FACILITy #2
ContraFLOW LANES
What are Contraflow Lanes?
Narrow streets are "the norm" in Europe, and the Netherlands is no exception. When cars entered the transportation scene and as infrastructure adjusted, many streets became one-way to accommodate the larger vehicles.
However, a facility called "contraflow bike lanes" allow cyclists to traverse streets that are one-way for cars in both directions. An example is demonstrated by the diagram below.
Contraflow bike lanes allow bikes to travel against the direction of one-way vehicle traffic in addition to with the flow of traffic.
There are no formal restrictions or requirements for buffers, bike or vehicle lanes, and parking, so there is a unique flexibility with the implementation of contraflow lanes. Most commonly, this facility occurs in low-volume, low-traffic residential streets or on bike boulevards, a route prioritizing cyclists.
Contraflow LANES IN DELFT
Here is an example of contraflow lanes in Delft.
Cyclists may traverse the bike lane on the right in either direction while vehicles are restricted to enter or exit in one direction.
Here is an aerial view of the street, one of two opposite-direction streets that run parallel to each other.