Bicycle "Skillet"
Heats Up
A group of staff members has been working diligently during
the past year to establish a system to share resources
and experiences in bicycle planning and design. Led by
Steve Plano in the Baltimore, Maryland office, the group
calls itself the PB "Bicycle Skillet"(a small
PAN, or practice area network), based on its status as
a subgroup of PAN 45, Surface Transport Planning.
The idea of the skillet developed over the past few years
as more and more of our staff sought input and guidance
for bicycle projects (or bicycle elements of larger, intermodal
transportation planning projects). No single source of
bicycle information was readily available, but informal
contacts among staff led to discussions regarding current
and future project opportunities. With bicycling (along
with other non-motorized transportation modes) continuing
to receive significant public attention and funding in
the U.S., it became apparent that we needed a more organized
group to share and promote bicycle-planning resources,
so PAN 45 created the Bicycle Skillet.
Skillet members post relevant bicycle information in MS
Outlook public folders in a subfolder of the Surface Transport
Planning PAN. We will establish further subfolders as
needed for areas such as project information, proposals,
qualifications, resumes, documents, resources and graphics
(see All Public Folders/Practice Area Networks/Surface
Transport Planning/Bicycle "Skillet.") In addition,
the group is in the process of establishing a site on
the PB intranet.
Although focused originally on U.S. projects, the skillet
wants to also incorporate the talents and design experiences
of our entire network of professionals, so the group has
sent requests for bicycle-planning material to staff worldwide.
We are working to assemble updated summaries of the company's
bicycle projects and qualifications, and we would appreciate
your assistance and input to help us become a technical
resource center within PB. If you have bicycle-planning
materials to share with other offices, please see the
"read me"document posted at the Bicycle Skillet
directory for instructions on posting your information
in the Bicycle Skillet subfolders.
For information about the Bicycle Skillet or our site
on PB's intranet, contact me at 1-617-960-4932 or silsdorf@pbworld.com.
Scott Silsdorf, Transportation Planner,
AICP |
Successful passenger-oriented intermodal transportation facilities
enable easy transfers between various travel modes, such as from
commuter rail to rail transit, bus to light rail, and rail transit
to airport terminals. Logical intermodal connections that have
been overlooked frequently include those possible between bicycles
and public transportation. During the past ten years, however,
a combination of a resurgence in transit ridership in the U.S.
and an increase in federal funding for bicycle facilities has
lead to new opportunities for accommodating bicycles with intermodal
passenger facilities.
Careful design of bicycle accommodations should:
-
Provide intermodal connections
that are safe and convenient
-
Provide secure bicycle storage
areas
-
Provide bicycle-oriented
amenities to either attract new bicycle riders or better serve
existing ones
-
Result in increasing numbers
of transit riders
-
Reduce the need for space-consuming
automobile parking facilities
-
Help to meet the goal established
by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 1994 to double the
percentage of all trips made by bicycle.
The focus of this article is twofold the status of bicycle intermodal
connections with bus and rail public transportation providers,
and some issues for planners and engineers to consider when responding
to the challenges and opportunities presented by integrating bicycle
facilities with new or existing transit facilities.
Overview of Current Status
Integrating bicycles with public transportation is not a new concept,
as Figure 1 illustrates. A large part of the current momentum
in the U.S. has occurred over the past ten years, however, with
the addition of racks on buses and an increasing accommodation
of bicycles on rail transit vehicles marking the most dramatic
changes. According to the informational Web site, http://www.bikemap.com,
bicyclists now have access to more than 350 public transportation
providers, including 239 local bus systems with bicycle racks,
27 rapid transit systems (light rail or heavy rail), 15 commuter
rail systems, 11 intercity bus lines, 26 ferry systems, 12 Amtrak
routes and 6 scenic rail lines.
Bicycle Accommodations on Buses. A rack mounted to the
front of a vehicle is the primary means of accommodating bicycles
on buses and rideshare vans. Bicycles can be mounted easily by
the bicyclists, and each rack typically accommodates two bicycles.
