Request to FHWA for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes For the City of Philadelphia
Request by: PennDOT District 6-0 on behalf of the City of Philadelphia October, 2010
Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
Table of Contents BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 NATURE OF THE PROBLEM................................................................................................................................................................. 3 SHARED LANE MARKINGS .................................................................................................................................................................. 4 ROADWAY WITH BICYCLE LANE ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 ROADWAY WITH BICYCLE LANES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT STOPS .......................................................................................... 5 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED EXPERIMENT ...................................................................................................................................... 5 ENHANCED SHARED LANE MARKINGS ............................................................................................................................................ 6 58TH Street Connector (Tiger Grant Project) .................................................................................................................................................6
ROADWAY SHARING BICYCLE SPACE .............................................................................................................................................. 7 South Street Bridge Treatment .......................................................................................................................................................................7
ROADWAY WITH BICYCLE LANES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT....................................................................................................... 8 I-95 Section GR1 .................................................................................................................................................................................................8
INSTALLATION ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Proposed Data Collection Methodology ................................................................................................................................................... 10 Schedule .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 Reporting ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Administration................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Removal of Experiment .................................................................................................................................................................................. 10
ATTACHMENT A – TINTED ACRYLIC EMULSION APPLICATION ............................................................................................... 11 ATTACHMENT B –TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 13 ATTACHMENT C – STREETBONDCL SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................................................................... 15 ATTACHMENT D – DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL BIKE LANES ........................................................................................... 21
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes PennDOT District 6-0 The City of Philadelphia is submitting the attached request for permission to experiment with green colorized bicycle facilities to evaluate their potential effectiveness in modifying bicyclist and motorist behavior along several planned bicycle facilities within the City. It is the City of Philadelphia’s goal to increase motorist compliance with regulations regarding bicycle facilities and to improve safety for bicyclists and motorists. green cycle lane coating StreetBond CL produced by
BACKGROUND
Integrated Paving Concepts (IPC) (Attachment C).
The City of Philadelphia has over 300 miles of on-street bicycle facilities connecting cyclists to an extensive network of residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, and recreational facilities. The City is committed to encouraging bicycle ridership by expanding and improving its bicycle network through enhancement projects. To that end, the City began installing blue tinted acrylic emulsion coating in 2005 in highly trafficked areas throughout the City of Philadelphia (Attachment A) in accordance to the City’s Technical Specification Item No. 20-1850 (Attachment B).
Although bicyclist groups have commended the City on the installation of blue tinted acrylic emulsion coating in hightraffic areas and have expressed a feeling of additional comfort as a result of the traffic control device, the City did not collect any quantitative data or monitor how motorists’ and cyclists’ behaviors were affected as a result of this installation. The City recognizes the value of quantitative data, however, and under the planned installation proposes to thoroughly document, monitor and understand the effects of different colored bicycle facilities. This evaluation
The City did not request formal permission through FHWA to experiment for these treatments, although the City has qualitatively monitored their effectiveness over the past 5 years. Based on the City’s positive experiences with blue bicycle lanes, the City also wishes to install colored
will help determine whether: 1) the green colorized treatment improves the visibility, safety and mobility of bicyclists; and, 2) more effectively demarcates the lane for the exclusive use of bicyclists. Details of the proposed evaluation methodology are provided below.
pavement on several planned bicycle facilities and to closely monitor and document the effectiveness of the treatments.
NATURE OF THE PROBLEM
Since the 2005 installation, the 2009 Manual on Uniform
The City of Philadelphia strives to provide for the safe and
Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) has designated blue
efficient travel of residents, visitors and tourists through a
pavement markings to be used exclusively as a supplement
comprehensive multi-modal transportation system. As such
to white markings in parking spaces to identify parking
the City’s roads are built and marked to accommodate
spaces reserved for the disabled (MUTCD Section 3B.18)
large volumes of travel for a combination of motorists,
and for raised markers to indicate the location of fire
public transportation, bicyclists and pedestrians. As is the
hydrants adjacent to the road (MUTCD Section 3B.11).
case in most urban environments, available right-of-way is
Therefore, for the 2010 installation, the City requests
often limited in the City resulting in a bicycle network that
permission to install green colorized pavement for several
is very compact in many locations. On roadways that carry
bicycle facilities, and to retrofit the blue bicycle lanes at a
all four primary modes of transportation, the City has
later point in time pending the outcome of the green
noticed that motorists often behave in a risky and/or unsafe
colored bicycle lanes. The installation proposes to use the
manner, making bicyclists feel uncomfortable and potentially placing them at risk.
