Spoorbaanpad is a 12 kilometer (7.45 miles) long fast cycle route in Almere. According to a site about fast cycle routes in the Netherlands it is the longest urban cycle route of the country used by 21,000 cyclists per day. The name means ‘Rail road path’ and refers to the fact that it follows the rail road for its entire length. I visited Almere for my series of modern fast cycle routes in the Netherlands.
"Spoorbaanpad" a cycle path right through Almere, the blue part is shown in the second video Link to map
Almere is the youngest city of the Netherlands. Last month it was only 35 years ago that a handful of people got the key to the first permanent homes. Almere grew rapidly from the first 50 people in 1976 to a city of 190,000 last year. Putting it in the top 10 of largest cities in the Netherlands. By 2030 the city will have an expected population of 350,000 making it the 5th largest city. Almere is so young because it was founded on reclaimed land: sea bottom not 50 years ago. After a ring dike was finished in 1967 the area was pumped dry by 1968. The first trees were planted in 1969 but most of the city is from the 1980s. That makes almost all in the city not much older than 30 years and everything was designed, including of course all infrastructure.
Almere city centre, not your typical Dutch city. From right to left just behind the tall buildings you can see the elevated cycle path "Spoorbaanpad" next to the also elevated railway.
The infrastructure was designed following the Dutch principles of segregation. Traffic with a different speed, mass and direction is kept apart from traffic with another speed, mass and direction to improve overall road safety. Since this city was literally started from a blank canvas the principles could be followed 100%.
We therefore find no less than four entirely separated grids of infrastructure:
an elevated railroad with only multi-level crossings;
separated bus-only tracks (that can also be used by emergency vehicles);
separated fast through cycle routes;
through roads and connector roads for private motorised traffic only.
The four different grids; black dotted line, rail road; green (dotted) lines: cycle paths; yellow lines: bus tracks; thick gray lines: private motorised traffic only, thin gray lines: shared space motorised traffic/bicycles.
Note how direct the cycle/bus routes are and how indirect the routes for private motorised traffic.
Most of the crossings of these grids are multi-level. Unfortunately the bus track crossings for cyclists are all level crossings but they are traffic light controlled and these lights are green for cyclists most of the time, unless a bus arrives. Cyclists also cross most of the main roads at a different level. There is just a handful of level crossings with motorised traffic. Only the end-destinations, the small low speed residential streets, are shared space for private motorised traffic and cyclists. But there the speed differences are almost eliminated because these streets have a speed limit of 30 km/h or 18mph.
Spoorbaanpad, a look into how it is used, the final 90 seconds show the biggest crossing and the interaction between motorists and cyclists.
Some details tell us the route is already a bit older. The width is not consistent for all of the route and neither is the surface. The level crossings with the bus tracks almost seem a design flaw. Even though the route crosses the bus tracks only about 5 times, I had to stop twice for a bus and that is a bit odd for a "non-stop cycle route" to say the least. But one junction is even stranger, a crossing with a main road near the end of the route. It is the only crossing where cyclists do not have priority over motorised traffic which is inconsistent with the principles of a modern fast cycle route. The last 90 seconds of the first video focuses on this crossing because something strange happens there. Even though the cyclists do not have priority here, they do get it most of the time. Here we see the other Dutch road safety principles of predictability and forgivingness at work: since drivers know exactly where the cyclists want to go they are willing to be courteous. Not very strange because the design of the junction (with large speed bumps for drivers) also implies cyclists could have priority. It is interesting to see most cyclists respond just as friendly with a ‘thank you gesture’.
The (almost) full route at very high speed: 11 kilometers in 5 minutes, only the first kilometer is missing but that is going through an area that has yet
to be developed. It then goes through the centre and the end is
in the east of Almere.
".. because the design of the junction (with large speed bumps for drivers) also implies cyclists could have priority. " In Assen, the South quadrant of what was - long ago - the road around the ditch surrounding the then village, in short: Zuidersingel, is being reshaped and turned into a 30 km/h road with shared use by cyclists and drivers. There is a crossing which is 3-way for drivers and 4-way for cyclists as one leg is for cyclists only. Cyclists usually had to give way there to drivers on Zuidersingel, but as the crossing has now been raised and marked with white bands, drivers feel that they are entering the "table" and give way to cyclists (and pedestrians, for that matter). It's an almost subconscious reaction to a warning given by the road itself; there are no signs.
