Industry Update: An overview of new Transport and Main Roads Active Transport Technical Publications; Bicycle rider and pedestrian safety at driveways; Fencing and edging treatments for pedestrian and cycle paths

Michael Langdon

Department of Transport and Main Roads QLD

This presentation was delivered at the 2021 Online Conference Series and until October 2022 is only available to registered delegates and Content Access Pass holders via Interchange. For information on accessing this and other presentations please review the Content Access Pass options.

ABSTRACTS

1. Industry Update: An overview of new Transport and Main Roads Active Transport Technical Publications

This presentation will provide an industry update on the new Queensland Transport and Main Roads Active Transport (Walking & Cycling) Technical Publications.

In response to emerging issues and lessons learned from recent projects in the field of Active Transport, the Queensland Department of Transport & Main Roads (TMR) has undertaken research and developed technical guidance. Over the past 18 months the Cycling & Walking Technical Team in the Traffic Engineering Section of Engineering and Technology Branch, has published or updated 14 key technical documents. This presentation will provide a brief overview of each of the Technical Publications highlighting the purpose, intended application, and the key 'take-home' messages. The presentation will provide an overview of emerging issues in this field and promote improved practice in the industry. Specifically, these documents have included the following topics:

• Treatment options to improve safety of pedestrians, bicycle riders and other path users at driveways
• Fencing and edging treatments for cycling infrastructure
• Raised priority crossings for pedestrians and cycle paths
• CycleTracks implementation in Queensland
• Advisory bicycle lanes and cycle streets
• Bicycle lane separation devices
• Including provisions for bicycles in road pavement rehabilitation and resurfacing projects
• Maintenance minimisation for walking and cycling facilities
• Bicycle rider and pedestrian underpasses
• Options for designers of pedestrian and cyclist bridges to achieve value-for-money
• Pedestrian wayfinding and signage
• Providing for people walking and riding at roundabouts
• Options for reducing pedestrian delays at traffic signals
• Pedestrian demand forecasting

2.  A useful infrastructure treatment, often under-utilised : Bicycle rider and pedestrian underpasses - a new Queensland technical guideline

This presentation provides an overview of a recent Queensland Technical Guideline: Bicycle rider and pedestrian underpasses. 

When compared to other road crossing treatments for people who walk and ride bicycles, underpasses:

• are more cost effective than overpasses
• have no crossing vehicle crash risk (safer than at-grade crossings such as signals or refuges)
• have no vehicle traffic delay impact.

Major transport corridors (highways, motorways, rail lines, busways, etc) can act as a barrier and a severance to network connectivity. Historically, underpasses have been viewed as an undesirable crossing outcome due to the perceived safety concerns associated with tunnels and crossings being out of sight. Existing publications warn that underpasses should be avoided without appropriate CPTED and safety treatments. However, effectively planned and designed underpasses can support safe movements for people who walk and ride bicycles, provide a cost-effective crossing option to meet identified desire lines, reduce delays to traffic (that would result from at-grade crossings),as well as provide network connectivity and improved permeability for communities. They should not be ruled out at concept stage, due to issues that can adequately be addressed in the detailed design stage.

This publication is a new ‘best practice’ technical guideline relating to the planning and design of underpasses of major transport corridors, with Queensland-specific practice. It identifies attributes to incorporate in underpass design that will create a suitable crossing treatment to enhance the network as well as provide a safe facility that is appropriate for users. The guideline demonstrates the effectiveness of this treatment and promotes its use, building on the existing information available from Austroads.

3.  When is fencing more of a hazard to path users than a protection? A recent technical guideline: Fencing and Edging Treatments for Cycling Infrastructure

This presentation will provide an explanation and overview of a recently published technical guideline: Fencing and Edging Treatments for Cycling Infrastructure. 

Fences and barrier treatments are used to protect people who walk and ride bicycles from hazards after preventative measures such as eliminating, relocating or reducing the risks from hazards have been considered; however, fences adjacent to paths can also be hazardous to cyclists. Fencing treatments must reduce the net risk to path users and pose less risk than the hazard being treated. On recent Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) projects, both internal and external stakeholders raised concerns that guidance for fencing contained in the Austroads Guide to Road Design (AGRD-6A) can be interpreted in such a way that it recommends fencing in situations where the fence may pose more risk to road or path users than the hazard being treated. In addition, in some situations there may be a 'fencing default' mindset among designers, requiring fences in low risk situations that can end up significantly reducing the amount of usable roadside space and unnecessarily impede on the scenic amenity of path, often at an unnecessary cost. The Austroads Guide to Road Design AGRD-6A, (Section 5.5.3) suggests applying a risk assessment methodology for situations where there are compounding risk factors around cycle paths. This technical publication produced by TMR provides a risk assessment methodology for use in Queensland.

This presentation will provide an overview and walk-through of this technical guideline. This guideline includes cyclists travelling on shared paths, dedicated cycle paths and bicycle lanes where traffic barriers are in place. It provides guidance as to the circumstances in which fences should be installed and describes a variety of treatment options. This guideline provides a risk assessment-based methodology for identifying high risk locations on cycling facilities and recommends fencing options to mitigate these risks. It addresses hazards associated with vertical drops, batters, obstacles and roads. It also considers treatments for multiple risk factors and separation treatment options based on existing practices. The focus is on considering appropriate treatments for managing hazards around cycling facilities, including options for separating cyclists from traffic. It includes photos, drawings and descriptions of a variety of non-fencing, fencing and barrier options for protecting cyclists from hazards around paths and roads, based on existing practices.

Author

Michael Langdon | TMR

Michael Langdon is a Senior Advisor on Cycling and Walking issues with the Traffic Engineering Team of the Engineering & Technology Branch of the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). He has expertise in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure design, technical publications, technical training, traffic data analysis, and project management. Michael has spent the last 15+ years working on cycling and walking projects for TMR: analysing travel behaviours, undertaking safety reviews and infrastructure usage evaluations. Previous work has included: Principal Cycle Network Planning, Cycling & Walking Strategy Development, Regional Transport Planning, Transport Social Marketing, Passenger Transport Strategy, and Community Transport Development.