Although the use of bicycles in France is still much lower than that of Germany or the Netherlands, the government continues to put in place policies to popularize this alternative. By 2024, travel to bike daily French people will go from 3% to 9%. However, this requires the implementation of new facilities, boosting the use of bicycles on a daily basis.
Cycle path development projects in major cities
In order to simplify the use of bicycles in large cities, it is important to create new infrastructures such as cycle paths, bicycle parking and many others. The objective is to make circulation homogeneous and suitable for both bicycles and cars, especially in large cities. In addition to homogeneity, these infrastructures will guarantee the security cyclists and other road users.
To do this, it is important to quantify the networks that already exist and to take into account possible developments for the coming years. This makes it possible, among other things, to guarantee continuous and coherent work according to possible developments. Each entity must know how residents cycle on a daily basis and what are the likely changes in the medium and long term. Consultations and data collection must be carried out on a regular basis to ensure the right balance between bicycles and motorized vehicles.
Things to consider when designing cycle paths
It must be understood that the development of a cycle track requires taking into account different factors. It is important to take existing vehicles into consideration in order to be able to set up infrastructures where each vehicle, motorized or not, can drive in complete safety. For the construction of new cycle paths, it is important to consider the speed of vehicles and to put those with the same compatibility on the same lane. Electric bicycles as well as mechanical bicycles must be on the same track, if two or four-wheeled vehicles with similar speeds line up on the same track. This helps reduce the number of accidents but also their severity. The amount of traffic must also be taken into consideration. Indeed, the denser the traffic, the more the inconvenience caused will reduce the possibility of mixed traffic. So many points to consider before building new cycle paths.