PROTECTED

BICYCLE LANES
IN ALBANY

A TRANSFORMATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Presented to Mayor Kathy Sheehan
City of Albany, New York
November 16, 2015

Albany Protected
Bicycle Lane Coalition

KEY TERMS
Madison Avenue Road Diet:
A planned project in the City of Albany to reduce the number of travel lanes on
Madison Avenue from two motor vehicle lanes in each direction to one motor
vehicle lane in each direction for the corridor from Allen Street to Lark Street.
Traffic Calming: 
It is the combination of mainly physical measures that reduce the negative
effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior and improve conditions for
non-motorized street users.1
Interested but Concerned: 
The approximate 60% of people who are interest in using a bicycle for
transportation but are fearful about riding adjacent motorized traffic.
Marked Shared lanes (Sharrows): 
This pavement marking includes a bicycle symbol and two white chevrons and
is used to remind motorists that bicyclists are permitted to use the full lane.
There are no striped bicycle lanes on streets marked with sharrows.
Conventional bicycle lanes: 
The white lines of paint to separate people on bicycles from motorized traffic,
sometimes known as designated lanes.
Protected Bike Lanes: 
Protected bike lanes are bike lanes that physically separate bicycle traffic
from motor vehicle traffic. They are sometimes called cycle tracks or green
lanes or separated bike lanes.

www.ite.org/traffic/

KEY FINDINGS
The imminent redesign of Madison Avenue presents
a singular opportunity for Albany to implement its
first-ever Protected Bicycle Lane (PBL). This has
the potential to be a transformative project for the
state capital, and Mayor Kathy Sheehans upcoming
decision is crucial for its success.
Careful analysis reveals that all of the proposed alternatives that lack PBLs are severely deficient. The
sharrows of Alternative A offer no protected space
for people on bicycles, and the expansive travel
lanes encourage dangerous city driving. Alternative
Bs conventional bicycle lanes put bicycles directly in motorists door zone, the space in which a
cyclist is in danger of getting hit by an opening car
door. On a commercial street with frequent parking
turnover, this is a significant safety hazard for drivers
and cyclists alike.
The alternatives that incorporate protected bicycle lanes (C and D) are far superior to the others.
PBLs are the best choice for Albany because of the:
Economic benefits. There is strong evidence that
PBLs bring customers to local retail shops and raise
property values.
Safety benefits. PBLs help to order the street so
that all road users know what to expect, making
Madison safer for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and
transit users alike.
Equity benefits. PBLs make cycling accessible
to more people, which in turn lowers household
transportation costs, strengthens individual 
autonomy, and increases access to grocery stores
and clinics for low-income and no-car households.

Health benefits. Many needless injuries and

deaths can be avoided by separating cyclists from
both vehicular traffic and pedestrians. In addition,
the growth of active transportation encourages
healthy lifestyles.
Environmental benefits. Protected bike lanes
encourage the use of bicycles over cars, reducing
greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.
Many understandable concerns have been raised
about these ambitious plans. Nevertheless, protected bicycles lanes on Madison Avenue are feasible
because the following challenges can be met with
twenty-first century city planning.
Parking. Our detailed survey of available parking
places in the four-block stretch of Madison Ave.
between West Lawrence and Quail shows that even
during high parking demand times, almost 50 percent of the on-street parking places are unoccupied
and available.
Snow. There are viable options for addressing snow
removal. Short-term investment in snow removal
can be recouped by the eventual returns in increased
property values and profits to local business.
This report contains research from authoritative
sources and information from the recent experiences
of similarly situated North American cities that have
embraced progressive city planning. We thank the
Mayor, the city administration, and citizens of Albany
for turning their attention to the promise of protected
bicycle lanes on Madison Avenue.

INTRODUCTION
Albanys Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition was founded in the spring of 2014 in
anticipation of the citys upcoming design for the Madison Avenue Road Diet.
The Coalition saw the unique opportunity to build Albanys first Protected Bike
Lane (PBL) since there was already a plan to reduce the number of lanes on this
wide avenue.
Protected bike lanes are bike lanes that physically separate bicycle traffic from
motor vehicle traffic. They are sometimes called cycle tracks or green lanes
or separated bike lanes. We use the term protected bike lanes because it
readily communicates the protection from street traffic that makes bicycling
more safe and inviting to would-be cyclists and makes busy roads easier to navigate for motorists. Protected bike lanes help to order the street so that all road
users know what to expect. PBLs make biking accessible for more people, which
lowers household transportation costs, strengthens individual autonomy, and
increases mobility & access for low-income and no-car households.
PBLs are springing up all over North America, and for good reasons. Protected bike lanes encourage the maximum number of interested but concerned
people to choose bicycles over cars for local trips, benefiting retail shops and
increase property values, thus expanding the tax base. PBLs make the road safer
for everyonepeople walking or riding in buses, in cars or on bicycles. PBLs also
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality and health.
There is an increasing demand for protected bike lanes across the country
demonstrated by exponential growth of the lanes in recent years: from 2010
through 2014, the number of protected bike lane miles in the U.S. nearly quadrupled. They are popping up everywhere, and we want to help Albany, the Capital
of New York get on the protected bike lane map. Some of the places where there
are currently protected bike lanes are New York City, Chicago, IL, Memphis, TN,
Minneapolis, MN, Austin, TX, Denver, CO and Cambridge, MA.

One-way parkingprotected bike lane in

Cambridge, MA
Photo: The Green Lane Project

PBLs make the

road safer for
everyone people
walking or riding
in buses, in cars
or on bicycles.
PBLs also benefit
retail shops and
increase property
values.
1

PROTECTED BICYCLE LANE COALITION TIMELINE:

April 2014
May 2014
August 2014

Founded

Albany Protected
Bicycle Lane Coalition

Started hard copy petition.

