PROJECT NAME: | Public transport priority corridor in downtown Charlotte, North Carolina |
CITY: | Charlotte, North Carolina |
LOCATION: | 4th Street, Downtown Charlotte, NC |
OPENING DATE: | October 2019 |
Many cities are working on improving their cycling infrastructure, and the accessibility of bus stops at the same time. This is a challenge when making bus stops and bike lanes compatible, so that accessibility and safety can be guaranteed to users of both modes of transport.
Need and project objectives.
The Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT), in the state of North Carolina, has invested in improvements to the downtown cycling infrastructure. In this area, new bus stops and new bike lanes have been created and they have been in high demand since it opened.
The interaction between bicycles and buses that circulate in the same direction when bike lanes and bus stops coincide poses one of the biggest challenges for transport planners. As a result of the opening of the new bike lanes and bus stops, there were severe problems of coexistence between buses and bicycles that made it necessary to search for innovative solutions.
The proposed solution.
The installation of two platforms 2.1 meters wide and 9 meters long, built with the modules of the ZICLA Vectorial® system that function as a bus boarder with an integrated bike lane. In this configuration, the bus stops at an elevated boarding area, while the bike path runs over the platform. This solution has allowed the coexistence of both transport modes in the same place, which improves safety and accessibility for public transport users and safety for cyclists.