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
Philadelphia’s bicycle lanes are striped on the right edge of
shared by both motorists and bicyclists. Shared lane
the outside travel lane immediately adjacent to the curb, the
markings have been shown to improve cyclist and motorist
edge of the roadway, or to parked motor vehicles where
positioning in shared-lane situations and are included in the
on-street parking is permitted, per AASHTO guidance. The
2009 MUTCD (Section 9C.07).
City has observed that although these lanes are marked for the use of bicycles, conflicts with motorists and public
Despite the benefits of shared lane markings, the City has
transportation vehicles often occur when either: 1) through
observed that many motorists do not appreciably change
vehicles encroach upon the bicycle facility and/or provide
their behavior on roadways with shared lane markings.
inadequate lateral clearance when passing; or, 2) cross the
Bicyclists, particularly novices, have expressed discomfort
bicycle facility while turning without yielding to cyclists.
with riding in shared lanes, even with shared lane markings.
These issues are of greatest concern in areas that
Given the emphasis on encouraging novice cyclists, the City
experience higher traffic and bicycle volumes. The
desires a more effective treatment for shared lane facilities.
motorists’ encroachment make bicyclists traveling on the network feel uncomfortable and may also prevent otherwise enthusiastic bicyclists from using the bicycle
ROADWAY WITH BICYCLE LANE
network.
The City continually seeks to improve the safety and quality
Bicycles are considered a vehicle like any other according to
to that end the City’s 2005 installation of blue tinted acrylic
PA Traffic Law; thus, it is imperative that motorists accord
emulsion coating in forty three (43) locations was successful
bicyclists their due right, including the exclusive use of
and improved cycling conditions at high conflict areas.
bicycle lanes and right to use the full lane in shared lane
However, the blue bike lanes were used only for short
situations. It is with this purpose that the City requests to
distances in conflict areas rather than extending along an
observe the safety and operational impacts of green colored
entire facility. The City has suggested that in heavily
bicycle facilities in three distinct applications. These
trafficked
applications are described in detail below.
enhancements are needed over the entire facility to prevent
of their bicycle facilities through enhancement projects and
areas
with
over
15,000
daily
vehicles
motorist encroachments and improve bicyclist comfort.
SHARED LANE MARKINGS
In these areas, the City has noticed that motorists encroach
Philadelphia is expanding its bicycle transportation facilities
upon the bicycle lane to weave in and out of traffic to pass
through the provision of multi-use paths and bicycle lanes.
slower vehicles merging onto the left lane. In this situation,
These facilities are designed for the exclusive use of bicycles
the motorist will encroach onto the bicycle lane rather than
and pedestrians. However, constrained rights-of-way often
waiting for the other vehicle to merge into the left lane.
require that gaps in the bicycle network be filled by on-road
This creates a high conflict situation, where cyclists traveling
facilities. One option for on-road facilities is the shared lane
in the bicycle lane do not expect motorists to encroach
marking (i.e., “sharrow”), which indicates a lane that is to be
upon the designated bicycle lane. This behavior is most frequently observed during peak hours of traffic.
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
Figure 1
DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED EXPERIMENT The City has chosen three (3) experiment locations to install the solid green cycle lane coating StreetBond CL produced by IPC. The purpose of this experiment is to document, monitor and understand the effects that different colored bicycle facilities have on the behavior of motorists and bicyclists and to examine whether or not this modified traffic control device can effectively improve bike lanes and/or shared lane markings by improving motorist behavior.
Another high risk behavior that the City has observed on
The MUTCD covers the design of shared lane markings in
roadways with designated bicycle lanes is motorist
Section 9C.07 (Shared Lane Marking) and bicycle lane
encroaching on the bicycle lane in order to complete a turn.
markings in Sections 3A.05 (Colors), 3A.06 (Functions,
When motorists turn right, vehicles often fail to yield to
Width, and Patterns of Longitudinal Pavement Markings)
cyclists to their right. This causes a high conflict situation as
and 3B.20 (Pavement Word, Symbol and Arrow Markings).
the cyclist continues to travel straight along the bicycle lane.
