First Buffered Bike Lane Installed on NW Spruce Avenue

The City of Corvallis Public Works Department has installed a buffered bicycle lane along a stretch of NW Spruce Avenue near the intersection with NW 9th Street.

The City’s newly adopted Transportation System Plan calls for buffered bike lanes to gradually replace existing bike lanes throughout Corvallis where appropriate and space allows. City officials say the installation on Spruce Avenue is the first of a number of similar projects outlined in the Transportation Systems Plan.

“What you’ll immediately notice is how much more comfortable the riding environment is with a small buffer between you and motor vehicles,” said Josh Capps, Active Transportation Program Specialist for the City of Corvallis. “That feeling is backed by real data showing that separated bike lanes attracted 2.5 times more users than standard bike lanes.”

Buffered bike lanes are conventional bicycle lanes paired with a designated buffer space separating the bicycle lane from the adjacent motor vehicle travel lane or parking lane. The design on Spruce follows guidelines from the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Street Design Guide, which calls for a 6-foot bike lane alongside a 2-foot buffer.

The buffer provides a number of features:

• Provides a greater space for bicycling without making the bike lane appear so wide that it might be mistaken for a travel lane or a parking lane.
• Encourages bicycling by enhancing the comfort and safety of people riding bicycles.
• Appeals to a wider population of bicyclists, including those who might not feel safe riding in mixed-traffic or in conventional bike lanes.

About 98% of arterial and collector streets in Corvallis have bike lanes, and in 2018, 82% of area residents indicated they had chosen an alternative transportation option such as cycling over driving. Corvallis has been recognized as a Gold level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists since 2003.