Some transit agencies allow bicycles inside their buses (when
accompanied by the bicyclists) if the existing rack is full or
the bus is not fitted with a rack. This accommodation is often
subject to restrictions if the bus is full, however, such as during
peak periods.
According to the League of American Bicyclists, in 1993 only one
transit agency provided bicycle racks on buses. Today, an estimated
30,000 bicycle racks are in use across the country and an estimated
500,000 bus riders combine bicycling with transit. Many large
cities, such as Seattle, Washington and San Diego, California,
have outfitted their entire bus fleets with bicycle racks. Seattle
Metro's transit buses carry 60,000 bicyclists per month. The FTA
estimates that bicycles are currently accommodated on 20 percent
of all local transit buses nationwide.
Bicycle Accommodations on Rail Transit. Accommodations for
bicycles vary among agencies and depend on numerous conditions,
such as load factors and vehicle types. Many light rail, commuter
rail and heavy rail transit agencies allow bicyclists to bring
their bicycles aboard trains during non-peak periods or with special
permits and, typically, stand with their bikes in an areas of
the trains that are not crowded.
New York City Subways. In New York City, bicycles are permitted
aboard subway rail cars during all periods, subject to specific
conditions.
Caltrain. Caltrain, the 113-k (70-mile) long commuter rail
line that serves San Francisco and the Silicon Valley in California,
is a leader in bicycle accommodations. Its provisions have expanded
from an initial capacity of four bicycles per train in 1992 to
a minimum of 24 bicycles in the forward car of every train. (A
few trains carry two bicycle cars, for a maximum of 48 bicycles
per train.) Caltrain carries approximately 2,000 bicyclists each
day.
The success of Caltrain's on-board bicycle accommodations has
led to a pilot program to introduce a "two for the price
of one" bicycle locker rental fee. The concept assumes that
if a bicyclist is provided space for a bicycle at both the beginning
and ending station of the rail commute, fewer will bring their
bikes onboard.
Valley Transit Authority (VTA). VTA operates a light rail
transit (LRT) system in San Jose and Santa Clara Counties that
connects with the Caltrain system at two stations. In 1994, VTA
modified each LRT car to accommodate bicycles by removing two
middle seats and installing racks that accommodate four bicycles.
When standing room permits, two additional bicycles may be brought
into the center of the vehicle. Each three-car VTA light rail
train now has the capacity to carry 18 bicycles.
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| Figure
1: (top) Bicycles Aboard Brooklyn trolley, 1890 (Source: National
Center for Bicycling and Walking); and (bottom) Seattle Metro
Bus with Bicycle Rack, 2000 (Source: www.bicyclinginfo.org.) |
 |
Amtrak Intercity Train. Amtrak's standard policy has been
to have bicycles disassembled and packaged in boxes (similar to
airline travel). Now, however, Amtrak is increasing the number
of trains with "roll-on access"--providing bicycle racks
aboard such trains as the "Cascades" route in the Pacific
Northwest (six bikes per train, advance reservations required),
and the "Capital Corridor" route in northern California
(three bikes per California car).
On the East Coast, Amtrak recently announced a "Bikes on
Board" plan and marketing agreement with the East Coast Greenway
Alliance (ECGA), a non-profit organization working to develop
a shared-use path from Maine to Florida. Bicycle racks are currently
available on four East Coast routes in trains with baggage cars,
the "Twilight Shoreliner," "Vermonter," "Ethan
Allen Express" and the "Adirondack."
Funding Improvements
Much of the activity in increasing bicycle intermodal connections
has been fostered by major improvements in the funding of such
projects. Before passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act (ISTEA) and its successor legislation, the Transportation
Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), most bicycle funding
in the U.S. was limited to state and local programs. Funding for
pedestrian and bicycle improvements has grown from $6 million
in 1990 to over $238 million in 1997.
