The relevant text for cycle highways is scattered throughout a number of key documents. Here, the relevant extracts from Active Travel Facilities Design MIS05 are gathered together in one place.
Read the introduction here first.
Extracts- Active Travel Facilities Design MIS05
source: MIS05 – Active Travel Facilities Design: Municipal Infrastructure Standards 05 (ACT Government, April 2019)
4.1 Design principles for Community Routes
The general design principles and parameters affecting the provision of pedestrian and cycling facilities on identified Main and Local Community Routes are provided in AGTM06A and in Table 5-3.
Importance of momentum
An essential design objective of facilities for use on Main and Local Community Routes is the maintenance of a comfortable operating speed without loss of priority and amenity. This is achieved by locating paths and road crossings to preserve cycling and walking momentum, by using zebra or Path Priority crossings, particularly at local access side streets and avoiding tight bends and long detours. For supplementary advice in Estate Development, refer to Table 5-3. The principles remain the same in Retrofit, however the criteria may be modified with approval of the Road Authority to allow for site limitations.
MIS05, page 30
Note in the table 5-3 below: DIRECTNESS and DETOUR FACTOR
4.2 Design requirements and criteria for paths on Community Routes
The Active Travel Route Alignment shows the spatial route alignments and the hierarchy for Community Routes within future urban and established areas. Community Routes may include facilities located within the street verge or in open space reserves and may be co-located with floodways, landscape corridors or wetlands and retention basins. The path facilities provided on Community Routes within street corridors may vary against the Estate Development Code requirement when other route-siting opportunities are applied.
Facilities on Community Routes are provided in accordance with the route hierarchy as shown in Active Travel Route Alignment. In street corridors Community Route facilities generally parallel On-Road Cycling facilities to provide for a wide range of cyclist needs. On most types of streets there is a verge path on each side to provide for Community Routes. Table 5-4 shows the provision for different types of Community Route facilities in Estate Development with reference to route hierarchy, land use context and the corridor where the route is located, open space reserve or a street verge.
The selection of facilities for use on CRs should always be considered according to the Community Route hierarchy and separately to the road network.
MIS05, page 32
All paths in the ACT can be legally used by pedestrians and cyclists so it is not necessary to sign paths as shared paths except in legacy locations where paths are shared with equestrians. In these situations, additional signage is used to indicate the wider shared use (see ACT Standard Drawings-0611).
MIS05, page 33
Main, Local and Access Community Routes generally utilise paths and are designed for pedestrians and cyclists in accordance with the relevant ACT Standard Drawings, the Estate Development Code and the approved Estate Development Plan.
Design issues to address include:
– All new neighbourhoods should be made walking and cycling-friendly by following the key design principles outlined in Section 3.
MIS05, page 34
– Community Routes facilities such as paths are generally located on both sides of the roadway however there are exceptions and the Active Travel Route Alignment should be referenced for all Main and Local Community Route alignments. A trunk path may be provided for a Main or Local Community Route on one side of a street and a minor path provided on the other side for an Access Community Route. Facilities on Access Community Routes are provided extensively to ensure the door to door connectivity of the network.
– Main and Local Community Routes need not necessarily follow road alignments. When these routes are located in verges, facility provision is influenced by land use as shown in Table 5-4.
4.4 Paths on Community Routes
Estate development
Table 5-6 details the path types and dimensions in use in the ACT in Estate Development.
MIS05, page 40
4.4.1 Path design
Path design is to consider land use and route hierarchy contexts. For example, a trunk path on a Main Community Route through a green corridor in a suburban context will have a higher design speed than a trunk path on Local Community Route in an inner urban context. Path design will comply with AGRD06A, references to the relevant sections of AGRD06A are shown in brackets:
– Width (AGRD06A Section 5.1)
– Bicycle operating speeds (AGRD06A Section 5.2)
– Horizontal curvature (AGRD06A Section 5.3)
– Path gradients (AGRD06A Section 5.4)
– Clearances and the need for fences (AGRD06A Section 5.5)
– Crossfall and drainage (AGRD06A Section 5.6)
– Sight distance (AGRD06A Section 5.7)
– Changes in level (AGRD06A Section 5.8)
– Surface treatments and tolerances (AGRD06A Section 5.9 and 5.10)
– Lighting and underground services (AGRD06A Section 5.11 and 5.12)Paths should not be located directly adjacent to property boundaries because of the risk of blind spots particularly from drivers exiting from driveways. Paths should not be located abutting kerbs as they may locate path users in the car door opening zone or may be obstructed by refuse bins on collection days (see Table 5-5). Refer to MIS 01 Street planning and design for technical requirements for street cross section planning.
MIS05, page 41
4.4.7 Vehicle access restriction to paths
Physical barriers are often necessary to prevent damage by unauthorised vehicles to parkland or infrastructure such as bridges not designed to take the weight of a vehicle. Barriers placed at the termination of paths, on bridge approaches and at property boundaries can present a danger to cyclists and pedestrians if not carefully designed and sited.
MIS05, page 44
4.4.11 Paths and floodways
Estate development
Paths should be designed to protect pedestrians and cyclists from flood events and provide access to suitable alternatives in the event of flooding.
Paths forming Main or Local Community Routes should be located above the flood level of a storm event with a 20% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP). When paths are within the flood area of larger waterways such as major rivers or creeks with faster moving water and longer inundation periods, a higher level of protection up to 10% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) is to be considered.
Paths parallel to floodways should be as high as possible. Recreational paths not serving a transport function may be protected against lower AEP events, but consideration should be given to maintenance requirements resulting from more frequent inundation.
At-grade floodway crossings may be provided for Minor and Intermediate Paths (Access routes) under the following conditions:
MIS05, page 47
– Consideration has first been given to utilising nearby existing or proposed alternative high level crossings.
– Suitable structures satisfy appropriate performance criteria for paths on Main and Local Community Routes.
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