Launched Facebook presence:
facebook.com/AlbanyProtectedBikeLanes

September 2014

Presentation to Mayor Sheehan on the

benefits of Protected Bike Lanes and request
that Protected Bike Lanes be considered for
upcoming Madison Avenue Road Diet design.

Fall 2014

Began series of Protected Bike Lane

presentations to neighborhood groups,
community stakeholders, business owners and
student groups our presentations were met
with overwhelming support and interest.

April 2015

Presented Streetfilms Mini-Film Festival at

Madison Theatre featuring guest speaker and
Streetfilms filmmaker, Clarence Eckerson, Jr.
The festival addressed a range of questions
about how we get around in the modern city.
Some of the videos were focused on Protected
Bike Lanes, and others discuss broader topics
such as land use, Complete Streets, pedestrian
safety, and equity and social justice priorities.

May 2015

Launched our social media photo campaign

where we spoke to hundreds of city residents
who want to see Protected Bike Lanes on
Madison Avenue and other high traffic volume
streets

Summer 2015

Launched online petition that garnered over

500 signatures in 3 weeks.

Summer 2015

Rallied in support of Protected Bicycle Lanes and

delivered hundreds of postcards to the Mayors
office in support of Protected Bicycle Lanes.

Summer 2015

Converted two parking spots into a mock

protected bicycle lane for Park[ing] Day on
Washington Avenue. It was a big hit.

EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES:

ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

In May 2015, the City of Albany Sustainability Advisory Committees (SAC) Transportation Subcommittee issued an annual report indicating a primary
recommendation that protected bike lanes should be
installed. The recommendations within the Transportation Subcommittees report layout the members priorities for the City of Albany as it relates to
sustainable transportation. To the right is an image of
a parking protected bike lane example that the Transportation Subcommittee utilized in their report. The
PBLCs recommendation of Alternative D: One-way
Separated [Protected] Bike Lanes reflects the exact
replica design that was recommended by the Citys
Transportation Subcommittee. The Subcommittee
believes that adding parking protected bike lanes
is safer for all who use the road, people who drive,
people who take the bus, people who bike and people
who walk. The report notes that PBLs promote economic and environmental sustainability1.
In August, the SAC enthusiastically voiced their
support for Alternative D. Specifically their letter
stated:
We, as the Chair and Co-Chair, believe very strongly that one-way separated bicycle lanes provide the
greatest opportunity to support bicycling as a viable
mode of transportation in the City of Albany. Separated bicycle lanes would provide the safest bicycling
environment, with the one-way model offering the
largest proposed widths and lowest risk of collision
with vehicles, pedestrians, or other cyclists.The
implementation of Alternative D, although not a traditional protected bicycle lane, is the closest comple-

A Parking Protected Bike Lane

ment to that model and would, therefore, accomplish

this identified priority. We, therefore, urge the City of
Albany to embrace this opportunity.2
Albanys Bicycle Master Plan was an important
undertaking that established that the city of Albany
has a desire to become a more bicycle-friendly city.
The document, published in 2009, was written prior
to the exponential growth of protected bike lanes
across the U.S. The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition urges the city of Albany to revisit and revise the
Bicycle Master Plan and build in a bicycle network
that includes Protected Bicycle Lanes on high traffic
volume streets that reflects current trends across
the country.

1 City of Albany Sustainability Advisory Committee Annual Report: 2015 Transportation Subcommittee Report www.albanyny.org/Libraries/MOE_S/2015 _Transportation_
Subcommittee_Report.sflb.ashx
2 City of Albany Sustainability Advisory Committee, Submitted letter of support via email to City of Albany Traffic Engineering Unit, August 15, 2015.
Image: www.zdnet.com/article/protected-bike-lanes-safer-than-street-study-confirms/

ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

THE CAPITAL DISTRICT

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
(CDTC) SUPPORTS THE CONCEPT
OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES
One of the recommendations within the CDTCs
New Visions Bicycle & Pedestrian Action Plan is
to develop and maintain bicycle infrastructure.
We should not ignore this recommendation. It
is CDTCs philosophy that despite fiscal or other
challenges, incremental progress should be made
to the vision of a comprehensive network of bicycle
and pedestrian facilities.3 The CDTC understands
the short-term and long-term benefits of incorporating bike infrastructure: It is safe to say that we
have moved beyond trying to convince people of the
benefits of walkability and safe bicycling facilities
and are now responding to public demand for them.
A change in transportation policy will have positive
economic, health and safety impacts for all users of
the transportation system.3 The CDTCs Plan goes
on to say that CDTA is reporting over 74,000 bike
boardings on its buses annually. This is a considerable increase from the just less than 40,000 boardings in 2008 when CDTA first installed bike racks on
its buses. This would suggest that more people are
bicycling region-wide. Safe bicycling and walking
infrastructure isnt important because its trendy,
its important because it matters the most for people
who do not have access to a vehicle. The CDTC will
continue to prioritize transportation investments
that include safe bicycle and pedestrian facilities
and develop tools and programs to help communities prepare, design and maintain communities that
are accessible and safe for all road users.3

(CONTINUED)

Capital District Transportation Committee

New Vision Plan
1. It is CDTCs philosophy that despite fiscal or other
challenges, incremental progress should be made to
the vision of a comprehensive network of bicycle and
pedestrian facilities.
 One of the recommendations of the CDTC is to
develop and maintain bicycle infrastructure. We should
not ignore this recommendation.
2. It is safe to say that we have moved beyond trying to
convince people of the benefits of walkability and safe
bicycling facilities and are now responding to public
demand for them. A change in transportation policy
will have positive economic, health and safety impacts
for all users of the transportation system.
3. C
 DTA is reporting over 74,000 bike boardings on its
buses annually. This is a considerable increase from
the just less than 40,000 boardings in 2008 when
CDTA first installed bike racks on its buses. This
would suggest that more people are bicycling regionwide. Safe bicycling and walking infrastructure isnt
important because its trendy, its important because it
matters the most for people who do not have access to
a vehicle.
4. The CDTC will continue to prioritize transportation
investments that include safe bicycle and pedestrian
facilities and develop tools and programs to
help communities prepare, design and maintain
communities that are accessible and safe for all road
users.

