INFRASTRUCTURE |
Micromobility markings improve cycling safety As citizens embrace the cycling and micromobility revolution, cities must adapt and update infrastructure to help enhance the safety of all road users Words | Anders Wellving, Geveko Markings, Sweden
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o matter what means of transportation you use, there should be room for you on the roads so that you can feel safe in traffic. This is a statement that most of us can probably agree on. However, it is an increasingly difficult aspiration to live up to. The United Nations predicts that by 2030, over 60% of the global population will live in cities and this will put increased pressure on the urban infrastructure that will need to be adapted to keep up with this trend. One solution is to get more people to switch from cars to smaller, more eco-friendly means of transportation – so-called micromobility vehicles.
Micromobility on the rise
Bikes are a big part of micromobility, but this term also covers other modes of electric- or human-powered transport. Micromobility vehicles are usually characterised by going at a low (25 km/h) to medium (45 km/h) speeds and includes, for example, e-bikes and e-scooters. These are modes of transport that are growing in popularity and are also being politically endorsed due to positive effects on health, the environment, and the increasingly intense traffic volumes. The Covid-19 pandemic has continued to push this trend forward bringing about a veritable ‘bicycle boom’ that was caused in part by concerns over public transportation and the increased focus on easily accessible, outside exercise. This is all well and good, but without clearly marked spaces and dedicated lanes, safety can
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Above: Before and after application of micromobility markings in Rudersdal, Copenhagen. A good example of what markings can do to increase visibility and safety significantly in a hazardous area
Intertraffic World | Annual Showcase 2022
be an issue for the vulnerable micromobility users. To become a strong alternative to traditional modes of traffic, micromobility infrastructure needs to be developed so that it is easy, logical, and not least, safe to use. And here, horizontal markings play an essential role.
Eyes on the road
”Keep your eyes on the road!” This is a saying that most of us have probably heard before as a reminder to stay focused in traffic. According to a study done by the Swedish research institute RISE, this is quite literally what cyclists tend to do1. The study commissioned by the Swedish traffic authorities, used eye tracking to measure cyclists’ visual
distribution of attention and how it was divided between the road surface, other road users, road safety devices and the surroundings. The results were clear: A large part (48%) of the cyclists’ attention is directed towards the road surface. When symbols, signs and guiding markings are placed on the roads, there is a greater chance of cyclists noticing them. Another advantage of horizontal markings is that horizontal signs are less at risk of vandalism than vertical signs. Apart from being stolen, vertical signs can be broken, turned around or painted with graffiti, making them more difficult to decode or even make them unreadable.