The addition of the green cycle lane coating with the shared
This is known as a “right-hook” crash and is one of the
lane markings will not change the meaning of the traffic
most common motorist-bicyclist crash type (Figure 1). This
control but rather enhance it to make motorists more
maneuver is especially a problem at traffic signals where
vigilant of bicyclists that will be traveling on the roadway.
right-turning motorists often react to the green signal
Furthermore the experimental bicycle lanes will not change
indication without checking for cyclists.
the standards or meanings as defined in Sections 3A.06 and 3B.20, however will change the standard and meaning in Section 3A.06. The request to install solid green bicycle
ROADWAY WITH BICYCLE LANES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT STOPS
lanes, will improve upon the traffic control device to better command attention to bicycles’ movements and to keep
The Southeastern Public Transportation Authority (SEPTA) network is very extensive and provides trolley, bus, and train service throughout the greater Philadelphia area. The City has accommodated SEPTA on its street network to encourage ridership on public transportation; however conflicts do arise on multi-modal roadways where motorists, public transportation vehicles and bicyclists share the same space. Traffic volume combined with public transportation
vehicles
making stops
and
aggressive
motorist driving behavior make the roadway seem chaotic and give a feeling of discomfort for all users. Although the public transportation stops and bicycle lanes are signed clearly, motorists still drive aggressively and do not take caution while driving.
motor vehicles out of the bicycle lanes. Although the MUTCD gives detailed guidance as to the design of shared lanes and bike lanes, there is no guidance as to the use of colored pavements as traffic control devices if the color of the pavement is not either yellow or white. Section 3G (Colored Pavements) of the MUTCD directs that if colored pavements will be used as a device that their meeting should be applicable at all times and that the color chosen should contract significantly to the surrounding pavement. To this end, the City of Philadelphia has chosen green colored pavement because other cities in the United State (US) have successfully use green as a traffic control device
to
enhance
travel
safety
on
bicycle
lanes.
Additionally, cities that have experimented with the green Page 5
Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
pavement agree that the color does provide the contrast needed to command proper attention of motorists and
ENHANCED SHARED LANE MARKINGS
cyclists alike. 58 T H Street Connector (Tiger Grant
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has granted
Project)
the approval for the experimental use of colorized bicycle lanes in other parts in the US. The Cities of New York,
The 58th Street Connector is a 1.5 mile urban bicycle route
Chicago, and the State of Vermont are experimenting with
that will connect Bartram’s Garden Trail to Cobbs Creek
the effects of green colored bicycle lanes and the studies
Trail. While the majority of the 58th Street Connector will
are yielding promising results. The City of Portland has
be off-street, a portion of the route along 59th Avenue
successfully installed blue bicycle lanes throughout its
between Cobbs Creek Parkway and Chester Avenue will
network (since converted to green), as has the City of
require cyclists to share a lane with motor vehicles because
Philadelphia. Enhanced shared lane markings have been
the road is too narrow to accommodate a trail. To mark
applied in both Long Beach, California and Salt Lake City,
the route, shared lane markings will be placed on the
Utah and preliminary unpublished results are promising.
roadway to indicate to motorists that bicyclists will be traveling on the roadway and to help position cyclists
The City has applied blue colored bicycle lanes in forty
outside of the door-zone for on-street parked vehicles. To
three (43) locations throughout the City and has
reinforce the message of the shared lane markings, the City
experienced good results with the durability of the
requests to paint a five foot (5’.0”)green “bike zone” in the
treatment. The colorized treatment was applied in 2005 and
middle of the lane to indicate the preferred riding path for
as of fall 2010, 75% of the treatment is still clearly visible.
cyclists (Figure 2). The City hopes the modified traffic
Despite its success, the City is requesting that the green
control device will empower novice cyclists and improve
cycle lane coating StreetBond CL produced by IPC be
motorist yielding and passing behavior.
installed. New York City is using the same specification on their streets and is very satisfied with the treatment’s
Figure 2
durability and have had no complaints from cyclists regarding skidding or sliding on the lane coating. Since weather conditions in New York are similar to that in Philadelphia, the City is confident that the treatment will experience the same success as it has in New York. In addition to the request to experiment, the City will seek proprietary item approval for green cycle lane coating StreetBond CL produced by IPC. Upon receiving FHWA approval to experiment, the City will submit a proprietary item request to PennDOT Central Office for the following three locations for the purposes of this experiment. The manufacturer’s specification is attached for review in Attachment C.
