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.

  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Vail Valley Drive Safety Improvements

    Please take a few minutes to answer several questions about your experience along Vail Valley Drive from Ford Park to Sunburst Drive. Your feedback is very important in helping to shape future safety improvements in this area. Please also participate in the "Map Locations" survey where you can provide comments regarding specific locations or features along this portion of the road.

    The following series of questions center on gathering your input regarding specific sections along  Vail Valley Drive  and your safety level as a user.  

    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. 
  • CLOSED: This survey has concluded.

    Vail Valley Drive Concepts

    With the first survey and the open house, we obtained your feedback on the current conditions and concerns regarding the shared use of this portion of Vail Valley Dr. by motorists, buses, cyclists and pedestrians.  Based on initial feedback as well as physical constraints within the study area, safety improvements to Vail Valley Dr. could include an attached path, a separated path, shoulder widening, seasonal restrictions or no changes.  The options for improvements depend on the physical constraints along the study area.  Accordingly, the study area is broken down into three sections.  Section A extends from the western edge of the Vail Valley Athletic Fields to Homestake Cir.  Section B extends from Homestake Cir. to the eastern intersection of Vail Valley Dr. and Ptarmigan Rd.  Section C extends from the eastern intersection of Vail Valley Dr. and Ptarmigan Rd. to Sunburst Dr.  The following survey is designed to to gauge the community's preference for improvements for each section.  


    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.