Capital District Transportation Committee: New Visions Bicycle & Pedestrian Action Plan www.cdtcnewvisions.com/assets/Bicycle-Pedestrian-White-Paper-September-2015.pdf

ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

(CONTINUED)

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION EMBRACES

PROTECTED BIKE LANES
In May 2015, the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) issued its first-ever protected bicycle
guidelines called the Separated Bike Lane Planning
and Design Guide. In their announcement of the
guide, FHWA stated, These lanes are an important
tool communities across the U.S. can use to build
safe, comfortable, and connected networks of bicycle infrastructure that meet the needs of people of
all ages and abilities.
The announcement goes on to say, FHWAs guide
outlines planning considerations and design options for this innovative bicycle facility. It provides
information on one and two-way facilities, outlines
different options for providing separation, and highlights mid-block design considerations including
driveways, transit stops, accessibility, and loading

zones. Intersection design is also taken into consideration, including the related operations, signalization, signage, and on-road marking concerns.
Best of all, with the Separated Bike Lane Planning
and Design Guide, were providing communities
with case studies highlighting notable practices and
lessons learned across the country. 1
Writing about the new guidelines, People for Bikes
Green Lane Project interviewed a Colorado DOT
professional who believes The biggest winners
will be cities, states and other agencies that dont
yet have in-house expertise in the many nuances of
protected bike design.
I think it was really good that they jumped on it
when they did and provided some direction, particularly for communities that have no idea how to

FHWA 2015 FHWA Introduces Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide - https://www.transportation.gov/fastlane/fhwa-introduces-separated-bike-lane-guide

Phtoto: From FHWA announcement

ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

approach it, she said. You frequently will have a

local planner or engineer who may never have heard
of it. Its like, What are you talking about? And this
will help with that. 2
Apparently, many state and local agencies didnt
seem to grasp that the federal government supports
using federal money to implement Protected Bike
Lanes. StreetsBlog USA reported the following in
August 2015 when the FHWA issued a document to
clarify their position, The Federal Highway Administration wants to clear the air: Yes, state and local
transportation agencies should use federal money
to construct high-quality biking and walking infrastructure.
State and local DOTs deploy an array of excuses
to avoid building designs like protected bike lanes.
Its not in the manual is a favorite. So is the feds
wont fund that.
Whether these excuses are cynical or sincere,
FHWA wants you to know that theyre bogus.
StreetsBlog reported the document from FHWA
touched upon seven items including,
1. F
 ederal funds CAN be used to build pro-

tected bike lanes. In case any doubt remains,

FHWA printed its own design guide for protected bike lanes. Its okay to use federal money to
build them.
2. F
 ederal funds CAN be used for road diets.

FHWA created a whole website to help states

and municipalities implement road diets that
reduce lanes for motor vehicle traffic to improve
safety. FHWA wants local agencies to know that
federal money can be used on them.

(CONTINUED)

3. E
 ngineers are allowed to use design guides

other than the AASHTO Green Book for

projects that receive federal funds.
The AASHTO Green Book published by the
association of state DOTs is a behemoth, but its
crusty old street design standards arent the only
game in town. The protected bike lane templates in
the design guide published by the National Association of City Transportation Officials are totally
kosher. Go ahead and use them. FHWA says it
supports a flexible approach to the planning and
design of bike and pedestrian facilities. That means
Its not in the Green Book, so we cant do it isnt a
valid excuse.
Peter Koonce, a transportation engineer with the
City of Portland, said this clarification should make
designing quality bike infrastructure easier.
Agencies like ours occasionally encounter resistance to the use of treatments in the NACTO Urban
Bikeway Design Guide, the FHWA Separated Bike
Lane Guide, or other Guidance documents from
reviewing agencies because there is a lack of familiarity with new treatments, thus a difficulty to apply
engineering judgment, he said. An example of this
is bicycle traffic signals.
4. Highway funding CAN be used for bike and
pedestrian infrastructure.
Its not only the Transportation Alternatives Program that can be used to fund bike and pedestrian
infrastructure, FHWA says. Many other sources of
federal funding can be used to support safer biking
and walking in the right circumstances, including
funds from the huge pot in the Surface Transportation Program.

2015 Green Lane Project - http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/the-feds-jump-on-board-protected-bike-lanes-are-now-official-federal-policy

ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

(CONTINUED)

WILL NEW YORKS 1ST CAPITAL GET

PROTECTED BIKE LANES BEFORE ALBANY?
Protected Bike Lanes are inching closer to home. They
are on the horizon in our states first Capital, Kingston
along the Hudson River just 60 miles south of Albany. Kingstons plan looks quite similar to one of the
options provided by Albanys consultant a 2-way PBL.

We congratulate Kingston on their work moving

forward with a plan for a 2-way protected bicycle lane
that will increase the economic vitality of Broadway,
and provide increased safety that will encourage the
interested but concerned to start riding!

