# Analysis of Solutions Improving Safety of Cyclists in the Road Traffic
## 3 Laying Out Safe Bicycle Traffic  
The selection of the type of infrastructure for cyclists requires taking into account many urban and transport factors. These solutions should be consistent and safe with those intended for other road users. The experience gathered in many countries shows that dispersed solutions--unsuitable for cycling, which were characterized by many investments for years--have not proved successful. Only high-quality infrastructure--connected in a coherent network--guarantees a high level of safe bicycle traffic. Thus, excellent quality infrastructure, appropriate for a given location, is essential to ensure a high level of cycling. The space for cyclists should be located away from motor vehicles or effectively separated from them, while maintaining care about the pedestrians. As indicated in [4], the mixing of bicycle traffic with pedestrian traffic on narrow pavements is never acceptable. Moreover, it is pointed out that taking into account cycling in new investments and in the reconstruction of streets frees up land that can be used more efficiently, for example for the purposes such as houses, shops, or public space. This approach also avoids public opposition resulting from concerns about high car traffic and the associated noise and pollution. To obtain these benefits, new investments and the reconstruction and renewal of streets should be designed so that a third of all journeys are made by bicycle. This goal is achievable if the right design approach is followed. It should be remembered that it is also particularly important to minimize conflicts between cyclists and other road users and the availability of space on the demarcation lines. For example, sections of roads with one-way traffic, where the speed limit is 30 km/h, or entire areas with such traffic organization, may be a strong argument to make them accessible for two-way cycling, while maintaining one-way traffic of other vehicles. It requires introducing appropriate changes in the traffic organization on a given road section or in a given area. The choice of the type of infrastructure for bicycles should take into account:  
* functional and spatial connections of the designed bicycle route,
* development of the cross-section of the street in demarcation lines,
* road and traffic conditions (vehicle traffic volume, their speed and traffic distribution, as well as the existing and forecasted bicycle and pedestrian traffic, if a solution of shared use of the road for cycles and pedestrians is chosen). The review of foreign and domestic experiences in the field of safe bicycle traffic organization [10; 11; 13; 16; 17; 19] shows--among the others--that bicycle traffic may take place on the road, while maintaining the safety conditions of its participants, with an acceptable speed of up to 30 km/h and road traffic intensity of up to 2500 vehicles/day (v/d). In the permitted speed range of 30-50 km/h and the traffic intensity of up to 5000 v/d the choice of the location of infrastructure for cyclists along the road (street)and the type of this infrastructure should be determined individually, taking into account local conditions. For the traffic speeds above 50 km/h, bicycle traffic should be absolutely separated from the road. When the traffic intensity of vehicles N > 2500 v/d, and the permissible speed >50 km/h, then--regardless of the type of area (built-up/non-built-up)--cycling should take place outside the road [18]. With pedestrian traffic of over 200 people/h, it is not allowed for pedestrians and cyclists to use the common area. The criteria for segregating cycling from other vehicles (in built-up areas) adopted under Polish conditions are presented in Table 1.  
An important issue related to the choice of the type of infrastructure for cyclists is the problem of a shared path for bicycles and pedestrians.