Shared-use paths, defined as paved off street facilities for non-motorized traffic, attract a large variety of users with purposes ranging from commuting to recreation. This article describes an effort to develop guidelines and a simple tool to help trail managers and planners optimise their designs for shared-use paths. The research involved four primary efforts. The first task was to develop theoretical equations with which to estimate users' passing and meeting events on shared-use paths. Next, the research team collected field data on path operations to calibrate and validate the equations for conditions in the United States. The third task involved collecting data on the perceptions of path users and developing a model relating those perceptions to operational and geometric variables. Finally,the researchers developed a computer-based tool to estimate the level of service on new or existing shared-use paths. The model is applicable to a variety of problems related to trail planning and design, including overcrowding and accommodating diverse user groups. It is especially useful for tasks where trail managers need quantitative measures to augment qualitative criteria to strengthen the basis for decision making about trail design.
Abstract