The expansion of cyclist infrastructure, whether is on state or country, is an action to celebrate as bike ways of Paseo 5 de Febrero in Queretaro. However, isn’t enough to build them and have a wide network of these, if these don’t provide safety to cyclist.
As Queretaro’s media informs, Secretaría de Obras Públicas del Estado (the Secretary of State Public Works) detailed that advance of bikeways is at a surprising 98%. A fact to celebrate and recognize the effort that entity is developing.
In order to polarize this fact, through a statement, coordinator of Observatorio de Movilidad of Querétaro (Queretaro Mobility Observatory), Sergio Olvera León exposed that current infrastructure of bikeways at Paseo 5 de Febrero. This must be mention that doesn’t provides protection that guarantees safety to cyclist.
In accordance with the information provided by Olvera, the only devices that bike ways have are road studs. The shape and size of these, don’t provide safety in case of collisions.
Likewise, mentions that Paseo 5 de Febrero bikeways are in green color, however, these don’t have the necessary barriers, neither comply with international standards.
Zero respect to Paseo 5 de Febrero bike ways
The coordinator detailed that due lack of physical barriers, use many tracks of bike paths as parking lots for vehicles.
In the same way, there’s no speed bump to reduce speed; increasing the probabilities of a car accident.
“In specific zones, as intersection with Rio Ayutla and incorporation to Epigmenio González, there’s no measures to reduce vehicle speed, elevating the risk for cyclists”, is reported.
Also, the representative of civil organization mentioned that even though have rides with the Secretary of Urban Development and Public Works, and gave recommendations to them, they don’t implement them.
How to implement safe bike ways?
Once the respective studies supporting the feasibility of a bicycle lane, it must be properly confined or signposted, according to the type of bicycle lane or cycle path it is.
The priority of these is cyclist safety; in this case, the best way to protect them is implementing physical barriers (lane separation, delineation, and others). The purpose of these is to separate vehicle transit from bicycles.
Among other devices to implement as barriers are confibicis, channelizers, traffic paddles, lane separators, and others. Also, complement them with speed bumps to take care of pedestrian too.
