As a StreetsBlog USA’s says, “The delineators most of our cities use to separate vulnerable road users from car traffic…kinda suck. The COVID-19 era is the perfect time to think outside the box and find something better.” Build a Better Barrier contest was sponsored by micromobility company Spin in response to the surge in active transportation during the coronavirus pandemic.
An ultra-affordable bike lane made out of recycled car tires by WeClaim won first place. It’s environmentally-friendly, too. Spin says the WeClaim design will be made available for free to communities, and will need little more than “a simple template, [a few] used tire[s], a few basic hardware store parts, common tools, and a bit of elbow grease” to install and maintain.
Here are some other ideas:
“The Chain” Bike Lane Delineator, designed by team Culture House lead by Aaron Grenier, features a bike lane shielded from car and bus traffic by a large, waist-high lane delineator that resembles a large bicycle chain. The links in the chain form the barrier while the pins of the chain are anchored into the ground.The Streetbloc, designed by Dayton Crites, features a protected lane, shielded from car traffic by a waist-high barrier made out of neon pink-and-orange blocks that resemble Legos. The Saris “Wave” delineator is one of a tiny handful of road barriers that both provide meaningful protection to the vulnerable *and* aren’t hideous to look at. “The WAVE” bike lane barrier creates high-comfort bike facilities, is easy to implement, and is highly customizable. The modular design of the WAVE allows other features to be easily added to the bike lane, such as intersection foot rests, breaks for accessible parking or bus stops, and planters.