By 1999, it was possible to apply almost all transportation funding
programs to making improvements for bicycling, according to a
DOT study published in April of that year entitled "National
Bicycling and Walking Study: Five Year Status Report. "These
programs, which include funds from both the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), include the
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program, Transportation
Enhancements Program, the Surface Transportation Program and the
National Highway System. Under TEA-21, the FTA will fund 95 percent
of the cost to link bicycles with transit when using federal transit
enhancement grants, and other federal transit funding programs
match 90 percent.
Challenges to Further Integration
Despite the large increase in bicycle intermodal connections during
recent years, we face numerous challenges to further integration.
Some of the issues we need to consider are highlighted below.
Peak Period Accommodation. Large transit systems, such
as those in Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; and Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; operate with peak-period load factors that make
accommodating bicycles on board transit vehicles nearly impossible.
Yet, as accommodation of bicycles grows on other systems with
lower ridership, public expectations for development of bicycle/public
transit commuting options are increasing. When improving bicycle
accommodations aboard transit vehicles is not possible, other
enhancements, such as better accommodations at stations, will
become essential to further integrating bicycles with transit
systems nationwide.
System Integration. Across the country and around the
world, public transportation systems are becoming more intermodal
as new systems and system expansions connect to existing services.
New light rail transit systems are linking with local bus systems
and other rail transit systems. At Hoboken Terminal, New Jersey's
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line will provide direct connections
to both NJ Transit commuter rail and Port Authority Trans Hudson
(PATH) trains, further linking New Jersey and Manhattan. In Boston,
preliminary engineering is underway to extend Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority's (MBTA)'s commuter rail service (currently
serving eastern Massachusetts and running south to Providence,
Rhode Island) to Nashua, New Hampshire. With these extensions
come new system integration challenges. Bicyclists, like other
transit customers, prefer consistent policies and operating standards
regardless of which jurisdiction or agency is providing a transit
service. Providing this consistency in an environment with multiple
operators and public transit modes may be the next hurdle to greater
integration of bicycles and public transit.
System Compatibility. Even transit systems operated by
a single authority suffer difficulties with system-wide bicycle
integration. In Boston, for example, due to capacity constraints
and access issues, the MBTA's green line prohibits bicycles at
all times, but permits them on all other MBTA rail lines during
weekends and off-peak conditions. In addition, bicyclists are
prohibited from entering or exiting four transit stations in downtown
Boston due to safety and congestion concerns.
These types of problems are generally restricted to older transit
systems, and finding solutions is a challenge for "comeback
cities" such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago.
As older stations in these cities are modernized, bicycle access
improvements should also be considered in order to improve compatibility
throughout the transit system.
Jurisdictional Issues. Local governments are usually responsible
for designating and providing bicycle routes and making on-street
improvements that accommodate bicyclists -features that are critical
to bicyclists' access to public transit. For bicycle intermodal
connections to continue to evolve, local governments will need
to work with public transit providers to improve bicycle access
and work toward developing a coordinated system of bicycle routes.
Cooperation and communication between agencies will be required
if we are to see significant improvements.
Excessive Administration. One challenge to transit systems'
expanding bicycle access is the administrative burden of the new
programs and services. To stem the problem of escalating administration
of bicycle programs, many transit systems have recently stopped
requiring bicyclists to carry permits in order to bring bicycles
on transit vehicles. These include Boston's MBTA, New Jersey Transit,
Washington D.C.'s Metrorail and the San Diego Trolley.
Recommendations - What PB Can Do
Safety and Liability. Bringing bicycles aboard vehicles
and into station areas, stairwells and train platforms can raise
safety issues. To reduce safety risks, most agencies have strict
minimum-age requirements for bicyclists and restrict bicycles
from being ridden in the station areas. Bicyclists are often required
to allow "regular" passengers to enter or exit transit
vehicles first. In vehicles where bicycles may be stored in unoccupied
seating areas, cyclists must give up their space to any disabled
passengers who need seats. Despite these and many other safety
and compatibility policies, the presence of bicycles aboard transit
vehicles can lead to liability issues. Potential legal issues
should be researched for any new bicycle accommodations
In many of our projects, we planners and engineers may be asked
to incorporate bicycle accommodations into transportation facilities
or to provide operational or management consultation to transit
agencies operating new or existing transit services. By considering
the following simple recommendations, we can lead in the development
of bicycle accommodations with public transportation facilities.