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
ROADWAY SHARING BICYCLE SPACE
Since the new bridge will be accommodating both more motorists and bicyclists, the City wants to ensure safe and comfortable passage to all of the bridge’s users. To encourage more positive roadway behaviors, the City
South Street Bridge Treatment The South Street Bridge is currently being replaced with a four (4) lane, three (3) span bridge that includes replacement of the Interstate 76 East and West Ramps. The bridge will accommodate an estimated 36,758 vehicles in 2027 and include the installation of five foot (5’0”) bicycle
requests solid striping on the bicycle lanes along the length of the bridge that continue through the Interstate 76 signalized intersections to make motorists more vigilant of bicyclists. To clearly demarcate the bicycle lane in this highly traveled
Figure 3
lanes and an eight foot eleven and one half inch (8’11.5”)
roadway, the City requests to install solid green colored
pedestrian sidewalk along both sides of the bridge. The
bicycle lanes across the length of the bridge (Figure 3). The
South Street Bridge bicycles lanes will tie into the bicycle
solid traffic control device will clearly identify the lane for
lanes along South Street on the west side of the bridge and
the exclusive travel of bicyclists, while discouraging
connect to the University City bicycle network.
encroachment behavior of motorists to add comfort and safety to bicyclist.
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes Figure 4
At the signalized intersection at the Interstate 76 ramps, the
consists of replacing the current two (2) lane design with a
City requests to continue the solid green pavement with
three (3) lane design to better accommodate SEPTA trolley
dashed lane markings through the intersection given the
operations and install five foot (5’0”) bicycle lanes and ten
potentially high conflicts in this area (Figure 4). The
foot (10’0”) sidewalk on both sides of the roadway (Figure
continuation of the colored pavement will benefit both
5). The improvements of Richmond Street South of Girard
bicyclists and motorists by highlighting the potential for
Avenue, will replace the existing two (2) lane design with a
turning conflicts.
(4) lane design and install five foot (5’0”) bicycle lanes and
ROADWAY WITH BICYCLE LANES AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
designed to accommodate 22,500 vehicles in the year 2030
ten foot (10’0”) sidewalk (Figure 6). The roadway is and will connect to Bicycle Network E.
I-95 Section GR1 The relocation of Richmond Street North of Girard Avenue
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Figure 5
Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes Figure 6
This section of the Interstate 95 project will not only
safety concerns as with South Street. (Figure 7) At this
accommodate a large volume of motor traffic and provide
intersection the north, west and south legs experience the
trolley service but have accommodations for bicycle lanes.
most volume while the east leg experiences low traffic
With the addition of bicycle lanes and pedestrian facilities, it
levels since it is primarily used as driveway access for ICS
is
public
Corporation employees. Since traffic volume on the east leg
transportation stops and bicycle lanes to delineate travel
of the intersection is a low level driveway, the City
spaces and ensure the safety of all users of this roadway.
proposes only to colorize through intersection for bicycles
The City requests to pave the length of GR1 to delineate
on the northbound traveling lane. However the City will
the bicycle lane from the road being used by both SEPTA
colorize the southbound travel lane for consistency if
vehicles and motorists clearly.
requested by FHWA. By continuing the solid color through
important
to
clearly
mark
and
identify
the intersection both sets of roadway users will use Additionally at the signalized intersection of Richmond
additional caution when crossing paths.
Avenue and Girard Avenue, the City requests to install green lanes through the south bound lane citing the same Figure 7
INSTALLATION The City plans to install these traffic control devices on City maintained on-street bikeways at the three (3) locations before these projects are open to traffic. During the construction phases, the specification will be used to install the green colorized bicycle lanes as depicted above. Since these projects will have the green colorized pavement installed when they are open to traffic, the City will record control data from areas with similar traffic volumes and lane configurations as the proposed installation locations. (See Attachment D)
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
Proposed Data Collection Methodology
Reporting
To collect data, the City proposes that Graduate students
The local planning graduate students will compile and
from local university planning programs record and observe
analyze the data as specified by FHWA and submitted to
motorist and bicyclist behavior at both the control and
the City of Philadelphia’s Streets Department, Pennsylvania
experiment locations yearly in May and again in October
Department
of
over a five year study period. The students will record and
Philadelphia
Division
observe the following behaviors and data:
Headquarters Office.
