Bicyclists’ Perceptions Of Urban Roundabout Safety

Abstract

Past bicyclist subjective safety studies have evaluated different intersection types and bicycle facilities at roundabouts. None have focused on the different design elements of a dedicated bicycle facility and analyzed both perceptions of safety and comfort of bicyclists in a single model. To address this, this study focuses on the subjective safety and comfort perceptions of bicyclists at Dutch urban roundabouts, focusing on certain bicycle design elements. Infrastructure evaluated included: bi-directional bicycle paths; yielding priority; bicycle volumes; the presence of art or advertisements in the center island; buffer width between the bicycle path and the vehicle lane;
and the number of vehicular entrance/exit points. Using a multivariate random effects ordered probit model, the results revealed that roundabouts where cars have to yield to bicycles and fewer vehicular legs are perceived as safer and more comfortable by cyclists. Conversely, high bicycle volumes and increasing age negatively impacted perceptions of safety. The study found that bicyclists’ place of residence, their likelihood to commit traffic violations, their recent crash history, and the type of bicycle used (e.g., cargo bicycle, e-bicycle, etc.) significantly affect their perceptions of safety. The results suggest that consistent adherence to Dutch design guidelines can enhance bicyclists’ sense of comfort and safety at roundabouts. The findings highlight the need for designers to consider bicyclists’ perspectives in roundabout design. To improve perceived safety and comfort for bicyclists recommendations include: ensuring bicycle yielding priority; designing roundabouts to reduce bicycle congestion to the extent possible; and maintaining uniformity in bicycle infrastructure.