent chance.Your vehicle is a so far in the year,with an unfortunate from the driver after his boss made him merely by engineering fixes to a few weapon on the roadway.So everybody's jump in fatalities.As of late August, apologize,he recalls, most-dangerous spots,says Don Scott, responsibility is to keep your eyes on 16 bicyclists or pedestrians have been Meanwhile,"we lead by example. executive director of Lee's MPO. the road." killed on Lee roads. We wear helmets and use lights and "The sheriffs department has con- No one disagrees with that.But there have gloves,"he says."And the sheriff's ducted bike-enforcement events and are many who don't follow that advice.• office gives away helmets to children.