Proportion of bicyclists riding in the correct direction Proportion of bicyclists riding on the sidewalk
Proportion of bicyclists exhibiting checking for turning vehicles at intersections (as exhibited by head-turning)
and
FHWA
FHWA National
Administration
support as needed from PennDOT and the local graduate schools. The proposed colorized bicycle lanes are not protected by patent or copyright.
Frequency of motorists encroaching onto bicycle
Removal of Experiment
lane
Office
(PennDOT),
The City of Philadelphia will be the sponsoring agency with
Transportation
Proportion of motorists yielding to bicyclists while turning
Motorist roadway position when passing bicyclists
Bicyclist roadway positioning with respect to on-
The City of Philadelphia will remove the experiment within three months of completion of the study in the event that FHWA reaches a decision that changes to the MUTCD are not warranted to include colored pavement markings. In
street parked vehicles (shared lane marking only)
the event that the experiment creates substantial safety hazards, the City of Philadelphia will discontinue the experiment.
Schedule The schedule is dependent on when the proposed locations go into construction. The project will conclude after recording at least two (2) years worth of data at each location. (See Attachment D)
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
ATTACHMENT A – TINTED ACRYLIC EMULSION APPLICATION TINTED ACRYLIC EMULSION APPLICATION BLUE BIKE LANES Length (FT)
Width (FT)
Paving Area (SF)
Allegheny Ave. & Kensington Ave.
70
5
350
Allegheny Ave. & Franklin St.
235
5
1175
Allegheny Ave. & Germantown Ave.
93
5
465
Allegheny Ave. and Richmond St.
60
5
300
Allegheny Ave & Cumberland St.
85
7
595
Aramingo Ave. & Westmoreland St.
110
6
660
Balitmore Ave. & 54th St.
100
5
500
Belfield Ave. & Wister Ave.
70
5
350
Belfield Ave. & 20th St.
110
5
550
Bustleton Ave. & Grant Ave.
110
5
550
Bustleton Ave. & Halderman Ave.
80
5
400
Bustleton Ave. & Norwalk Rd.
130
5
650
Christopher Columbus Blvd. & Pier 70
215
5
1075
Grays Ferry Ave. & Washington Ave.
110
5
550
Grays Ferry Ave. & 34th St.
105
5
525
Haverford Ave. & Landsdowne Ave.
135
6
810
Henry Ave. & Gates St.
70
5
350
Henry Ave. & Wigard Ave.
80
5
400
Lexington Ave. & Ryan Ave.
240
5
1200
Moyamensing Ave. & Washington Ave.
60
6
360
Ogontz Ave. & Camplost Ave.
55
5
275
Ogontz Ave. & Kemble St.
90
5
450
Ogontz Ave. & Olney Ave.
95
5
475
Ogontz Ave. & Walnut Ln.
140
5
700
Intersection
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
TINTED ACRYLIC EMULSION APPLICATION BLUE BIKE LANES Length (FT)
Width (FT)
Paving Area (SF)
Ogontz Ave. & 20th St.
110
5
550
Ogontz Ave. & 7th St.
50
4
200
Oxford Ave & Langdon St.
65
5
325
Parkside Ave. & Monument Rd.
130
6
780
Parkside Ave. & 52nd St.
115
5
575
Pennsylvania Ave. & Fairmount Ave.
70
5
350
Penrose Ave. & Pattison Ave.
85
6
510
Penrose Ave. & Ramp M
110
5
550
Ridge Ave. & Bells Mill Rd.
110
5
550
Spring Garden St. & I-76 Ramp
110
5
550
Thornton Rd. & Woodhaven Rd. (East)
190
5
950
Thornton Rd. & Woodhaven Rd. (West)
110
5
550
Torresdale Ave. & Adams Ave.
255
5
1275
Umbria St. & Domino Ln.
70
5
350
Verree Rd & Bloomfield Ave.
110
6
660
31st St. & Spring Garden St.
105
5
525
5th St. & Race St.
115
5
575
6th St. & Market St.
70
5
350
6th St. & Wood St.
80
6
480
Intersection
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Request for Permission to Experiment with Green Colorized Bicycle Lanes
ATTACHMENT B – TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
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ATTACHMENT C – STREETBONDCL SPECIFICATIONS
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ATTACHMENT D – DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL BIKE LANES
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