TRY IT, MAYBE YOULL LIKE IT: POP UP PBLS AND PILOT PROJECTS
Pop-up protected bike lanes have been being built
at open streets festivals by activists over the last
several years, and they are always a big hit. Now the
idea has spread and the state of Maryland is funding
a one-week planter-protected bike lane in Baltimore. The Green Lane Project reported about the
project, here are some excerpts from the article:
The $10,850 grant from the Maryland Department
of Transportation, announced Sept . 29 as part of
a $15 million grant cycle, is a sign that the on-street
demo is becoming a common step in the process
of planning street redesigns.
Were not committing to have a complete buy-in
to try something, said Caitlin Doolin, a bicycle and
pedestrian planner for the City of Baltimore. We
can take it out if it doesnt work or modify it or what
have you.
1

A pop-up bicycle lane.

We were really interested in it because its a way

for Baltimore City to try out a new innovative treatment, get some quick feedback from the community, she said. Cycle tracks and that kind of stuff
its all new, and the designs are changing quickly.1

2015 Green Lane Project - http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/with-maryland-dot-grant-the-pop-up-protected-bike-lane-goes-mainstream

Images: November 2015 Final Draft Master Plan Building a Better Kingston; The Green Lane Project

ALIGNMENT WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION TRENDS

Pilot PBL projects are a longer term than their

pop up cousins. Pilots have offered cities a
great way to test the waters of protected bicycle
infrastructure.
The Green Lane Project spoke to some of the
people in cities who implemented pilot projects
and wrote an article on some of the key factors to a
successful test run PBL.
Excerpts from the story:
Any pilot project of less than a year is unlikely to
accurately capture how a project is working, said
Mike Goodno, bicycle coordinator for the District
of Columbia. It takes a month, I find, at least,
just for people to get used to these changes, said
Goodno, whose protected lane pilot projects on
15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington
DC were two of the countrys first modern designs
outside New York City.
Public feedback and technical observations led
the city to make major changes to both projects
after they opened: moving Pennsylvanias lanes
to the center median and converting 15th from a
one-direction to a two-direction protected lane. After those changes were made, both projects drove
large and continuing increases in ridership.
Portland project manager Ross Swanson agreed
that pilots should last at least a year. A two-year
pilot protected lane on Multnomah Street gave
the city the chance to test the design during what
turned out to be snowiest winter in years. If there
was a general minimum, youve got to test all four
seasons, Swanson said.
Another rule for successful pilots: choose several
metrics that capture the goals project and be public
about the results.
Nothing should be viewed based on one goal,
Swanson said. Otherwise youve got a myopic
project and youre going to be caught blind on some

(CONTINUED)

other aspect you werent looking at. On Swansons

Multnomah project, where two out of four general
travel lanes were converted into protected bike
lanes, the numbers came out fine. Bike traffic rose,
auto speeds fell, intersections kept flowing. But it
wasnt just a transportation project. The city also
wanted to make the street more viable for nearby
commercial development.
A year after the project launched, an adjacent
real-estate developer released its design for a
$250 million mixed-use project, one of the most
bike-oriented developments in North America,
and the citys largest mall said it was weighing a
remodel that would open a new entrance facing
Multnomahs sidewalk.
Pilot project managers said that though people will
always ask for specific numerical goals, its better to
avoid drawing a hard line between success and failure and simply set out to measure the direction and
magnitude of change. If you set your timeline too
short but your numbers are right, you may get them
but you may be a year off, Swanson said.
People unused to pilot projects both inside and
outside city government sometimes assume
that theyre just a cynical tool for circumventing
opposition.
Its true that pilot project fans are trying to make
action, rather than analysis, the norm in city government. But they say good pilot project managers approach the public with an open ear and
enough of a budget to react to what they learn.
Whats really important with the pilots is that you
have subsequent public involvement meetings,
Wagenshutz said. Before any pilot project begins
in DC, Goodnos team prepares an operational
changes matrix which goes to relevant city staff,
making it easy for public officials to accurately
describe a project and its goals.
8

SAFETY AND PROTECTED BIKE LANES

Government is charged with keeping its residents

safe - Protected Bike Lanes provide the greatest
safety on high traffic volume roads. While some
local governments have passed laws requiring bicycle helmets, a recent study shows that good bicycle
facilities contribute much more to public health than
helmet laws. A November 10, 2015 City Lab article
points out, At a personal level, if thats what it takes
to get you riding, by all means, helmet up. But at the
local government level, its time to recognize that
other safety measures have far greater public health
benefitsin particular, well-designed infrastructure that separates riders from general traffic. 1
Protected Bike Lanes feel safer, especially for the
interested but concerned.
96% of people using protected bike lanes in the
U.S. believe they increased safety on the street. 2
In Washington DC, 90% of users say they feel safer
bicycling on Pennsylvania Ave because of the new
protected lanes. 3
Studies demonstrate Protected Bike Lanes are
safer for people who walk, drive and ride bicycles.
In Vancouver and Toronto, Protected Bike Lanes
reduce bike-related intersection injuries by about
75% compared to comparable crossings without
infrastructure. 4
Because they shorten crossing distances, control
turning conflicts and reduce traffic weaving, New
York Citys protected bike lanes reduced injury
rates for people walking on their streets by 12 to 52
percent. 5

New York Citys protected bike

lanes reduced injury rates for
people walking on their streets
by 12 to 52 percent.

One-way parking-protected bike lane in Chicago.

