There are increasing political and community pressures to promote walking and cycling as alternatives to the single occupant vehicle. An increased use of these environmentally- friendly modes of transportation will have obvious benefits in promoting the achievement of sustainable transportation systems. Theoretically, from a road safety perspective, a reduction in vehicle kilometres of travel also translates into reduced exposure to collisions, and therefore improved safety. However, unless properly planned, increased cycling and walking can lead to a higher frequency of collisions. This is especially the case in the mixed traffic situations prevalent in North America, due to the increased traffic friction arising from the conflicting characteristics of these transportation modes. There can also be increased collision consequences, or severity, for the increasing volume of vulnerable road users. ICBC has, as part of its Safety Conscious Planning program, developed processes and techniques to assist transportation planners in the safer accommodation of cyclists and pedestrians. In particular, a GIS-based master planning process has been developed and applied in a number of British Columbian cities. This consultation-driven process includes the use of qualitative local knowledge, as well as the application of a quantitative bicycle and pedestrian safety indices. This paper will describe these practices, and highlight the experiences of the recent case studies. For the covering abstract see ITRD E136182.
Abstract