Low stress roads make biking more comfortable, especially for people who are more risk-averse. But do they make biking safer? A new study suggests they do, countering concerns from some transportation officials that these facilities might encourage unsafe riding.
bike lane
Safer infrastructure can drive a surge in cycling
Acknowledging that highway investments drive up car use and traffic, transportation professionals and advocates have grown more interested in accounting for induced demand in transportation investments. But the laws of induced demand are not limited to highways. As several cities have shown, investing in bicycle infrastructure can increase bike use by 100% or more.