In NYC, after over 30 miles of protected bike lanes

were built from 2007 to 2013, overall across the
city the Department of Transportation found the
following:

Crashes with injuries have been reduced
by 17%

75% decrease in average risk of a serious
injury to cyclists from 2001 to 2013
Cyclist injury risk has generally decreased on protected bicycle lane corridors within this study as
cyclist volumes rise and cyclist injures decrease 6

City Lab, November 10, 2015 - The Latest Evidence that Helmet Laws Dont Help Bike Safety

Monsere, C., et al., 2014 - Lessons from the Green Lanes (National Institute for Transportation and Communities)(via Green Lane Project article)

District Department of Transportation, 2012 - District Department of Transportation Bicycle Facility Evaluation

Harris et al, 2013 - Comparing the effects of infrastructure on bicycling injury at intersections and non-intersections using a casecrossover design. Injury Prevention

NYCDOT, 2013 - It turns out that protected bike lanes are fantastic for walking safety, too (via Green Lane Project article)

NYCDOT, 2014 - Protected Bicycle Lanes in NYC

Photo: The Green Lane Project
6

PROTECTED BICYCLE LANES

SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PROTECTED BIKE LANES

ADDRESS EQUITY

Theres no denying the tremendous economic bene- 1 in 4 households in our city do not have access to a
fits that protected bike lanes have generated when
car to get to work, the doctor, or shop for groceries,
cities have implemented them. For example,
and we must provide infrastructure makes it safe for
people to walk and ride bikes. National data tells us
On Salt Lake Citys Broadway, replacing parking
that people with lower income ride bicycles for transwith protected bike lanes increased retail sales. A portation at higher rates than higher income people.2
general street upgrade removed 30% of the auto
parking from nine blocks of the major commercial street but improved crosswalks, sidewalks
and added protected bike lanes. In the first six
months of the next year, retail sales were up 8.8
percent over the first six months of the prior
year, compared to a 7 percent increase citywide.
After the changes, 59% of business owners on
the street said they supported them; only 18%
opposed. 1
Protected Bike Lanes make riding a bicycle
Protected bicycle lanes have helped to inaccessible to more people, which in turn lowers
crease the tax base. The value of properties
household transportation costs, strengthens
within one block of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail
individual autonomy, and increases access to
increased 148 percent after construction more
grocery stores and clinics for low-income and
than doubling in value from 2008 to 2015. The
no-car households.
$63 million public and private investment helped
The Madison Avenue Road Diet corridor includes
create $1 billion in additional assessed property
two job centers (College of Saint Rose and Albany
1
value.
Medical Center), many medical and dental offices
including St. Peters Dental Clinic, and two grocery
Protected bike lanes can be part of street restores. People of all income levels use the corridor
designs that greatly boost retail performance. to get where they need to go. The Protected Bicycle
After the construction of a protected bike lane on Lane Coalition sees Madison Avenue as a starting
9th Avenue, local businesses saw a 49% increase
point for our city to build protected bicycle lanes,
in retail sales. On other streets in the borough, the and will continue to advocate for protected bicycle
average was only 3 percent.1
infrastructure on high traffic volume roads in neighborhoods with high poverty rates.

People for Bikes; Green Lane Project - Statistics Library: www.peopleforbikes.org/statistics/category/protected-bike-lane-statistics

CityLab: www.citylab.com/commute/2015/10/the-poor-bike-the-rich-bike-share/413119

10

THE HIGH COST OF BICYCLE INJURIES IN ALBANY

Tri-State Transportation Campaign analyzed data

Given that bicyclists are disproportionately
from NYS Department of Health in their August 2015
people of color and lower income and that the
1
article, The High Cost of Bicycle Crashes in Albany.
NYSDOH data shows children are the most likely
The below excerpts demonstrate that injuries to
group of cyclists to make ER visits in Albany, these
people who ride bicycles in Albany come with a
massive costs are an obvious equity concern that
hefty price tag. It is important to note that the
could be largely remedied by the implementation
below costs do not even touch the surface of
of protected infrastructure for bicyclists.
the cost of sending local emergency responders
to crashes that could be prevented by building
...a portion of Medicare bills (which cover medsafer infrastructure.
ical expenses for low-income residents) must
be paid by local governmentlocal government
Data compiled for TSTC by NYSDOHs Bureau
pays 25 percent of acute care costs and nine
of Occupational Health and Injury Prevention
percent of long-term care costs incurred within
found that emergency room and hospital costs
county borders.
to treat bicycle crash victims totaled in excess of
$2 million over a three-year period (2010-2012)
Albany sees a significant number of crashes
in Albany County. Approximately 13 percent of
involving pedestrians and bicyclists each year,
bicyclists involved in crashes in the county come
and the Madison Avenue arterial is no exception.
to emergency rooms with a Traumatic Brain
The City of Albanys June 2013 Madison Avenue
Injury (TBI). TBI patients account for 42 perTraffic Study/Road Diet Feasibility Study, precent of bicyclists hospitalized for treatment. The
pared by Creighton Manning Engineering, found
mean charge per bicyclist emergency room visit
481 crashes in the Madison Avenue corridor over
is $1,838, and a cyclist who has to be hospitalized
a three-year time period from November 2008 to
will incur a whopping charge of $56,442.
October 2011, of which 32 involved pedestrians
or bicyclists. At least 16.4 percent of all crashes in
While two million is a large number, it does not
the corridor resulted in injury, and there were two
account for a whole host of other public costs.
fatalities.
Medical and other expenses of cyclists who died
in crashes are not included. Nor are the costs of
rehabilitation, lost mobility, emotional duress or
long-term disability. Non-health related expenses
such as police and emergency worker costs, legal
fees, lost work productivity and tax revenues and
family impacts are also not taken into account.

