Cycling Promotion in Switzerland – the example of Basel
Antje Hammer
Mobility Strategy
Department of Public Works and Transport
Canton of Basel-Stadt

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt

Canton of Basel-Stadt
Situation

Border triangle of France / Germany /Switzerland,intersected by the River Rhine

Inhabitants(2012)

Canton of Basel-Stadt =3 municipalities, 193’000(City of Basel 170’000)
Share of foreign nationals: 34%Area

37 km2

Structure

High-density area (7000p/km2)

City of BaselCentre town of agglomeration
with half a million people andof wider region Tri-Rhena(around 2 Mio. inhabitants)

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt|

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Canton of Basel-Stadt
International turntable of passenger and freight traffic

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt|

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Basel - a high dense cycling city•

densely populated: 6’800 persons/km•

87,5% of the 24km2 of Basel are settlement area orused for traffic purposes•

City of short distances, narrow streets, smallsquares, shared spaces, city centre with dense
historic building structures•Cycling Citypedestrians

cyclists

publictransport

motorisedprivatetransport

37%

16%

27%

18%

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt

Photo: Andy Scherer

Modal Split of the inhabitants of the City of Basel 2010

Basel - Transport system•

Important (inter-)national crossroads•

Dense local public transport network(bus, tramway, regional train system)•

Dense bicycle network,pedestrian zones in city centre•

Traffic calmed zones in residential areas•

Right-hand traffic

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt|5

Modal choice: high demand for public transport•

Motorisation: 352 cars/1000 persons (2010)•Basel-Stadt: 55% of households without a car (2010)•Modal split public transport in NW-Switzerland: 37% (2008)•53% of the population owns season-ticket (2010)•But: modal split lower for cross-border trips

Data: Urban audit
2012/modelisation
Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt|6

Statistics: cycling in Basel•

Availability of bicycles:– 1,5 bicycles per household•

Bicycle accidents:

Bicycle accidents from 2005-2012
200– 66 (2012)
150100502005•Bicycle thefts:– 2417 (2010)– 1500 thefts/100‘000 persons
Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt

2006

2007

2008

20092010

2011

2012

Legal basis

Constitutionof the
Canton ofBasel-Stadt•Encouraging and coordination of a sustainable,economical and energy-saving mobility•

Priority of Public transport•Lobbying for an attractive agglomeration transport system

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Canton of Basel-Stadt|

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Bicycle Planning in Basel

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt|

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Global credits for planning and realization•

1. global credit 1988-2005: 25 Mio CHF•

2. global credit 2006-2010: 8 Mio CHF•

3. global credit 2011: 10 Mio CHF•

4. global credit 2014: ….???

•Projects exclusively for – small projects for - cyclers and pedestrians, not incombination with other planning and construction needs•

Decision by the gouvernement, not the parliament

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 10

Our vision: Basel, the most bike and pedestrian friendly city in Switzerland!

Stake holders

Ideal infrastructure for walking
and cycling

Services and marketing for walking andcycling

Children and teenagers walkand cycle

1.3 Cycling and walking are seen and used
as an everyday transport mode throughout
the population.

1.5 Parents encourage their children to be
independent traffic participants.

1.4 Politicians and lobbies support cycling
and walking as an important, likeable andfully fledged mode of transport

1.6 Teenagers like to walk and cycle on an
every day basis.

1.1 Walking and cycling are viewed as being
safe. Target destinations can be quickly anddirectly reached on foot and by bike.

Potentials

Process

Financing

1.2 Traffic participants increasingly use forms of combined mobility for long and medium range distances.

2.1 Simplify acquisition of financial means forwalking and cycling infrastructure

2.3 Simplify acquisition of financial means for non infrastructural measures

2.2 Secure financial and personnel resources and use them in a strategy oriented way.
3.1 Expand a safe and continuous cycling
network and create direct, fast and safe bikeconnections.

3.4 Economic advantages of cycling andwalking are advertised in a target groupcompliant way.

3.2 Create an ample amount of safe andattractive bike parking facilities and bikerental stations.

3.5 Advantages of walking and cycling areadvertised in a target group compliant way.

3.3 Expand a safe and continuous walking
network. Create more space for pedestrians

3.6 Develop and implement service offers fordifferent target groups.

4.1 Enhancecooperation with BVB
to promote cycling
and walking

4.3 Intensify
cooperation withother departments

4.2 Acquire partners
to promote cycling
and walking

4.4 Use allopportunities for
cycling and walking

3.7 Train students to become safe
pedestrians and cyclists.
3.8 Promote an image of cycling and walking
as a healthy, cool and sustainable transportmode at schools

4.5 Simplify handling ofsmall cycling
and walking projects

4.6 BVD promotes
exemplary cycling andwalking measures atcompany level

Integration of promotion measures for walking and cycling into the administrative routine and cooperation with partners
5.1
Staff members as
5.2 Motivate and support
Department of Public Works and Transportambassadors for BVD
staff members
Canton of Basel-Stadt

5.3 Support adaptability

5.4 Support cooperation

5.5 Management culture| 11Strengths of cycling policy•Bicycle traffic on political agenda for more than 30 years•

Integrated part of overall mobility•

Clear definition of cycling network and of necessity of further bicycle measureson main streets•

Cantonal standards and demands•

Directive plan on cycling policies and concepts with an overview of cyclingmeasures•

Efficient financing model•

Defined regulation concerning cost responsibility

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt

Velo-City Global 2012 Conference

Folie
12| 12

Cycling promotion – infrastructureStandards for cycling infrastructure in Switzerland:•federal traffic law: general traffic rules, behaviour rules, scope of signals, etc.

