Vail Valley Drive Safety Improvements - Advisory Bike Lanes

Advisory Bike Lanes Installed! During the two-month summer trial period, the town received significant positive feedback. Upon completion of the trial in August 2020, the Town Council directed staff to leave the ABL in place and plan on permanent installation in 2021. 

Vail Valley Drive is a popular route in the summer for pedestrians, cyclists, cars and buses. The Vail Valley Drive Safety Improvements project's goal is to define a clear and aesthetically pleasing separation between motorists and pedestrian/cyclists to provide a safer and more enjoyable experience for all. Within the last year the Design Team and Staff have engaged the public through multiple on-line surveys, Public Open Houses, individual meetings, and multiple Town Council meetings. The cumulative efforts resulted in the desire to complete a trial of Advisory Bike Lanes.

Advisory Bike Lanes(ABL's) are a relatively new "share the road" practice for the United States and they have been implemented successfully in about 30 locations across the nation. The goal of ABL's is to separate motorists from pedestrians and bicyclist by delineating a center vehicular lane and two edge pedestrian/bicyclist lanes along a low volume road. The center vehicular lane becomes a single bi-directional shared lane where drivers must yield to oncoming vehicles; while the ABL's delineate lanes in each direction for pedestrians/bicyclist that also function as shared lanes for motorists when vehicles need to yield to each other. For further information on how to navigate ABL's correctly click to view this video from Victoria Canada.

During the two-month summer trial period, the town received significant positive feedback. Upon completion of the trial in August 2020, the Town Council directed staff to leave the ABL in place and plan on permanent installation in 2021.

You can find additional information and resources on ABL's in the Document Library to the right.

Vail Valley Drive is a popular route in the summer for pedestrians, cyclists, cars and buses. The Vail Valley Drive Safety Improvements project's goal is to define a clear and aesthetically pleasing separation between motorists and pedestrian/cyclists to provide a safer and more enjoyable experience for all. Within the last year the Design Team and Staff have engaged the public through multiple on-line surveys, Public Open Houses, individual meetings, and multiple Town Council meetings. The cumulative efforts resulted in the desire to complete a trial of Advisory Bike Lanes.

Advisory Bike Lanes(ABL's) are a relatively new "share the road" practice for the United States and they have been implemented successfully in about 30 locations across the nation. The goal of ABL's is to separate motorists from pedestrians and bicyclist by delineating a center vehicular lane and two edge pedestrian/bicyclist lanes along a low volume road. The center vehicular lane becomes a single bi-directional shared lane where drivers must yield to oncoming vehicles; while the ABL's delineate lanes in each direction for pedestrians/bicyclist that also function as shared lanes for motorists when vehicles need to yield to each other. For further information on how to navigate ABL's correctly click to view this video from Victoria Canada.

During the two-month summer trial period, the town received significant positive feedback. Upon completion of the trial in August 2020, the Town Council directed staff to leave the ABL in place and plan on permanent installation in 2021.

You can find additional information and resources on ABL's in the Document Library to the right.

Advisory Bike Lanes Installed! During the two-month summer trial period, the town received significant positive feedback. Upon completion of the trial in August 2020, the Town Council directed staff to leave the ABL in place and plan on permanent installation in 2021. 

  • Traffic and Pedestrian Counts - July 17

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    In order to better understand the percentage of bicyclists and pedestrians who are generally compliant with the use of the Advisory Bike Lanes and stay within their own lane, the town completed traffic and compliance counts on Friday, July 17 during the peak hours of 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The observations took place along Vail Valley Drive from Hornsilver Circle to the curve prior to the Golf Course Maintenance Building. In order to be deemed compliant bicyclists and pedestrians had to be riding or walking completely within the striped Advisory Bike lane. The results showed that there was 100% compliance with pedestrians and 93% compliance with bicyclists. See below for actual counts.

    Vehicles 83

    Bicyclists 300 (22 Non-Compliant)

    Pedestrians 45 (0 Non-Compliant)

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  • ABL Trial Update to Town Council June 16, 2020

    Town Council update June 16, 2020.

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  • Update to Town Council - March 3, 2020

    On March 3, 2020, Public Works will present an update to Town Council to discuss signage and striping options as well as to discuss one-way options. Please see the meeting materials in the documents link.

  • November 5, 2019 - Town Council Discussion Summary

    Staff presented a summary of findings to Council on November 5th which can be found by reviewing the Staff Memo and Presentation located in the Document Library on this page.

    After the presentation, Council directed staff to pursue further investigation of a trial one way operation for the busy months in the summer, as well as look at the possibility of adding shoulder/bike lane striping along Vail Valley Drive with minimal to no widening.

    Council was not in favor of relocating the path off Vail Valley Drive, nor in favor of creating a separated path that would move pedestrians closer to Hole #4 or #6. They also recognized that any significant widening of the road or attached path was undesirable.

    Staff will return to the Council within the next few months with updated options comparing a trial one way scenario and bike lane striping along Vail Valley Drive, or a combination of the two. Please continue to check Engage Vail for project updates.