Bicycle Board Members,

Copenhagen is one of those places that we usually think of as cycling paradise.  A 9-page report at  http://www.trafitec.dk/pub/Road safety and percieved risk of cycle tracks and lanes in Copenhagen.pdf summarizes their experience with rail trails and bike lanes.  (They call them cycle tracks and cycle lanes.)

Based on more than 1,500 traffic counts, construction of cycle tracks increased bicycle traffic 18-20% and reduced car traffic 9-10%.  Cycle lanes increased bicycle traffic 5-7% but didn’t change car traffic.

Based on interviews of more than 1,000 cyclists, almost 90% perceived that cycle tracks are safe and more than 80% perceived that bike lanes are safe while only 55% of them perceived that cycling in mixed traffic is safe.

Based on data from more than 8,500 accidents, between intersections (same direction traffic flow), cycle tracks reduced accidents and injuries by 10% and 4% respectively but  at intersections, cycle tracks increased accidents and injuries by 18%.  Cycle lanes increased injuries 15%.

I found Table 1 in the report most interesting.  While cycle tracks reduced car against same-direction-cyclist accidents 63%, they increased right-turning car against cyclist  accidents 129% and increased left-turning car against cyclist accidents 48%. 

The report substantiates a dilemma we have to wrestle with:  1) people perceive bike paths and bike lanes to be safer than riding in traffic; 2) more people ride bikes when they have bike paths and bike lanes; 3) bike paths and bike lanes lead to a disproportionate increase in accidents and injuries.

If you don’t like these statistics, there are some cool pictures of Copenhagen in the article, too;)

4ank