Skip to content
Horizontal-logo
  • 125 Years of Exceptional
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology & Security
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Inclusion & Belonging
    • Corporate Responsibility
    • Locations
    • Scholarship Opportunities
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
  • 125 Years of Exceptional
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology & Security
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Inclusion & Belonging
    • Corporate Responsibility
    • Locations
    • Scholarship Opportunities
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers

Urban Cycling is the Mode of the Future

  • March 10, 2021
Urban cycling in downtown DC

With sustainability and resiliency being an immediate challenge for cities, many in the transportation sector are looking to the next big innovation to combat climate change. Electric vehicles, high-speed rail, and other technologies are leading the current discussion. But what if I said that the next big technology to improve urban transportation was already here? That’s right: the bicycle. Low-cost and highly mobile, urban cycling can provide an opportunity for recreation, commuting, and even delivery of your mobile food order. Cycling in cities is the key to reducing our emissions and improving quality of life as we move forward.

Leading by Example

New Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg clearly understands the importance of this as he cycled home from work recently. Taking advantage of DC’s world-class Capital Bikeshare program, the former mayor of South Bend demonstrated that cycling was a viable option for commuting in the urban environment. Many DC residents have been doing this for years, bicycling with their children to school, to grab a bite to eat, and to events at Nationals Park and Audi Field.

Increasing Comfort for Urban Cyclists

In order to continue encouraging a mode shift towards cycling, there are certain actions cities can take to increase the comfort of cyclists. These include:

Installing Protected Bike Lane (PBL) Infrastructure

Taking the extra step of providing a buffer for cycling lanes means that cyclists do not have to worry about conflicts with parked or moving motor vehicles midblock. This does not have to be restricted to large capital infrastructure projects though. Instead, consider reallocating travel lanes to cycling lanes during the next repaving project. Coordination with asset management and your signals division can result in quick-build, low-cost cycling infrastructure.

Retiming Traffic Signals for Bicycle Progression

Cyclists have different user characteristics than general purpose traffic – including lower travel speeds and the lack of ability to quickly start from stop. Additionally, cyclists’ characteristics are more variable by rider ability and purpose of trip. Timing traffic signals for optimal vehicle progression can often result in excessive delays or stops for cyclists, inconveniencing riders and disincentivizing the mode altogether. On the other hand, intentionally considering cyclists when retiming traffic signals can complement PBL infrastructure along signalized corridors. Consider:

  1. Updating signal timings with lower progression speeds (e.g. 10-15 mph)
  2. Reducing consecutive stops and eliminating stops on steep grades
  3. Minimizing the green time of conflicting vehicular turning phases

Mitigating Conflicts between Cyclists and Turning Vehicles

Even with the installation of PBL infrastructure, navigating signalized intersections can be difficult for even the most experienced cyclists. Fortunately, there are many treatments that can mitigate conflicts between cyclists and turning vehicles. Leading pedestrian/bicycle intervals can provide a dedicated head start phase for cyclists (where legal), while protected-only turning movements can eliminate the conflict altogether. Upcoming guidance in the proposed update to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) would also allow for Flashing Yellow Arrow displays to be used with bike signals, resulting in a multitude of new phasing options for traffic engineers. From a geometric standpoint, tools like the “bend-out” or the protected intersection have been shown in many European cities to reduce turning speeds and increase yielding to cyclists.

Riding Towards a More Sustainable Future

According to the EPA, the transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (28% as of 2018). Furthermore, single occupancy vehicles are the greatest source of these transportation-related emissions. As cities look to curb emissions growth and improve quality of life, cycling should be a top priority for investment and infrastructure. Increasing this mode share will require incentivization of cycling and attracting new riders of all ages and abilities. Through infrastructure and traffic signal tools, cities have the ability to make cycling safe, comfortable, and enjoyable.

Josh Wolfgram headshot

Joshua Wolfgram, PE, PTOE, RSP1

Joshua is a transportation engineer serving the mid-Atlantic sector. His experience spans traffic signal operations, urban traffic operations, multimodal design, and traffic signal design. Joshua strives to deliver innovative, effective traffic solutions that benefit clients and promote equity and mobility for communities. When not at work, Joshua enjoys volunteering through music outreach, hiking, playing soccer, and spending time with his wife and two dogs in the suburbs of Chicago.

Linkedin Envelope Readme
PrevPrevious
NextNext

Most Popular

Brad Ezell Drives Mead & Hunt’s Federal Programs Forward
July 8, 2025
Jeff VanVoorhis Recognized Among 2025 Notable Leaders in STEM
June 27, 2025
Cultural Resources at 125 Years and Beyond
June 25, 2025
Mead & Hunt’s 2025 Scholarship Winners
June 16, 2025

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Markets
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
  • Careers
  • Home
  • Markets
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
  • Careers

Useful Links

  • Ebids
  • Corporate Responsibility
  • Equipment & Parts
  • GSA Schedules Program
  • Government Contract Vehicles
  • Policy for Third-Party Recruiters
  • Transparency in Coverage
  • Ebids
  • Corporate Responsibility
  • Equipment & Parts
  • GSA Schedules Program
  • Government Contract Vehicles
  • Policy for Third-Party Recruiters
  • Transparency in Coverage

Get in touch

  • Apply Today
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
  • Title VI
  • Apply Today
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
  • Title VI

Connect with us

Linkedin Facebook Instagram Vimeo

© 2025 Mead & Hunt, Inc. All rights reserved.

[uc-privacysettings] | Privacy & CCPA Policy | Do Not Sell | Site Map
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Read full privacy policy
ACCEPTREJECTSETTINGS
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo