Commonway
Version V. 2026.08.31

Protected Bike Lane / Cycle Track

ELM-PBL-37
Recommended Element

Protected Bike Lane / Cycle Track

A bike facility physically separated from adjacent vehicle traffic by a barrier, curb, parked cars, bollards, or planters, rather than paint markings alone, providing the highest level of separation among on-street bike facility types.

Working assessment: this pattern’s status reflects a preliminary Commonway System judgment call, pending final review.

#Why this pattern exists

Physical separation removes the reliance on driver behavior and paint compliance that lower-tier bike facilities depend on, making cycling comfortable and accessible to a much broader range of riders, including children and less-confident adults, the core goal of an all-ages-and-abilities bike network. This pattern exists to document the design considerations specific to physical separation.

#Key considerations

  • Intersection and driveway conflict points require particular design attention, since physical separation that continues uninterrupted mid-block can create visibility conflicts at any break in that separation
  • Should be the aspirational default treatment on higher-speed or higher-volume corridors where cycling is intended to be a viable, comfortable option for a broad range of riders
  • Maintenance access (snow removal, sweeping) needs to be planned for within a physically separated facility, since standard vehicle-lane equipment may not fit

Buffered Bike Lane (ELM-BBL-35), Conventional Bike Lane (ELM-CBL-34) (lower-separation alternatives); Bicycle Signal (ELM-BCS-16) (a common companion treatment at intersections)

Unsourced claim

Formal citations for this pattern have not yet been compiled from primary sources.

Suggest changes to this page (opens in new tab) Last updated August 31, 2026