Description
The City of Saint Paul with the community will be developing a Vision Plan for bicycle boulevards on the West Side. The plan will include the type of bicycle boulevard treatments and where they should go on the bicycle boulevards outlined in the City's Bike Plan. Having a documented Vision Plan is helpful when applying for funds to implement the plan. The bicycle boulevards on the West Side are part of the City's Bike Plan.
What is a bicycle boulevard?
Bicycle boulevards (also called neighborhood greenways or neighborways) are streets with low motorized traffic volumes and speeds, designed and designated to give people traveling by bike, foot, or other mobility assist devices such as scooters or wheelchairs travel priority. Bicycle Boulevards use pavement markings and traffic calming tools to create a safe and convenient route for people, especially at crossings of busy cross streets.
Location
Timeline
As part of the West Side Bicycle Boulevards Vision Plan the city will be doing a quick build, which is a temporary installation, of a bicycle boulevard along part of the proposed route (see project map below) in spring/summer 2025. The quick build design and location will be based on the feedback gathered during the planning process.
A quick build is temporary infrastructure, like plastic bollards (poles), paint, and signs, that allows for the city to implement a bicycle boulevard or pedestrian improvements quickly and at lower cost than permanent infrastructure like concrete. This allows the city to test out the design and gather feedback from residents. There is currently no funding for permanent infrastructure on the West Side Bicycle Boulevards Vision Plan.
Example of a temporary traffic circle used in Pittsburgh, PA. Photo from BikePGH.
Future bike boulevards are shown on the map in yellow. The West Side Bicycle Boulevard Vision Plan will identify the location of traffic calming and other traffic features to create a safe and convenient route for people on these streets highlighted in yellow.
Bicycle boulevards (also called neighborhood greenways or neighborways) are streets with low motorized traffic volumes and speeds, designed and designated to give people traveling by bike, foot, or other mobility assist devices such as scooters or wheelchairs travel priority.
Bicycle Boulevards use pavement markings and traffic calming tools to create a safe and convenient route for people, especially at crossings of busy cross streets. These infrastructure measures are usually used in combination to create a safe and continuous bicycle boulevard.
The infrastructure measures shown below can be installed as permanent structures with concrete or temporary installations using paint and bollards. Not all of the infrastructure measures below are currently in use in the City of Saint Paul.
There are bicycle boulevards in Saint Paul on Charles Avenue, Margaret Street, Jefferson Avenue, and Griggs Street North. These current bicycle boulevards in Saint Paul have mini traffic circles, bumpouts, sign reconfiguration, traffic diverters, and improved navigation signage. Bicycle boulevards are utilized around the country, some of the facilities elsewhere feature additional treatments like Chicanes/Pinch Points.
Mini traffic circles at minor intersections which force vehicles to slow down to maneuver around them.
Traffic diverters at certain intersections allow for pedestrians and bicyclists to move through but not vehicles. Traffic diverters discourage vehicle through traffic.
Sidewalk extensions or bumpouts at intersections which narrow the roadway to allow safer pedestrian crossings, improve sightlines for all users and slow vehicles.
Signage reconfiguration at some two-way stop intersections to facilitate smoother bicycle operations along bike boulevards. For example, stop signs would not be on the bicycle boulevard but on the cross street to allow bicyclists to proceed through the intersection without stopping and have the right of way.
Improved crossings at major street intersections to ensure safe and convenient crossing for users of bike boulevards. Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons lights that are triggered by a push button and include a pedestrian sign.
Improved navigation signage to help boulevard users connect with other bicycle facilities and to navigate to key recreation destinations along or near the route.
Speed humps/tables force vehicles to slow down to maneuver over them. These can also be designed at intersections to allow for safer and more accessible pedestrian crossings by raising the surface of the entire intersection or crossing points.
Chicanes are a series of raised or otherwise delineated curb extensions or parking bays on alternating sides of a street which when installed form an s-shaped street pattern. These provide visual cues and create pinch points that force vehicles to maneuver around them which in turn causes vehicles to slow down.
Center median islands can be installed to facilitate pedestrian crossings of a street while also presenting visual cues to vehicles to slow down.
Laura Krause
Senior Transportation Planner
651-266-6037
Laura.Krause@stpaul.gov