blog.tstc.org/2015/08/14/the-high-costs-of-bicycle-crashes-in-albany

11

THE MADISON AVENUE ROAD DIET AREA IS

THE PERFECT CORRIDOR FOR ALBANYS FIRST PBL

The Madison Avenue corridor from Lark

Street to South Allen connects diverse,
densely-populated neighborhoods of
thousands of people, many without access
to personal vehicles. The neighborhoods
would be well-served by high quality, safe
Protected Bicycle Lanes that connect them
to places they need to go.
The corridor is home to 4 business districts
along the Avenue, including the burgeoning
Park South area off New Scotland Avenue.
Albany Medical Center, our regions largest
private employer is a couple of blocks off the
Avenue. The College of Saint Roses campus
includes the avenue, employs hundreds of
people and educates thousands of students.
It connects to many restaurants, 2 supermarkets, and our citys beautiful Washington Park.

Despite (or perhaps because of) ample parking and

highway-like automobile capacity, Madison has had
a steady supply of vacant storefronts. PBLs could
change that.

The high traffic volume corridor connects

many people to 8 bus lines: 10, 11, 13, 18, 734,
100, 114, 138
A Protected bike lane on Madison Avenue
will serve as a model for other PBLs on high
traffic volume roads in the city.

Madison Avenue connects with 8 CDTA bus lines,

linking key areas of Albany.

Photos: Albany Bicycle Lane Coalition; Capital District Transportation Authority

12

WHAT ARE THE MADISON AVENUE OPTIONS?

In July 2015, the city of Albany held a meeting where
5 design options for the Madison Avenue Road Diet
were unveiled. Two of the designs included protected bicycle lanes The Protected Bike Lane Coalition

supports either of those options as the preferred

treatment for Madison Avenue.
Below are our analyses of the proposed options.

Alternative A: Marked Shared Lanes [Sharrows]

This is not a preferred option of the Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition. There is no protected space for people on bicycles and the very
wide travel lanes do not promote slow, safe city driving. The width of the parking lane in this design alternative is 8 ft, however some
of the other design options have a 7 ft parking lane. It has been our experience when measuring City of Albany parking lanes that
they are generally 7 ft. lanes.
The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition does not support Alternative A.

13

Alternative B: Conventional Bicycle Lanes

This is not a preferred option of the Protected Bicycle Lane

While bicycle lanes are an important component of the

Coalition. In city after city, the white lines of paint to separate

bicycle network and can serve some users well, especially on

people on bicycles from motorized traffic that constitute

lower volume and lower speed routes, they are not comfortable

conventional bicycles lane have not encouraged those people

for riders of all ages and abilities on streets with higher traffic

who are interested in bicycling, but concerned about sharing

volumes.... Providing facilities that separate bicyclists from

space with motorized traffic to start riding a bicycle. Additionally,

moving vehicles on routes with faster moving traffic that serve

this option puts the bicyclist in the door zone which also puts

popular destinations, residential areas, schools, parks and

them at risk of getting hit by cars pulling out of parking spots.

employment centers will help encourage more bicycling for

A 2014 study showed that even when cities design wider

conventional bike lanes adjacent to parked cars, very few

transportation.
.... Where on-street parking is present, bicyclists often do

bicycle riders ride outside the door zone1. An article about

not feel comfortable riding outside of the door zone on busy

the report notes, The on-street tests demonstrated that a

streets closer to moving motor vehicle traffic, and may not

six-foot-wide bike lane offers no advantage over one thats

have quick enough reaction times to avoid an opening car door

five feet wide, or even four feet wide. Regardless of the width,

when riding in the door zone. Although less common, passenger

bicyclists still ride in the center of the lane within the radius of

side doorings in bicycle lanes remain a risk, especially with

a typical car door swinging open. Dooring crashes are common

passengers exiting or boarding taxis. Even the most extensive

in urban areas like Chicago: In 2012, the last year for which data

educational and outreach efforts are not as effective as

is available, 18 percent of reported bike crashes were doorings.

infrastructure design that eliminates the conflict altogether.

While protected bike lanes werent studied in this research,

Crash data in the City of Cambridge from 2004 to 2009 shows

the authors observations show how proximity to moving traffic

that 20% of all crashes involve bicyclists being doored by

contributes to doorings. For instance, the study concluded that,

motorists, 87% of which are from the driver side door opening.

as traffic volume increases, bicyclists move away from vehicles

in the travel lane and position themselves closer to parked

The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition does not support

vehicles or the curb. Researchers observed the same response

Alternative B.

as truck traffic increased in the travel lane. This puts bicyclists

NOTE: The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition recognizes that conventional bicycle

in the door zone but with protected lanes, cyclists dont have

lanes are needed in order to create a bicycle network on Albany streets and it

to ride next to motor vehicle traffic, and this isnt a problem.

supports the addition of conventional bicycle lanes on appropriate streets. If the

Concerns about conventional bicycle lanes on roads with

parked cars are also expressed well in these excerpt from a
Cambridge, MA report2:

city incorporates conventional bicycle lanes on lower traffic volume streets without
significant amounts of short term parking and frequent rates of parking turnover it
will demonstrate the citys commitment to becoming more bicycle-friendly.

