Safe Cycle lane with Zipper® and Vectorial® systems in Clermont-Ferrand, France.

In February 2023, Clermont Auvergne Métropole, in collaboration with the City Council of Clermont-Ferrand, inaugurated a bidirectional cycle lane connecting the city center with the northern part of the urban area. The 1.55 miles (2.5 kilometers) route links Place des Carmes with Rue du Torpilleur-Sirocco. This new section is added to an existing one, creating a nearly 2.49 miles (4 kilometers) safe cycling route.

This bike lane promotes environmentally friendly commuting, protects air quality, and facilitates coexistence between cyclists and public transport passengers where the bike lane and bus stops coincide. The city contacted ZICLA’s technical and sales team for this project. The design proposal met the project’s needs by combining the use of the Vectorial^® system bus platform and the Zipper^® system traffic lane dividers.

Project Needs and Objectives.

The city of Clermont-Ferrand needed to build a 1.55 miles (2.5 kilometers) bidirectional and segregated cycle lane and two accessible and safe bus stops to foster the coexistence of people waiting for the bus and the cycle lane users. The project requirements included:

• Easy installation and removal of the solution.
• Potential to reuse products at a different time or place.
• Ensuring the coexistence of bus users and bike lane users.
• Physical segregation of the cycle lane from motorized traffic to protect its users..

Proposed solution

The city decided to install the Zipper^® system modules on a B4AB configuration to segregate the cycle lane and two Vectorial^® system bus platforms to ensure the safety of bike lane users and bus users. The city chose a platform with an access bridge and integrated cycle path configuration for the Vectorial^® system to allow cycle lane users to ride behind the bus stops, reducing conflicts between cyclists and buses and, at the same time, creating a safe waiting area for bus users.

In June 2023, four months after completing the project, a census revealed a significant increase in cycling usage. Approximately 2,000 cyclists used the route weekly, translating to about 257 users daily on weekdays and slightly fewer on weekends. Previously, around 600 cyclists per week used Rue des Planchettes. Although both routes are complementary, the new one offers a more direct itinerary. Around 30-40 cyclists per hour use this new route, which increases during peak hours. This data demonstrates a promising shift in commuting patterns, indicating that if a safe, well-connected, and comfortable cycling infrastructure is created, people will use it.

Investing in accessible infrastructure reflects a commitment to building a fair and equitable society. If you’re embarking on an urban mobility project, we’re here to assist you. Contact our technical sales team for personalized guidance on integrating ZICLA products into your project.