Bicyclists Banned from Bus Lanes
(aka Bike/Bus lanes?)?

Houston, Texas
Cycling Advocate Sues City of Houston in U.S. Court to halt banning bicycles from "Bus Only" lanes
( Reference court doc)

"This suit was brought by a bicyclist opposed to a federally funded highway project in which Metro and Houston seek to renovate the portion of Louisiana Street, a downtown thoroughfare, that runs from West Gray to Lamar. The renovation would construct five one-way traffic lanes, with no restrictions on the leftmost three lanes, a high-occupancy-vehicle ("HOV") restriction for lane four, and a buses-only restriction for the fifth or rightmost lane. Metro and Houston have secured USDOT grants to fund this reconstruction (hereafter, "the Louisiana Project").

Lundeen, a bicyclist who is a citizen and resident of Houston, sued Mineta, Metro, and Houston to block the Louisiana Project. He asked the district court to enjoin operation of bus lanes, HOV lanes, and Metro buses on Louisiana Street; to enjoin Houston from enforcing its ordinance against bikes in bus lanes; and to declare that ordinance void and the Louisiana Project, as well as the operation of Metro buses as envisioned in that Project, ineligible for federal transportation funding. Lundeen's pleadings allege that because he is a bicyclist, his personal safety on and enjoyment of Louisiana Street are threatened by the Project as envisioned. He claims that he objected to the design of the Project, only to be brushed off by both Metro and USDOT. On appeal, he states that the design and operation of the Louisiana Project "would threaten him with unreasonable risk of personal injury and death" and that the design is "deliberately calculated by Metro to discourage any use of [Louisiana Street] by bicycle [sic]."

Bike Houston says: Bikes Banned from Bus Lanes: Where to ride on some streets? Metro says its officers will write you a ticket if they catch you with your bike in the bus lane at the wrong time. The off-limit lanes are on the right side of the street where us bikers are supposed to be. Bikes and buses making stops have about the same average speed (13-14 mph). Most major cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, and Tucson have already signed their bus lanes for bikes.

A Federal lawsuit was filed in Houston on Friday, January 22, against the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (Metro) for safer bicycling conditions on Houston streets. The suit alleges that the exclusive bus and HOV lanes being built on Louisiana in Midtown will make the streets more dangerous for bicyclists to use.

According to the plaintiff, Dan Lundeen, a noted bicycle and pedestrian safety enthusiast, The exclusion of cyclists from the bus lanes on the right side of the street, where they are supposed to ride, is not very smart. Under state law, this will mean bike riders would share a middle lane on a five-lane thoroughfare with cars coming off of a freeway. Other cities like Chicago, Philadelphia and Tucson routinely allow bikes to operate in their bus lanes because it is the safest place for them to ride. The bikes do not generally impede the buses because bikes and buses making stops travel at about the same average speed. Metro has a long history of a complete disregard for the needs and safety of two-wheeled vehicle operators, many of whom are from from low-income households. For years it has been Metro's standing policy to discourage these folks from riding on Metro's bus routes by deliberately making those routes more dangerous for bicyclists to use. The lawsuit asserts that, under TEA-21 enacted in 1998, Metro is not allowed to use Federal funds to build roadway facilities like exclusive bus lanes that fail to consider the needs and safety of bicyclists. Also named in the lawsuit are the U.S. Department of Transportation and the City of Houston. For more information, contact Dan Lundeen at 713.652.2555.

Philadelphia, PA
"The city's (Streets Department) plans to spend $15 million about $1 million of which is appropriated from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)�to widen Chestnut Street. A proposal calls for narrowing the sidewalks, opening the street up to 24-hour car traffic, installing about a dozen parking meters per block and creating a combined bus-bicycle lane."

Chicago, IL
"You can ride in the middle of marked bike lanes and bike/bus lanes. But when you find parked or moving vehicles in these lanes, follow the lane practices described above."

Delaware
Delaware Bicycle Council says "...The focus of discussion is the required lane width and marking that would allow bicycles to share the right lane with buses as is done in the bike/bus lanes in Ocean City, Maryland. "(1998)

Madison, WI
Phillip Heasley reports recurring difficulty with Madison Metro and Dunham Express drivers in the Capitol Square bike lane. Apparently these drivers repeatedly cut off cyclists who are traveling straight down the bike/bus lane. Mr. Heasley's repeated calls to Madison Metro management have gone unheeded (Ref:Madison)

Georgia, Atlanta
"Bicycles can share the road with exclusive bus lanes."

CANADA

Edmonton
Bus Lanes - bicycles permitted
there are more than 6 kilometers of bus lanes in the city. shared priority lanes for buses, taxis and bicycles (reference: Edmonton, CA)

Burnaby, BC
Definitions according to city of Burnaby
Bus Only Lanes
Where one or more lanes in a roadway are reserved for bus services, either with-flow or contra-flow lanes.
Bus Only Streets
Where streets are reserved primarily for public transit use. A bus-only street is restricted to transit, pedestrians, bicycles, taxis and emergency vehicles. Granville Mall is a local example. (reference: Burnaby,BC)

Saskatchewan
City of Regina
"..Bus Lanes are intended for the exclusive use of City Transit Buses and Emergency Vehicles. No person shall drive in a Bus Lane other than to turn right onto or off of the street. No person shall stop his/her vehicle in a Bus Lane during the posted prohibited hours.
FINE: $50" (reference: City of Regina)

UNITED KINGDOM

Reading Borough, UK
Reading Borough Council says "Bus lanes that cyclists can share and that often provide a more direct route to your destination" (reference Reading Borough Council )

