Sharrows

Recently, John Luton summarized his findings on use of sharrows in North America on the Thunderhead list serv.

While cycling in Montreal in the first week of September, 2007, there was an opportunity to observe that city's approach to sharrows. Montreal built on Paris' implementation.

It may be argued that cycling facilities need to be designed for a wide range of cyclists. From a marketing perspective and from selling Cycling for Transportation, it may also be argued that if cycling facility designs are not focused on a target group then dramatic growth in cycling will not happen or growth will be slow, at best. Long term data on slow growth of Cycling to Work within North America would support this argument.

Comments on the use of sharrows will be from a perspective of supporting growth of cycling and preparing for the next wave of cyclists - the Third Wave.

Third Wave of Cyclists -usually motorists today who are not encouraged or willing to undertake Cycling for Transportation with current cycling infrastructure on the road and with current designs being used but could be induced to cycling with more extensive designs. From the Cycling in Cities Survey, the Third Wave of Cyclists include those who may cycle occasionally (less than once a week and at least once a year) and those who do not but would cycle if facilities were to their liking.

First Wave of Cyclists - were those willing to cycle on roads with none or limited changes to the infrastructure to accommodate cyclists. Inferring from transportation mode share and cycling to work statistics within North America, it could be conjectured that these cyclists represent about 1% of all the trips to work.

Second Wave of Cyclists - includes those who were attracted to Cycling for Transportation with the current type of road design approaches generally used within North America. Census data on Cycling to Work would suggest that implementation of a comprehensive cycling network and using current cycling facility designs could grow the Cycling to Work statistics to maybe 5% or 6%.

References

Third Wave of Cyclists Presentation - http://presentations.thecyclistwebhouse.com/The_Third_Wave_of_Cyclists/The%20Third%20Wave%20of%20Cyclists%20-%20Introduction_files/frame.htm

UBC Cycling in Cities Survey (2005, 2006) - http://www.cher.ubc.ca/cyclingincities/default.htm

When both cycling and also general traffic flows are in the same direction, white sharrows are used.

When cycling traffic flow crosses general traffic flow, potential points of conflict may occur.

Yellow sharrows are used in these situations.

Wide curb lanes on busy arterial streets tend to be the domain of confident cyclists with a tolerance for risk taking and tend to be avoided by the less confident cyclists. Low cycling volumes on these types of roads are indicative of this, especially in the suburbs.

Some believe that wide curb lanes leads to driving practices which are not conducive in encouraging motorists to choose cycling instead for their chosen mode of transportation.

Wide curb lanes tend to lead to greater street speed and poorer driving habits with lane wandering, especially with the use of cell phones by drivers. It is not uncommon to see drivers veer towards cyclists when passing and then pull back to the left part of the lane afterwards.

An experiment was undertaken about 10 years ago in (then) Metro Toronto on three arterial roads through the use of white edge lines as a way of narrowing wide curb lanes. Monitoring of traffic speed showed that motorists slowed down by about 5 kph after the lane was narrowed.

Placement of sharrows.

Considering cars are about 2.1 metres wide or less and allowing for drift space of 0.5 metres, it is suggested that the sharrows should be placed 2,6 metres from centre line or the next lane marking.

Sharrows in Intersections -

with Local Roads

Sharrows in Intersections -

with Arterial Road

Most drivers seems to stay to the left part of a lane when approaching an intersection and queuing up for a red light.

However, about 10% to 20% of the drivers tend to stay towards the right side of the lane towards the curb or closer to parked cars.

These drivers interfere with cyclists' efficient movement towards and through intersections. Cycling trip time is an important factor in inducing people to use cycling for transportation. (Cycling in the Cities Survey findings)

Cyclists sometimes find themselves queuing up behind a number of cars on a green light with progress blocked by a car waiting to make a right turn.

Without a bike lane on a road, the use of sharrows before an intersection is an approach to channel cars to the left side of the lane thus allow cyclists to proceed up to and through the intersection.

Sharrows leading to an intersection tends to encourage drivers to stay within their designated driving space. More disciplined behaviour by all users of the road should be evident.

Cyclists experience greater cycling efficiency or continuance as their way to the intersection is not blocked by drivers queuing on a red light.

Cars on the intersecting street waiting to make a right turn on a red light sequence are more aware of the potential of cyclists coming from the left and proceeding through the intersection. Parked cars may be hiding visibility of oncoming cyclists from the drivers.

Cyclists frequently complain that intersections are neglected in cycling facilities designs. It is not unusual to find bike lanes stopping short of an intersection, because it was too difficult to design the bike lane through the intersection or car drivers may be inconvenienced.

Montreal is using sharrows for highlighting cyclists movement thorough intersections, providing a more comfortable environment for cyclists.

When a bike lane is halted short of an intersection to provide a right-turn lane for motorists, Montreal's approach on this street was to use sharrows placing them by the curb within the right-turn lane and then return the cyclists to the bike lane on the far side of the intersection before the car parking lane starts.

A narrower right-turn lane by the curb commiserate with slower car speeds in this lane, continuance of the bike lane through the intersection, with a defined transition section for cars movement to the right-turn lane would have been better design for cyclists.

If sharrows are used within a right-turn lane, preferably the sharrows should continue in line with the terminated bike lane, following the cycling pattern of cyclists evident in the picture. For transitioning of cars from the general traffic lane to the right-turn lane, yellow sharrows through the transition section would highlight the potential conflict area.

If sharrows are placed next to the curb then preferably a bike box should be placed across the right-turn lane at the intersection allowing cyclists, during a red light signal phase, to reposition themselves in line with the bike lane on the other side. Potential conflict of cyclists with right turning cars on red light phase would be reduced. Advanced cyclist green phase with delayed right turn phase would also improve the condition for queued cyclists through this intersection.

Sharrows seem to be channel drivers farther away from the curb allowing cyclists to move safely and cycling efficiently to the intersection.

Use of Sharrows for Transitioning between On-Road Cycling and Two-Way Bike Lanes on One Side of road

Use of yellow sharrows when direction of travel of cyclists and cars may cross, highlighting potential points of conflict

Yellow sharrows are used on road creating awareness with motorists that cyclists may emerge from a bike path.

Visibility of emerging cyclists and line of sight between road and bike path may be obstructed by trees, fences, parked vehicles, among others.

H-JEH Becker

hjehbecker@novuscom.net