In the same vein, the footpath along the water has been removed and trees have been planted there, with a new, narrow footpath slalomming between the trees. I'm not sure but it very much looks like this has been done to discourage cyclists from taking the footpath - as there is no separate cycle path anymore. Design that works. Maybe David can post some photos.
When I lived in Amsterdam I used this path quit a lot visiting friends in Almere buiten. It will need some maintenance because some of the tarmac is uneven or better word is "sinking".
Another great bicycle route is from Lent (trainstation) straight to Nijmegen Central station and ending (today) by the Radboud University.It's just 4,5km far and runs completely parallel to the railway tracks but almost without crossings and traffic lights.
What I find interesting is that at 01:21, the light for bicycles turns green again immediately after the bus goes by. There isn't a few seconds added there. I like it.
@Clark: even more interesting is that the arrival of the bus is signalled not only by a red light (because cyclists tend to ignore them?) but also by a bell like on railway crossings. New to me.
The part of the route at the start of the movie was made with European money, and, as you can see clearly, utterly destroyed a few years later. This kind of design is generally not accepted for highways as the A6, parallel to this path at the east side. The numerous sharp bends make it dangerous in the dark and are completely unnecessary speed breakers.
@kegge I too wondered about the strange curves. But then I realized that they were only at crossings. I think they are detours for when the multilevel crossings have to be built. In the plans I saw the path is straight again and with multilevel crodsings.
Great videos! I have to visit Almere again, it has been a long time I was there. The interaction between cyclists and car drivers is really good. I think the design of the bends at crossings is to provide sight under the railway bridge and to slow down cyclists and mopeds. And as mentioned already, it gives space to build a bridge.
Frits B: Yeah, it's treated like a train crossing. Something to tell you that you can't expect conventional traffic (that might stop for you) but buses that will go through without stopping.
kegge13 and Mark: My assumption about the curves around the intersections was that they were there to avoid blind corners. It helped both those driving on the cross roads and those cycling on the paths see each other without a surprise.
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The next open study tour is in August 2013. Book a place in order to experience for yourself how policy and infrastructure in Assen and Groningen have led to the high cycling modal share in this area.:
The positive stuff Three types of safety - As well as preventing injuries and death, high quality cycling infrastructure addresses both subjective safety and social safety which are of vital importance in encouraging people to cycle. Dutch Safety Figures - Cyclists in the Netherlands are the safest in the world, but it has little if anything to do with "safety in numbers". Sustainable safety - the principles which have lead to Dutch roads, streets and cycle-paths being safe. A million per hour - The scale of cycling in the Netherlands is enormous. Dutch people make more cycle journeys each day than the entire English speaking world put together. Campaigning - a collection of posts about how to campaign for more cycling, including reference to "Stop the child murder", a successful campaign from the 1970s. What Works - examples of policy, infrastructure and campaigning which have made a different in the Netherlands. Superhighways - "Cycling superhighways" are not a new idea in the Netherlands Cycle Paths - Well designed cycle paths benefit all cyclists, regardless of experience or speed Segregation without cycle paths - you don't always need a cycle path to keep cyclists safe from motorists Unravelling of routes is vitally important History - how the Netherlands got to where it is now. See especially "Stop the child murder" Before and After - views of places before and after they have been transformed for cycling Directness - examples of prioritising cycling Traffic Lights - examples of how cyclists can be prioritised and kept safe at traffic light junctions. Note that it's almost always possible to turn right on a red light when cycling in the Netherlands. Roundabouts - roundabouts in the Netherlands have one very important feature to learn from: They keep cyclists away from motor vehicles. This is far more important than the differences in geometry vs. roundabouts in other countries. Exceptional infrastructure is always nice to see, but remember that a dense network of mundane routes is far more important to boost cycling modal share Gritting of cycle paths - dealing with snow and ice. Children - It may seem hackneyed, but children really are the future. If they can't cycle safely then where will future adult cyclists come from ? This is why children should be the primary focus of campaigners. Note also that according to UNICEF, Dutch children are the happiest in the world. School travel - Everyone knows that Dutch children cycle to school, but it's a surprise to many people that school trips are also usually by bike. Cycle Parking - including our favourite design of stand. Cycle Parking at railway stations, see in particular Groningen and Assen as each have multiple posts showing how the cycle parking has grown over time. Health effects of cycling Road Works - It's important that cyclists are thought of when there are road works. If the environment becomes hostile for cyclists then they may stop cycling and never start again. Commuting - Commuting cyclists are interesting, but they're not the only people who should ride bikes. Anatomy of a reliable everyday bicycle - the common features of bikes used by nearly every person every day in the Netherlands. Speed - Some people have the idea that Dutch cyclists are slow. This isn't true. It is just that in the Netherlands, everyone cycles, including the slow people. Fast cyclists are as fast as anywhere. These posts show people who ride faster than average, using the same infrastructure as those who ride slower.