Stay Informed. A primary purpose of this article is to
highlight current activities related to bicycle integration with
public transportation. Our staff should remain aware and informed
about bicycle planning and design issues. To help meet this requirement,
the PB Bicycle Skillet has been formed to foster the sharing of
challenges and successes with regard to bicycle projects (see
sidebar).
Assess the Current Situation. When beginning a project
that may include the opportunity for enhancing bicycling connections
with public transportation, assess the status of bicycle usage
in the area or on the system and determine what the opportunities
are for integration. If the opportunities are low, decide why.
Is it a policy issue, a design constraint or an access issue that
would preclude increased bicycle use in the facility? Also, find
out if another agency or local jurisdiction is doing something
that might change the situation. For example, is a city or county
bicycle plan being formulated that may address improving access
to pubic transportation?
Involve Local Bicyclists. Public involvement activities
should seek input from bicycle users and groups in the project
area. Projects that receive input are more likely to be successful
than projects planned or designed with no input from potential
users. Use project mailings to target local clubs, and look for
opportunities to include bicyclists on project advisory committees.
| Related
Web sites
The following Web sites provide additional information on
integrating bicycles into public transportation facilities:
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Consider Bicycle Access when Choosing New Station Locations.
Automobile access is almost always used as a station site selection
criterion. Bicycle access should also be considered. Often, bicyclists
will access the station area using the same route as automobiles;
however, there may be an opportunity to provide direct linkages
to existing or planned trails or other bicycle routes in the station
area. In either case, review surrounding streets for their bicycle
accommodations using either a qualitative method or a quantitative
method, such as the bicycle level of service (BLOS) assessment.
Plan and Design for Bicycle Access. Station designs should
capitalize on the surrounding bicycle network. New rail transit
stations, particularly in suburban environments, have opportunities
for accommodating bicycles in the design of streets and parking
areas. Station accommodation should consider bicycle signage,
bicycle lanes or exclusive-use trails to connect local streets
to station areas. When new traffic signals are installed to control
vehicle access to stations, consider adding bicycle loop detectors
for signal actuation.
Provide Adequate Parking Accommodations. Offering safe
and secure bicycle-parking facilities is one of the simplest ways
to combine bicycling with public transit. (See also "Introduction
to Bicycle Parking," by Shawn Dikes.) The passengers
who are most willing to bicycle to a transit station are typically
capable of riding in mixed traffic and desire a safe place to
store their bicycles at the station.
Consider Other Amenities. Providing bicycle-amenities
at transit stations may help increase the use of bicycles in transit
access trips. Bicycle "stations" introduced in California
cities, such as Long Beach, Palo Alto and Berkeley, provide various
amenities that include valet parking for bicycles, repair services,
rentals, restrooms and changing rooms.
Specify Bicycle Access on New Transit Vehicles. If a transit
project involves creating vehicle specifications, consider incorporating
bicycle racks. Many of the transit vehicle bicycle racks in use
in the U.S. today represent "first generation" attempts
at accommodations. As new vehicles are procured, there are opportunities
to improve bicycle access while still meeting seating and regular
accommodations.
We must integrate multiple modes to improve the transportation
system for all travelers if we are to play a meaningful role in
solving public transportation problems effectively. In many communities,
bicycle travel has become an important part of the public transportation
infrastructure, yet there is potential for much better accommodation.
By understanding current issues and following the recommendations
listed above, planners and engineers can facilitate further integration
of bicycles into existing and new public transportation facilities.
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