Bicycle Streets. What’s in a Name?

It might seem like nit picking, but what we call a street for bicycles is important, even more so if we can reflect that name in the signage and pavement markings, and maybe even convey the priorities a little better than a simple sharrow.

Not easy turning left on a Dutch Fietsstraat

Witnessing the constant flow of people riding bicycles along Utrecht’s bicycle streets is almost as mesmerizing as the famous Vredenburg intersection. Of course there’s strength in numbers, but there are some design details that make riding along these streets feel very different. Hmmm… Maybe that’s how you build strength in numbers…

Still waiting… there’s even the odd vehicle amongst the constant stream of people on bicycles

In Utrecht, I really wondered why drivers would even attempt to use such streets, progress is slow and there’s so many people on bike to negotiate. But I assume if they haven’t taken a wrong turn, they have a need to be there. For the most part they drive slowly and patiently along the street until they turn off or park.

So many people share a bicycle like this.

Where we’re trying to get such streets down to 30 km/h, the Dutch are reducing the posted speed to 15 km/h in some places at least. Comfortable enough to ride a bicycle with no helmet, no hi-viz, with a friend on the back, carrying some very large holdalls and hockey sticks. No SUV’s required here.

They just keep coming

Getting back to the name. I never used to think that neighbourhood bikeways, local street bikeways, or bicycle boulevards needed a new name, I mean we had enough names already, and maybe i’m even missing a few. Maybe we just should pick one of those and keep it consistent! But here I am suggesting one more. But bear with me, I think it’s important!

Whether the neighbourhood or local street variety, a bikeway is probably the most common term here in Canada at least, but what is a bikeway? At its most literal, it’s a way that bikes can go. That seems fine, but thinking a bit more deeply about it, It’s kinda saying that’s all it is, just a way you’re allowed to go. There’s 20 parallel streets but there is one bike way. It doesn’t sound like a way designed for you, but a way you’re allowed to go.

Bicycle boulevards I think stems from NACTO, or at least that’s where I’ve seen it, and it’s even more problematic. I mean we call a boulevard the strip of grass at the side of the street. In North Vancouver, we even have Grand Boulevard which is a big strip of grass with streets either side. A boulevard is fine for a grassy street, but an odd name for a street designed for bicycles.

The occasional car drivers are mostly patient, it’s a bicycle street after all!

Prior to my Netherlands trip for the Fietspad book, I was somewhat aware of the fietstraat pavement markings but never really gave the name much thought. But Fietsstraat, or Bicycle Street in English, is such a simple name for a street that prioritizes bicycles, and much more to the point than the names we give such streets in North America. What should we call a street for bicycles? It’s not a joke, or a trick question… I think the best term is a bicycle street!

Comfortable in a suit… enjoyable to sit alongside for a drink…

Calling it a bicycle street makes it pretty clear who the street is for. The Dutch often, but not always, add the ‘auto te gast’ statement or ‘cars are guests’ to their signage and pavement markings. I’m not sure we’re ready for such language in Canada. Telling people that live on the street that they are simply guests is unlikely to gather local support. I’ve debated various wording, right now i’m thinking ‘bicycle street’ and ‘cars to yield’ might be a good option.

A different somewhat parallel street… It’s not a one-off!

The Dutch use a blue, white and red stencil with a person riding a bicycle and a car waiting patiently behind. We could adopt similar in Canada, but I think green is more synonymous with bicycle facilities here, and I’d propose we adopt the same colour in any new pavement markings and signage for these new bicycle streets. The intent of course is that these would replace the infamous sharrow… all other traffic calming elements would remain. One potential pavement marking and signage option below…

One potential alternative to the sharrow, pavement marking left, signage right.

What do you think, should we convert our neighbourhood bikeways, local street bikeways, bicycle boulevards, and whatever other names you know them as to simply bicycle streets? Is there better wording than cars to yield?

The pictures are great but sometimes fail to really capture the experience. Before you leave, take a virtual ride along one of Utrecht’s busy bicycle streets…