bikeway design | Transportation Research and Education Center

Towards Effective Design Treatment for Right Turns at Intersections with Bicycle Traffic

The overall goal of this research was to quantify the safety performance of alternative traffic control strategies to mitigate right-turning-vehicle/bicycle collisions, often called "right-hook" crashes, at signalized intersections in Oregon.

A two stage experiment was developed in the OSU high-fidelity driving simulator to investigate the causal factors of right-hook crashes at signalized intersections with a striped bike lane and no right-turn lane, and to then identify and evaluate alternative design treatments that could mitigate the occurrence of right-hook crashes.

Experiment 1 investigated motorist and environmental related causal factors of right-hook crashes, using three different motorist performance measures:

visual attention,
situational awareness (SA) and
crash avoidance behavior.

Data was collected from 51 participants (30 male and 21 female) turning right 820 times in 21 different experimental scenarios. It was determined that the worst case right-hook scenario occurred when a bicycle was approaching the intersection at a higher speed (16 mph) and positioned in the blind zone of the motorist. In crash and near crash situations (measured by time-to-collision) the most common cause was a...

Why doesn't that traffic signal ever turn green? An evaluation of roadway markings for cyclists

The video begins at 1:37.

View slides

Summary: Signalized intersections often rely on vehicle detection to determine when to give a green light. The 2009 Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) includes an on-pavement marking and curbside sign that public agencies can use to indicate where cyclists should position themselves while waiting at an intersection. This presentation reviews the effectiveness of current markings, signs, and other methods used to help cyclists properly position themselves over detection.

Stefan Bussey is an undergraduate civil engineering student at Portland State University. He is interested in exploring how road users’ interactions with each other and the built environment affect the efficiency and safety of road networks. He currently works as a civil design intern at Harper Houf Peterson Righellis Inc.

Beyond the Bike Hook: Linking Bicycles and Transit

The video begins at 2:58.

Abstract: While TriMet and other transit agencies serve many commuters by having racks for bikes on trains and buses, large bike parking facilities in global capitals of urban bicycling provide the key link between bikes and transit. Following the lead of European and Asian cities, the Portland region is starting to develop a network of bike-transit facilities; TriMet is piloting smart bike parking technology in the form of electronic bike lockers and "Bike & Rides". This presentation discusses the background and planning for bike-transit integration in the region and shares insights into bike-transit travel patterns, habits, and market segmentation gained from recent rider surveys.

Sam Baek and the Jajeongeo: Visiting the Bike City of Korea

The video begins at 2:13.

View slides

Abstract: City of Davis Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator Tara Goddard recently visited Sangju, South Korea as part of a "sister city" delegation. Sangju is the "Bike City" of Korea, with a bicycle mode share approximately that of Davis and Portland combined. Tara will share photos and lessons learned from that trip, compare the bicycle facilities of Sangju with that of Davis and Portland, and discuss opportunities for future bicycle research in East Asia.

Friday Transportation Seminar: Bicycle Safety (and Other) Research at CARRS-Q in Brisbane, Australia

LOCATION: PSU, Urban Center Building, Room 204 (Distance Learning Center Wing)
LIVESTREAM ONLINE: Click here on the day of the seminar to stream it live

SEMINAR VIDEO

Bicycle Safety (and Other) Research at CARRS-Q in Brisbane, Australia

This presentation will begin with an overview of the activities of the Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety-Queensland. Then a number of bicycle safety research projects...

Youth Mobility Concepts--Planning Safe Routes for Kids

The video begins at 2:10.

Millennials prefer walking to driving, so housing market is changing

Trick or Treatment? Impact of Route-Level Features on Decisions to Walk or Bike

The video begins at 0:34.

View slides

Speaker: Joseph Broach, Ph.D. Candidate, Portland State University
Topic: Trick or Treatment? Impact of Route-Level Features on Decisions to Walk or Bike
Summary: Some travel routes attract people walking and cycling, while others may scare them away. What features of street environments are most important, and how do available routes affect decisions to bike or walk on a specific trip?

Research to date has focused on either large-scale areal measures like "miles of bike lane nearby" or else has considered only shortest path routes. Neither method is suited to capturing the impact of targeted route-level policies like neighborhood greenways. This session will present a new technique for measuring bike and walk accessibility along the most likely route for a given trip. The method is applied to travel data, and results provide new insight into the relationship between route quality and travel mode choice.

Measuring and Modeling Cyclists’ Comfort and Stress Levels

View slides

Watch video:

Measuring and modeling cyclists’ comfort and stress levels

Some researchers have tried to categorize cyclists’ levels of traffic stress utilizing facility or traffic data that can be readily measured in the field, such as motorized travel lanes, travel speeds, and type of bicycle infrastructure.

This seminar will present data and modeling results utilizing two novel data sources:

(a) real-world, on-road measurements of physiological stress as cyclists...

Cyclist Compliance at Signalized Intersections

Watch video

View slides

Summary: Although the running of red lights is perceived by motorists as a commonplace behavior for cyclists, little research has been done on the actual rates of cyclist compliance at signalized intersections. Furthermore, little is known about the factors that influence cyclist non-compliance. This research seeks to illuminate the rates of and reasons for infringement against red lights using video footage and survey data from cyclists in Oregon.

Bio: Sam became interested in transportation and planning while studying abroad in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. After benefiting from the efficient transit service and excellent walkability there, he came back to the states with a gusto for safe, efficient, and environmentally sustainable transportation. After finally figuring out what to do with his Civil Engineering degree, he enrolled in Portland State. Sam's research interests include cyclist behavior and the comprehension and safety implications of new infrastructure. Originally hailing from Kansas, he has grown weary of Wizard of Oz jokes but is otherwise happy to call Portland his home, especially with the abundance of good coffee, micro brews, and stellar pie that PDX has to offer.

Pages