Streetsblog Chicago, 2014 - Study: To Keep Bicyclists Outside the Door Zone, You Need a Buffer

City of Cambridge, 2014 - CycleTracks: A Technical Review of Safety, Design and Research

14

Alternative C: Two-Way Separated [Protected] Bicycle Lanes

PRE FER RED

This is a preferred option of the PBL Coalition. This Protected

Bike Lane option, provides protection for the person on a bicycle
in a parked car protected bicycle lane. This option preserves the
center turn lane for motor vehicles and maintains a significant
amount of parking for cars. The trade-offs for this option are
that the bicycle lanes are not as wide as in other designs and the
bicycle lanes are only on one side of the street, while there are
places to go on both sides of the street.
The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition supports Alternative C.

15

Alternative D: One-Way Separated [Protected] Bicycle Lanes

PRE FER RED

This is a preferred option of the PBL Coalition. This Protected Bike

to facilitate optimal traffic flow. Every intersection along the

Lane option, provides protection on each side of the street for the

road diet corridor does not experience an equivalent amount

person on a bicycle in a parked car protected bicycle lane.

of left turning motorized traffic, therefore the amount of

We have concerns about the motorized vehicle lane widths in

parking impact should not be assumed to be the same on each

this option and encourage a redesign to include a center median to

intersection in the corridor. In some cases, variations on left turns

reduce the motorized vehicle travel lanes to about 10 ft, a narrower,

are directly due to road design for instance, there are two one-

more appropriate width for a city street. This concern is exacerbated

way streets along the corridor as well as two streets where there

by the repeat of an 8 ft parking lane in this design which will likely

is only an intersection on the south side of the road. However,

not be taken up by 8 ft wide vehicles. As stated previously, it has

there are also some intersections where we have observed and/

been our experience when measuring City of Albany parking lanes

or anticipate higher volumes of cars turning left in peak driving

that they are generally 7 ft. lanes. Adding a center median can

times necessitating more parking removal, while there are other

serve to assist emergency vehicle travel, intermittent loading and

intersections where we continually observe very low volumes

unloading, utility work and other temporary uses.

of left turning cars during peak and non-peak times of day. For

While the citys consultants have noted that this option has a

example, in the current lane configuration it is very rare to see

greater parking impact when compared to 3-lane alternatives,

even one car waiting to turn left when driving eastbound on

our parking demand analysis demonstrates that there is enough

Madison and making a left onto Quail Street going north.

parking available at peak times of day within a reasonable walking

The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition supports Alternative D.

distance of destinations along the corridor. The PBL Coalitions

We encourage the addition of a painted center median, and left

parking demand analysis is described in detail later in this report.

turn bays that reflect actual and anticipated left turns at each

We also note that much of the reduction in parking in Alternative

intersection.

D is directly related the addition of a left turn bay at intersections

16

Alternative E: Buffered Bicycle Lanes

This is not a preferred option of the Protected Bicycle Lane

Coalition. While this option moves the bicycle out of the door
zone of the parked cars, it is not a design that provides a
physical barrier between the motorized traffic and the person
on a bicycle. Though not noted by the consultants, it appears to
us that the lack of a center turn lane may result in vehicle delays
outside of the intersections.
The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition does not support
Alternative E.

17

OVERCOMING
PERCEIVED OBSTACLES

EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS & TRAFFIC FLOW

Albanys major thoroughfares have served the city

well in emergency situations in all seasons, many
with smaller door-to-door widths (from parked car
on one side of the street, to parked car on the opposite side of the street)than those proposed in either
of the PBL options for Madison.

In fact, the 12.5ft lane widths in Alternative D are

wider than the FHWA recommended range of 1012ft. The addition of a painted center median would
allow for generous pavement width for emergencies
and snow, as well as room for protected bike lanes,
all while keeping the travel lanes within the FHWA
guidelines.

DOOR-TO-DOOR LANE MEASUREMENTS:

PAINTED CENTER MEDIAN:

Delaware Ave: 22 ft
Western Ave: 24 ft
Madison Ave (Alternative D): 25 ft
New Scotland Ave (at Holland Ave): 31 ft

Illustrations: Jim Maximowicz/APBLC

18

PARKING
The Protected Lane Bicycle Coalitions position has
always been that parking on both sides of Madison
Ave. would be maintained. In fact, the analysis of
various types of physical barriers to separate cars
from cyclists shows that parked cars are the best
choice because they provide the maximum amount
of protection for the cost of implementation i.e.
paint. This is the reason that the coalition chose
parking lane protected bike lanes.
That said, the Coalition questions the estimated
loss of parking spaces on Madison resulting from
Protected Bike Lanes. Questions include:

New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law

Title VII, Article 32, 1202(a)
2. [No person shall] Stand or park a vehicle, whether
occupied or not, except momentarily to pick up or
discharge a passenger or passengers:
a. In front of a public or private driveway;
b
 .W
 ithin twenty feet of a cross walk at an intersection,
unless a different distance is indicated by official signs,
markings or parking meters.
c. W
 ithin thirty feet upon the approach to any flashing
signal, stop or yield sign or traffic-control signal
located at the side of the roadway,
The City of Albany Code

1. D
 o the available spaces on Madison estimated by

the consultants include only those that are legal,

meaning 20 back from intersections? The fact is
that if New York State and City of Albany laws are
enforced*, almost all intersections along Madison
would lose four parking spaces (See table at right).
2. W
 hat are the number of spaces lost for PBLs compared with the other designs being considered by
the City.
3. H
 ave the consultants surveyed the vacant spaces
on streets within a reasonable walking distance
from Madison?
4. H
 ave the consultants considered the data included
in the City of Albany, Sustainability Advisory Committee Report 2015 that says studies show people
are willing to walk 5 minutes, or about 1/4 mile to
work, shopping or other appointments. People
tend to be willing to walk a little longer, up to 1/2
mile to better transit services...and to recreational
facilities.

