A buffered bike lane is a great way to clearly demarcate the boundaries within which bikes and motor vehicles can run without colliding with each other. With rising car density, bikers are wary of operating on the same roads where these motor vehicles run. This is why many municipalities have come up with the idea of a bike lane that segregates the two modes of transportation. When a biker gets into a car lane, there is always a danger of facing nicks and scrapes from four wheelers. With a dedicated bike lane, this risk is eliminated effectively.
Conversely, even motor vehicles were wary of driving on roads that had a high percentage of cyclists running on the road. With inadvertent lane changes and sudden movement, they can pose a safety risk to themselves as well as to the motor vehicle owner. This is why green bike lanes have emerged as a win-win for both parties.
Why a green bike lane needs to be buffered?
A typical layout of a regular bike lane is that a thin line separates out the driving zone for motor vehicle drivers and cyclists. But during peak hours, many cyclists inadvertently spill on to the automobile road zones. This is why many cyclists feel trepidation at the thought of cycling in peak traffic hours. Even when the bike lanes come with ample road markings on the boundaries and inner lanes, many cyclists still prefer some safe distance between the two. Many studies have shown that cyclists would use their cycles more if there is a safe distance between them and the cars that operate around them. This led to the concept of buffered bike lanes.
A buffered bike lane is built in order to provide more comfortable and protected space for cyclists when compared with a conventional bike lane. A single line marking can be a barrier to safety if it is hidden by cars. Buffered bike lanes eliminate this problem to a great extent by providing wider markings to further separate out the cycles from the cars. The additional space offered by the buffered bike lanes are known as shy zones, and these areas are off-limits to motor vehicles. A typical buffered bike lane design will be as below
It is important to get a reliable company like Pavement surface Coatings to get the bike lane design done. They will do micro surfacing and concrete overlay with the designated color shade, marking and symbols as needed for a particular buffered bike lane. They use the revolutionary Endurablend, a concrete based polymer which is ultra-thin in dimension and provides amazing opportunities for textures and patterns to be rendered on the bike lanes. The company has carried out concrete overlay works for many exterior and public areas like driveways, airports, bridge decks, pedestrian plaza, and road markings. They can be relied upon to provide a lasting finish with an aesthetic value to the paved surfaces. In case municipal authorities need bike lanes to be segregated from the remaining part of the existing roads, then they can opt for Endurablend. The high friction overlay surface coating enhances the durability of the surface even with heavy vehicular and bike traffic plying on it.
They have the expertise in creating visible buffered bike lanes in order to avoid confusion and accidents. By clearly marking these lanes, you will not only help to avert these problems but also decrease traffic congestion. With intricate marking they provide total guidance to the cyclists in terms of directions, upcoming turns, or speed limits. They apply the overlay in hexagonal fashion to improve surface friction and minimize rainwater on the surface. Be it left side bike lanes, cycle tracks, contra bike lanes, or buffered bike lanes, the company has dexterity to work on different bike lane marking projects and do a stellar job on it.
