Width of infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists

This report summarizes current knowledge about how the width of infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists affects safety, behavior, and mobility, and it provides an overview of regulations and recommendations about minimum width in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, and Germany. Types of infrastructure included in the review are sidewalks, bicycle tracks and lanes, shared paths for the use of pedestrians and bicyclists, and bicycle streets. Empirical studies from different countries show that wide cross sections generally are safer, provide better mobility (higher speed). Wide cross sections are also preferred by pedestrians and cyclists. Minimum acceptable widths are not easy to specify. Amongst other things, they depend on bicycle or pedestrian volumes and speed, the type of separation from other road users, whether the area beside the sidewalk or bicycle track/lane can be used, motorized traffic beside the sidewalk or bicycle lane/track, and roadside hazards close to the sidewalk or bicycle lane/track.