•federal manuals and guide lines•

national engineering standards•

manuals and studies from national associations•

National observational researches(Kernfahrbahnen: http://www.kernfahrbahn.ch/)•cantonal standards, often mandatory for civil services•

local instruction, varying

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 13

Cycling promotion – infrastructureStandards for cycling infrastructure in Basel:•

determined in the directive plan for bicycle traffic, in process!

•Directive plan:- cycling network(basic network and commuter routes)- quality demands(planning, realisation, maintenance and operation)- standards for cantonal infrastructure(principle of bicycling routing, minimum dimensions, etc.)•

Directive plan binding for administration

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 14

Realized measures – infrastructure•

Network of bicycle lanes that total 150 km (93 miles)•

Separate bicycle lanes on main streets•

Mitigation of dangerous crossings•

Creating and improving the overall bicycle parking situation•

Bicycle parking at the main train station

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 15

Realized measures – operational•

Introduction of reduced-traffic areas (30 km/h = 18 miles/h)•

Traffic restrictions in the city centre•

Bus lanes with bicycle admittance•

One-way streets with two-way bicycle traffic•

Indirect left turn for bicycles at traffic lights•

Sign posting of leisure routes

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 16Traffic control – induction detectors•

Bicyclists mostly have their own recording means

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 17

Traffic control – bicycle traffic lights•

Two-way bicycle traffic at crossroads

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 18

Traffic control – indirect left turn•Special features for cyclists•

used at crossroads where it is not possible to turn left directly by moving into theleft-hand lane•used at crossroads where cyclists are permitted to turn left while other road
users are not•also used as second possibility to turn left and crossing the junction on a saveway

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 19Traffic control – indirect left turn
A cyclist taking an indirect left turn:Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 20

Cycling promotion – infrastructure
Sign posting:• Regulated in binding national standards

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 21

One-way streets•

Number of sections of one-way streets: 656•

Realised oncoming bicycle traffic: 480

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 22

Bicycle and pedestrian bridges

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 23

Masterplan „EuroVille“ Basel:
improving the situation around the main station
Reorganization
Centralbahnplatz
new undergroundbike parking
Carparking

Coveredbikeparkingplacesnew bay
New pedestrian and cycling route
platform
New Tramline„Passerelle“Construction site

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt

New buildings

New street
New cycling route

Boulevard Güterstrasse

Bike Infrastructure around the main station

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt

Bicycle parking at the main train station Basel SBB•

All over 4’000 bike parking places in and around the main station•Capacity of 1‘220 bicycles (opened in 2002) now 1‘700 bicycles):overloaded…..second bike parking scheduled.

•Part without charge / Part not free of charge: free for the first
1/2h, 1CHF/24h, 60CHF/year•Construction costs 11 Mio CHF maintenance costs 700’000
CHF/year•

Personal control 24h/24h•

Separate entrances from all directions•

Additional infrastructure: tyre inflators, places for specificbikes, charging stations, lockers, showers, bike repair / rental…

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 26

Bicycle parking at train station St. Johann•

Smaller train station in the north of Basel: enterprises with many
french commuters•

Opened in 2009•

Capacity of 300 bicycles•Construction costs 1.5 Mio CHF•

Lower maintenance costs: controlled by video•

Separate entrances from all directions

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 27

Bike Parking in BaselCa. 19‘500 placesof public bikeparking places in
the Canton ofBasel-Stadt
Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt

Antje Hammer

Photo: Daniel Conde an David Peltzer

Velo-City 2013 in Vienna

Cycling promotion – «Basel on the way»
Family Brand: Promotion of sustainable mobility in Basel«Basel on the way»

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt• City cycling map (actualised in 2011)• Languages: German, English, French• Online: www.stadtplan.bs.ch/geoviewer/

Department of Public Works and Transport

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Cycling promotion – fairness-campaign
Campaign: “Fair Traffic”• Initial situation- in urban space numerous requirements of road users may collide- behaviour can cause reciprocal interferences• Project objectives- all road user are equal partners- focus on fairness, not on safety- name conflicts and reduce fronts- not dunning or educational

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 31

Thank you for your attention

Department of Public Works and Transport

Canton of Basel-Stadt| 32