This week we are featuring a new bicycle street (fietsstraat) in Gouda.
The street has been physically arranged in the form of two cycle tracks, running in opposing directions. These cycle tracks are (just) wide enough to accommodate a motor vehicle. The intention is to create the impression of bicycle priority.
It is important to note, however, that this physical design is merely the icing on the cake, a final improvement to an environment that was already well-suited to cycling.
The street is only usable as an access route for the small number of properties in this area; in addition, it functions simultaneously as a through-route for bicycle traffic. These details ensure that the volume of motor traffic is low, and greatly outnumbered by people cycling.
Comments
andreengels
3 July, 2014 - 09:35
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overtaking
It is sometimes thought that overtaking cyclists is not allowed on a fietsstraat. This is not correct. The fietsstraat designation is not a legal designation, and exactly the same traffic rules hold as in 'normal' streets in a city. The sign is there only as a hint, not for changing the rules (in fact, in 's-Hertogenbosch where I live, there are bicycle streets but none is signed as such, unless one counts using red asphalt as signing). However, on a road like this overtaking is made unattractive by the heightened central divider. Bicycle street is not a sign, but a design.
schrodingers_cat
3 July, 2014 - 14:38
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The main point is *very* low levels of motor vehicles
I'm glad you've made it clear that the key ingredient here is very low levels of motor traffic, as a result of making it unusable as a through-route for motor vehicles.
It's far too easy for people to get the impression that putting up a few signs will create a great cycling environment. Here in Berlin we have "Fahrradstraßen" which are nothing more than signs and paint on through-routes, and therefore they remain just as uncomfortable as normal roads. Even in Utrecht I've used a very pretty but car-sick Fietsstraat.
As you say, the design and signs are merely the icing on the almost-completely-car-free cake!
The Alternative Department for Transport - http://departmentfortransport.wordpress.com/