How to learn highways engineering

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Clive Durdle
How to learn highways engineering

Are there any dummies guides or Coursera courses about the principles of highways law and engineering, preferably looking at practice around the planet and pointing out the best examples?

What professional courses are available?

I was talking with a local authority cycling officer who stated there isnt any professional training about cycling infrastructure

AndyR

Specifically wrt cycling infrastructure there's this course;

http://www.theihe.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Cycling-infrastructure-...

and this one;

http://www.astoncpdcentre.co.uk/distance/Designing%20Infrastructure%20fo...

If you want to know a bit of everything highways/transport related there's also this;

http://www.ptrc-training.co.uk/Events/EventDetails.aspx.aspx?dateid=2120

 

Should have added that the IHE course can lead onto a 'Professional Certificate in Cycling Infrastructure Planning and Design';

http://www.theihe.org/membership/professional-certificates/cycling-infra...

Clive Durdle

Just glanced at the Aston link

 

"Students will look at cyclists’ needs along links and discover at this point that cycle lanes are not the panacea they are all too often thought to be, especially when space is tight "

 

I was hoping for something that isnt littered with unconscious anglocentric assumptions.

landscape_urbanism

It looks as though the Aston course is based on  the 1934 CTC guidance on cycle infrastructure - which changed in 2012-13. I think one would have to study cycleway design in Holland or Denmark - though I wonder if even these enlightened countries place enough emphasis on the amenity aspects of cycling. Both road design and cycleway design need to be 'more than engineering'.

Clive Durdle

Site is wierd!  Got your reply by email - only just readable with formatting garbage - but it isnt appearing here!

 

Comment by landscape_urbanism: 1934 CTC guidance on cycle infrastructure

<p>It looks as though the Aston course is based on &nbsp;the 1934 CTC guidance on cycle infrastructure - which changed in 2012-13. I think one would have to study cycleway design in Holland or Denmark - though I wonder if even these enlightened countries place enough emphasis on the amenity aspects of cycling. Both road design and cycleway design need to be &#39;more than engineering&#39;.</p>
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pete owens

Is there anyone other than highway engineers who thinks that painting cycle lanes on a carriagway is a good idea?

As Easy As Ridi...

FWIW I 've done the IHE course, and I can recommend it. The comments highlighted by Clive in the Aston one are... curious, and don't fill me with confidence!

pete owens

I would avoid the IHE effort. To publish a brochure illustrated with a photo of a narrow door-zone cycle lane just shows how clueless they are. If that leads to profesional certification it is no wonder that we end up with so many farcilities.

AndyR

This is a series of 1 hour long seminars run at UCL, and may also be of interest. Videos of each can be found at the link below.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/transport-institute/events

 

landscape_urbanism

Thank you for the links. I like the TfL video showing how the bi-directional lanes are expected to function - and wonder if they could have built an extra superhighway for the cost of the animation. Here are two video reviews of the first super-Superhighways. 

https://youtu.be/RxkXjcExGK4

https://youtu.be/eCc8KFhvmf0

Sorry I don't know why my posts are not appearing on the cycling embassy site. When I click SAVE the site starts doing something but does not complete the action.

Clive Durdle

Interesting issues I noted on embankment route - floating bus stop near Waterloo Bridge did not seem to have any access for wheelchair and mobility scooter users.

Conflict caused by teenagers leaving a coach.

Runners using the cycle path!  Will horses be next?

Clive Durdle

I am seriously considering purchasing the CROW manual and going a self learning route, but note it was published a few years ago.  Does that matter?  

How is it updated?

I am particularly interested in disability issues and cycling, and I know thinking is continually evolving

Clive Durdle

I am seriously considering purchasing the CROW manual and going a self learning route, but note it was published a few years ago.  Does that matter?  

How is it updated?

I am particularly interested in disability issues and cycling, and I know thinking is continually evolving

 

Where do Dutch and Danish Highways engineers train?

Clive Durdle

I am seriously considering purchasing the CROW manual and going a self learning route, but note it was published a few years ago.  Does that matter?  

How is it updated?

I am particularly interested in disability issues and cycling, and I know thinking is continually evolving

 

Where do Dutch and Danish Highways engineers train?

AndyR

If this is your specific interest I'd try and contact Phil Jones or Adrian Lord of Phil Jones Associates - I believe he/they may have done some work for the Welsh Assembly guidance which addresses this, probaby in more detail than the CROW manual (which is a bit light in this area).

SRD
SRD's picture

A Coursera course (or similar, blanking in the other names) sounds like a brilliant idea. 

 

(I've just signed up for a 6 week Gaelic course at UoE though)

AndyR

If this is your specific interest I'd try and contact Phil Jones or Adrian Lord of Phil Jones Associates - I believe they may have done some work for the Welsh Assembly guidance which addresses this, probaby in more detail than the CROW manual (which is a bit light in this area).

 ETA This text should be in my blank post above. I suggest this posting system needs serious attention!
AndyR

Aside from PTRC's general traffic engineering lectures linked above, they also do some cycling specific lecture series - a 10 week series in London (starting in April) and a 6 week series in Manchester (again, starting in April).

https://www.ptrc-training.co.uk/Training/EveningLectureSeries.aspx

Having done both the Aston and now the IHE courses I would recommend the IHE course. The brochure photo is not representative of the course content , there is an acknowledgement that LTN2/08 is out of date and even that the CROW manual exists and can be consulted (alongside the Welsh Active Travel and LCDS design guides).

AndyR

Try again.

 

Aside from the 20-week genral Transporttation lecture series there are two cycling-specific lecture series - one in London (10 weeks) and one in Manchester (6 weeks) - both starting in April.

https://www.ptrc-training.co.uk/Training/EveningLectureSeries.aspx

Having done both the Aston and IHE courses I would recommend the IHE course as being more up-to-date. There is an acknowledgement that LTN2/08 is out of date, that the CROW anual exists and can be consulted, and an emphasis on using the Welsh Active Travel and LCDS design guides as current best practice.

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