Greenwich, UK
Greenwich Cyclists say "Odense - 24% journeys by bike - variety of cycle network provision from dedicated cycle lanes to combined cycle and bus lanes (5.6metres wide) to one way roads two way for cycles. This led to an 80% fall in child casualties in 15 years."
Hammersmith Bridge Committee report Since the closure of Hammersmith Bridge to all vehicles except buses, motorcycles and bicycles there have been significant improvements to the bus services using the bridge including reduced journey times, improved reliability and increased patronage (reference Greenwich Cyclists)

Glasgow, UK
Allow pedal cycles and taxis to use bus lanes as they are created. (REF: City of GLASGOW, UK

Strasbourg, UK
Essentials for Road Improvements - Bus lanes
Some bus lanes with adapted width are opened to cyclists as an exception to the general rules and regulations. Streets where the use of bus lanes is authorized to cyclists are identified with a sign mentioning "cyclistes autoris�s" (cyclists allowed) positioned under the sign "Couloir bus" (bus lane). Cyclists using a bus lane should always go in the same direction as buses, including when these run against the cars' flow.

Cyclemaps, UK "On Bus Lanes, cyclists are allowed to use these lanes unless signed "Bus Only". The LCN Steering Group Committee is liasing with bus companies and the London Boroughs to allow all bus lanes to be used by cyclists where appropriate." (Ref: Bus Only)

Scotland, UK
"Section 37B of the amended Bill gives powers for approved (by Scottish Ministers) local authorities to fine the keepers of vehicles other than buses who use bus lanes (except where they have permission to do so in the case of some taxis, bicycles etc). For the most part it will be the registered vehicle owner or user who will be liable for the fine, which must be "only on the basis of a record produced by an approved device"7. The sums paid should directly or indirectly feed back into achieving the transport policies of the local transport authority." (reference: Scotland)

Scotland
"..In general, drivers were in favor of the principal of dedicated bus lanes as they permitted traffic in the other lanes to flow more freely. Underlying this was an element of conditioning and an implication that drivers had accepted the arguments assigning preferential treatment to public transport. The use of these lanes by taxis and bicycles was accepted by default, in that it made sense to allow these modes of transport access to this space ensuring that it was well used." (reference Scotland)

Misc, UK
"...bicycles - not for everyone and in Britain often not safe and healthy (cycle lanes share space with bus lanes used by smoky public transport)"

Archinet (Architect)
There strategy includes "...Cyclists can use new bus lanes and advanced stop lines at traffic lights.."

IRELAND

South Australia
"...Cyclists are permitted to ride in bus lanes, but must make way for buses to move off on the white "B" light at traffic signals. Cyclists are not permitted to proceed on this signal. Some traffic signals include a cyclist's light - which indicates that cyclists may proceed." (ref:(document)(reference)

South Australia
Bicycle Institute of South Australia says "As a general rule, cycling should be allowed in both directions along a one-way road. Also, if there is no bicycle lane present, cycling has to be allowed in bus lanes which, if possible, are to be 4.5 metres in width." (ref:document)

Sydney Australia
Randwick Botany Cycling Club Says bicyclist have right to travel in bus lanes (rules of the road) except "Bus Only Lanes" (which is what our transit mall lanes are) "Traveling in Bus Lanes and Transit Lanes. However, cyclists cannot travel in Bus Only Lanes. (ref:document)

Sydney, Australia
What Sydney thinks of bikes sharing bus lanes: "What is a bus lane?
"A bus lane is a dedicated lane that is marked on the road. Bus lanes are usually in the lane closest to the kerb(curb), but can also be located in the second lane. Bus lanes can only be used by buses, taxis, coaches, hire cars, motorcycles and bicycles. Bus lanes can be entered 100m before an intersection for left turning vehicles." (ref:document)

Auckland, New Zealand
Bus Advance
In Auckland, New Zealand, bus advance areas enable buses to go to the front of the queue at traffic lights. An extra set of traffic lights with a special bus signal, is installed about 50 metres before the intersection to hold other traffic back while buses go to the front. Bus Bypasses
Auckland has developed bus bypasses. Bypasses are special lanes at intersections that enable buses to travel around traffic stopped at intersections. At some intersections buses will be allowed to travel straight through from a left-turn-only lane, helping them to bypass the queues in other lanes. (ref:document)

AUSTRIA

Shared bike and bus lanes
-A growing number of communities are using shared bus and bike lanes to give preferential treatment to both bikes and public transport. Examples currently include Tucson, Ariz.; Madison, Wis.; Toronto, Ontario; Vancouver, BC; and Philadelphia, Pa. Often the lanes are also able to be used by taxis and right-turning vehicles. Because buses and bikes will pass each other in these lanes, lane width is an important issue. The city of Madison likes to use 16 foot lanes to allow a clear three feet of separation between the bicyclist and a passing bus, but if either bus or bike traffic is light and space is limited the width of a shared lane might be 14 feet or even less.
-Bike lanes on the left side of one-way streets The city of Minneapolis recently striped a network of bike lanes in the downtown area, but striped the lanes mostly on the left side of one way streets (reasoning that cyclists therefore don't have to contend with as many car doors being opened in front of them or buses discharging passengers). They have developed the appropriate signs and marking to warn motorists about turning left in front of bicyclists traveling straight ahead. The city of Madison has used similar left-side bike lanes on streets with a heavy percentage of left-turning bicyclists but does not use them as a general rule. Dimensions for left-side bike lanes should follow the guidelines for bike lanes on the right side of streets. (ref:document)

Other Bus Lane strategies
"The Bicycle and City Traffic: Principles and Practice" (book summary) "..using painted lanes, advanced stop lines, bike exemptions from restrictions (e.g., permission to use bus lanes, and one way streets in both directions), and the recent moves toward total exclusion of private motor vehicles from the centers of cities." (ref:document)