Article II, 359-22

Parking, Standing and Stopping Restrictions
Except as otherwise designated by official signs, signals or
markings, the following restrictions will apply in the City of
Albany. Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other
traffic or when in compliance with law or the directions of
a police officer or official traffic control device, no person
shall:
B. Stand or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except
momentarily to pick up or discharge a passenger or
passengers:
(1) In front of a public or private driveway.
(2) W
 ithin 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection unless a
different distance is indicated by official signs, markings
or where parking meters are installed.

*The Albany Police Departments Traffic Safety Committees Traffic Engineering subcommittee recommended that key intersections in the City be day lighted for the
safety of all users. Why this is a recommendation from the Albany Police Department rather than a directive to enforce existing laws is a question for APD to answer.

19

PARKING

(CONTINUED)

In Albany, lollipop meters are being replaced by kiosk pay stations. This change has been implemented
on the south side of Madison from S. Allen to W.
Lawrence. All along Madison, the street markings for
parking spaces have disappeared and have not been
repainted. According to standard guides, parking
length for parallel parking is 20 per space. A spot
survey by the Coalition shows an average of 18 on
streets without parking lines. A 2 reduction (from
20 to 18) results in a 10% increase in the number of
available spaces.

The Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition survey of

available parking places in the four-block stretch of
Madison Ave. between West Lawrence and Quail Sts
shows that even during peak weekday hours of 9am,
noon, and 4pm, almost 50 percent of the on-street
parking places are unoccupied and available. This
survey, based on the actual number of cars taking up
spaces rather than on a 20 space for each car, and
not including availability of spaces on adjacent side
streets, indicates that the impact of estimated loss of
parking may be exaggerated.

The APBLC survey shows ample parking during peak weekday hours of 9am, noon, and 4pm.

Map: Map data 2015 Google

20

DEALING WITH SNOW

The Protected Bike Lane Coalition questions the Citys seemingly insurmountable obstacle of additional operating costs of snow removal from protected
lanes, considering that the proposed designs do not include adding curbs, and
do recommend plastic barriers that can and should be removed in the winter.
Weekly move over nights and snow emergencies requiring alternate side
of the street parking provide unobstructed access to protected bike lanes.
We recommend two options for dealing with snow removal on Protected
Bike Lanes.

The immediate
OPTION 1:

increase in

Roll maintenance costs (street sweeping and snow removal) into Citys
operational budget.

operating

Experts tell us that this is the option most cities choose. The incremental costs
are not high unless the city purchases specialized equipment. Many cities that
are making a serious commitment to building out their bike networks are updating their fleet with smaller plows and sweepers to handle the changing needs.
Protected Bike Lanes increase property values and profits for local business -thus increasing the taxes for the City. This increase, overtime, will offset maintenance costs.

OPTION 2:
Public-private partnership by raising funds from area businesses and
tax-exempt organizations.

The Federal Highway Administration, in its May 2015 Separated Bike Lane
Planning and Design Guide cites examples of public-private collaboration for
street cleaning and snow removal. The Protected Bike Lane Coalition pledges to research those examples and actively work to raise money from private
sources. Once local businesses see the increase in profit generated by Protected Bike Lanes, they will be motivated to contribute to the cost of keeping them
open in the winter.

costs for snow

removal will be
outweighed
by the longterm economic
benefits of
protected
bike lanes for
businesses and
home owners
and savings due
to a reduction in
the number of
accidents.

21

CONCLUSION

The Protected Bike Lane Coalition urges Mayor Sheehan and her staff
to make a bold move for the future of this city and select a Protected
Bike Lane option for the Madison Avenue Road Diet.
This report has discussed the transformational
opportunity the city of Albany is facing in the design
selection for the Madison Avenue Road Diet. The
economic, safety, fairness/ equity, health and environmental benefits of the 2 PBL options (Alternatives C and D) are loud and clear.
Careful analysis reveals that all of the proposed
alternatives that lack PBLs are severely deficient and
will not encourage the interested but concerned
to ride bicycles at high rates. The sharrows of
Alternative A offer no protected space for people on
bicycles, and the expansive travel lanes encourage
dangerous city driving. Alternative Bs conventional bicycle lanes put bicycles directly in motorists
door zone, the space in which a cyclist is in danger
of getting hit by an opening car door. On a commercial street with frequent parking turnover, this
is a significant safety hazard for drivers and cyclists
alike. The buffered option of Alternative E does not
offer a physical barrier from traffic for the person on
a bicycle to promote economic activity at the level of
a Protected Bike Lane.

Concerns about loss of parking and costs of

snow maintenance must be looked at in context:
Parking. Our detailed survey of available parking places in the four-block stretch of Madison
Ave. between West Lawrence and Quail shows
that even during high parking demand times, almost 50 percent of the on-street parking places
are unoccupied and available.
Snow. There are viable options for addressing
snow removal. Short-term investment in snow
removal can be recouped by the eventual returns in increased property values and profits to
local business.
The Protected Bike Lane Coalition will raise funds
for a short-term pop up Protected Bike Lane to
take place next spring to gather feedback from Albany residents, business owners and visitors.
It is clear that Protected Bike Lanes are the right
choice for Madison Avenue. The Protected Bike
Lane Coalition urges Mayor Sheehan and her staff
to make a bold move for the future of this city and
select a Protected Bike Lane option for the Madison
Avenue Road Diet.

Albany Protected
Bicycle Lane Coalition
The Albany Protected Bicycle Lane Coalition thanks People For Bikes Green Lane Project for being
such a valuable resource for information about the benefits of Protected Bicycle Lanes.

22