Analysis on Relationships among Bicycle Traffic Capacity, Occupied Lane Width and Bicycle Traffic Demand at Intersection Areas

Bicycles running in intersections will occupy lanes of motor vehicle if bicycle flow rate is high. The interference from bicycles will decrease capacity of motor vehicles in an intersection. Meanwhile, the increase of lane width bicycles occupy can increase bicycle traffic capacity. In this study, the relationships among occupied lane width, bicycle traffic capacity, decrease of motor traffic capacity and bicycle traffic demand were explored. However, little documentation is available on these issues. Our field investigation was conducted in Nanjing to get plenty of data. Statistics methods were developed to quantitatively modeling relationship curves. It is found that occupied lane width is a Logistic function of bicycle traffic demand, while bicycle traffic capacity and decrease of motor traffic capacity are cubic functions of bicycle traffic demand. The finding of the research can be used for intersection construction, reformation and management to meet large bicycle traffic demand and alleviate the interference.