Bike route
As VeloRoute inner-city bike routes are usually called. In many cities, they interlock to form a well-signposted network of paths for non-motorized traffic. As the word component 'Velo' for bicycle suggests, the first bicycle routes were set up in Swiss cities. In Switzerland, however, supra-local signs are also referred to as cycle routes, such as those of the nationwide Veloland Schweiz network .
In contrast to cycle paths, bike routes in cities and conurbations are primarily used for everyday traffic. The planning and implementation of local bicycle traffic concepts play a key role in the usability of the cycle routes.
In Hamburg , bike routes have been planned and expanded as city-wide main routes for everyday bicycle traffic since the bike route concept was introduced in the late 1990s. There they are differentiated from leisure routes and long- distance cycle paths , which can have the same route over short sections. In the bicycle signposting, they are distinguished from the recreational routes by different colored numbers.
elements
Bike routes make it easier for bike users to cover longer inner-city routes quickly, away from car noise and exhaust fumes. In the course of a cycle route, cyclists can be guided on the various transport systems. These can be lanes of streets (if possible with little vehicle traffic or 30 km / h zones), bicycle traffic facilities on busy streets or car-free paths, such as. B. Independent bike paths .
Cycling on cycle routes should be safe, fast and pleasant. The paths used should ideally be provided with machine-made asphalt. Motor vehicle traffic regulations such as road blocks and one-way regulations should reduce the car load in the streets used, so that the main route of cycling for motorists is broken down into a series of dead ends and loops. Parts of a cycle route can also be given the status of a cycle road , so that cyclists can ride side by side (situation in Germany). In the case of mountainous topography, bike routes should be laid out in such a way that slopes are optimally distributed for cyclists. Last but not least, guided tours at intersections are important that reduce car speeds (geometric design), but for cyclists avoid loss of time, detours and frequent changes of direction (no zigzag guidance) and bypass or relocate traffic jam areas.
The travel times of cycling can be reduced by various measures:
- direct lines
- sufficient width to overtake each other according to the traffic load
- low-resistance surfaces (asphalt instead of concrete pavement)
- short red phases at signal-controlled intersections, e.g. B. by signaling separated from pedestrian traffic and by several green phases per program cycle .
- Green waves for cycling
- Crossing aids in the form of central islands instead of "pedestrian lights" for faster crossing of busy streets. Make sure that there are no edges in the direction of travel and that there is sufficient space for bicycles with trailers.
- Right of way for cyclists on the cycle route as the main route for urban traffic. There are several use cases that have already been investigated, e.g. B. in Hanover or Bremen (see photo).
- Level-free guidance at crossings of main roads and railways
If the travel speed and range of cyclists is increased on longer stretches due to the right of way of cycle traffic at intersections or level-free guided tours, one speaks of cycle superhighways (the criteria of which are only bindingly defined in North Rhine-Westphalia ), or with criteria clearly defined nationwide by the FGSV , of fast bike connections .
Route guidance and information
Cycle routes can sometimes coincide with regional long- distance cycle paths . Although both should be pleasant to drive on, bike routes as everyday connections place different demands on the paths and roads used than tourist routes. Bike routes should be suitable for all weather conditions, even in the dark, and be passable as quickly as possible. Paths that are difficult to see and those with heavy pedestrian traffic are not very suitable for bike routes. While sights are highlights for cyclists, for everyday cyclists they are more like places with annoying traffic and pedestrian crowds.
Each individual cycle route is usually part of a network concept . Some cities, such as Munich and Berlin, have named important bike routes with numbers or names in order to improve identification and orientation. Cyclists should find continuous cycle signposts with symbols or route numbers and destination information on cycle routes. Other cities rely on destination signs without route symbols.
It is helpful to publish the cycle route network in city maps , in leaflets on individual routes or in route planners on the Internet or as an app for smartphones .
Examples
In the meantime, most major German cities have redesigned inner-city bike signs and some of the routes that are signposted to make them suitable for cycling. Therefore, instead of a list that claims to be complete, only outstanding examples are mentioned here:
- One of the first German cities with bike routes was Kassel , a city with relatively few bike paths along the road and very hilly geography.
- The Munich cycling network offers an example of the combination of structural improvements at crucial points, reliable signposting and successful information in the cycle city map and the Internet. See also: Bicycle traffic in Munich
- In most parts of the state, the cycling network in North Rhine-Westphalia is geared towards the needs of everyday cyclists and many cities have signposted good cycle route networks within the framework of this state-wide concept.
- The Hamburg cycle route network is to be expanded to a total length of 280 kilometers by 2020. It is supplemented by a 400-kilometer network of leisure routes.
Web links
- City of Munich: Munich bike routes. With the bike through the city
- City of Hamburg: Hamburg's Velorouten: Bicycle routes for everyday life