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A cyclist in a cycling family living in the capital of the cycling province of the world's greatest cycling country.
I was born in the UK, lived for over 8 years in New Zealand and have lived in the Netherlands since 2007.
I organise cycling infrastructure study tours, run an online bicycle shop, arrange cycling holidays and write a popular blog about cycling.
My email address is avftcp@hembrow.eu
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8 comments:
".. because the design of the junction (with large speed bumps for drivers) also implies cyclists could have priority. "
In Assen, the South quadrant of what was - long ago - the road around the ditch surrounding the then village, in short: Zuidersingel, is being reshaped and turned into a 30 km/h road with shared use by cyclists and drivers. There is a crossing which is 3-way for drivers and 4-way for cyclists as one leg is for cyclists only. Cyclists usually had to give way there to drivers on Zuidersingel, but as the crossing has now been raised and marked with white bands, drivers feel that they are entering the "table" and give way to cyclists (and pedestrians, for that matter). It's an almost subconscious reaction to a warning given by the road itself; there are no signs.
In the same vein, the footpath along the water has been removed and trees have been planted there, with a new, narrow footpath slalomming between the trees. I'm not sure but it very much looks like this has been done to discourage cyclists from taking the footpath - as there is no separate cycle path anymore. Design that works. Maybe David can post some photos.
When I lived in Amsterdam I used this path quit a lot visiting friends in Almere buiten.
It will need some maintenance because some of the tarmac is uneven or better word is "sinking".
Another great bicycle route is from Lent (trainstation) straight to Nijmegen Central station and ending (today) by the Radboud University.It's just 4,5km far and runs completely parallel to the railway tracks but almost without crossings and traffic lights.
What I find interesting is that at 01:21, the light for bicycles turns green again immediately after the bus goes by. There isn't a few seconds added there.
I like it.
@Clark: even more interesting is that the arrival of the bus is signalled not only by a red light (because cyclists tend to ignore them?) but also by a bell like on railway crossings. New to me.
The part of the route at the start of the movie was made with European money, and, as you can see clearly, utterly destroyed a few years later. This kind of design is generally not accepted for highways as the A6, parallel to this path at the east side. The numerous sharp bends make it dangerous in the dark and are completely unnecessary speed breakers.
@kegge I too wondered about the strange curves. But then I realized that they were only at crossings. I think they are detours for when the multilevel crossings have to be built. In the plans I saw the path is straight again and with multilevel crodsings.
Great videos! I have to visit Almere again, it has been a long time I was there. The interaction between cyclists and car drivers is really good. I think the design of the bends at crossings is to provide sight under the railway bridge and to slow down cyclists and mopeds. And as mentioned already, it gives space to build a bridge.
Frits B: Yeah, it's treated like a train crossing. Something to tell you that you can't expect conventional traffic (that might stop for you) but buses that will go through without stopping.
kegge13 and Mark: My assumption about the curves around the intersections was that they were there to avoid blind corners. It helped both those driving on the cross roads and those cycling on the paths see each other without a surprise.
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