The Tasmanian Government has released a design guide to help local councils build safe, comfortable all ages and abilities bike riding infrastructure.
Until now, local councils have had to rely on the AustRoads riding infrastructure guides, which don’t always recommend best practice and may not suit Tasmanian conditions.
Other states and cities have developed bike riding guidelines to ensure the infrastructure being built is safe, consistent and caters to the broadest range of people.
The Tasmanian Cycling Infrastructure Design Guide is the first of its kind for the state and fits into a suite of guidance that the Department of State Growth is developing to support itself and councils to help more people ride.
Like the recently released Tasmanian Walk, Wheel, Ride Policy, it focuses on all forms of active transport and travel including standard bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
As such, the guidance moves away from the traditional painted bike lane on roads to the sort of infrastructure that feels safer and more comfortable for a wide range of people to use: on-road separated lanes, traffic-calming and off-road paths.
Importantly, the guidance is informed by the state’s Towards Zero road safety strategy which aims for no one to be seriously injured or killed on our roads. As part of this approach, high quality bike infrastructure that protects riders from danger is fundamental.
The principles which direct the guidance include:
- Safe: infrastructure is all ages and abilities designs that feel safe during the day and night, and minimise interaction with vehicle traffic
- Direct: priority given to the shortest routes between key locations
- Comfortable: people of all ages and abilities can comfortably move around and pass each other
- Connected: routes are continuous and fully connected
- Attractive: streets and public spaces are a please to ride along
- Adaptable: designs are flexible and able to respond to changes in user needs.
The guidance gives planners and engineers four typical Tasmanian street types and the kinds of infrastructure that may fit them:
- Two-way main street
- One-way main street
- Suburban connector street with bus route
- Local neighbourhood street.
It’s a practical look at what works and what will suit Tasmanian streetscapes, with useful illustrations showing how each element fits together. It also provides tables to help designers plan infrastructure based on volumes and speed of traffic as well as all ages and suitability suitability and diagrams of each infrastructure element.
You can download a copy of the guidance and policy at: www.infrastructure.tas.gov.au/policy_and_advice/active_transport
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