Infrastructure
Good bicycle infrastructure enables a city’s cycling culture.
NFKBC believes all good bike infrastructure possess three qualities:
Cyclists feel safe while riding.
Consistently connects people and the places they go.
Harmonizes with the transportation network, nature, and society.
1. Cyclists feel safe while riding.
Many people will not ride unless sufficiently protected or free from car traffic. In mixed-traffic environments this requires a consequential barrier between cyclists and/or human scale speeds (less than 20 mph).
2. Consistently connects people and the places they go.
Without network continuity cyclists are left with no where to go or no way to get there, defeating the purpose of any sections where infrastructure may have been installed.
3. Harmonizes with the transportation network, nature, and society.
Haphazard bike lanes aren’t the goal. People should be free to choose from a variety of well-integrated transportation options that facilitate human connection and greater connection to natural beauty.
“Bad” infrastructure fails to posses these qualities. Norfolk, despite having invested in “bike infrastructure,” has yet to realize the fullest benefits cycling offers a city due to poor design and lack of vision/commitment.
Some types of “bike infrastructure” in our city actively make conditions worse for cyclists and non-cyclists alike.
Norfolk’s future, and whether it wishes to reap the benefits of a robust cycling culture, depend on the infrastructure decisions it makes today.