A sidepath is a shared-use trail that runs parallel to a roadway but is physically separated from vehicular traffic. Unlike on-street bicycle lanes or sidewalks adjacent to the curb, sidepaths provide dedicated space for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized users, creating a safer and more comfortable travel experience.

The separation from high-speed, high-volume traffic is one of the primary benefits of a sidepath. By providing a buffer between trail users and vehicles, sidepaths reduce exposure to traffic conflicts, noise, and vehicle spray, making walking and bicycling more attractive for people of all ages and abilities. This enhanced sense of comfort and security encourages greater use of active transportation while improving overall safety along busy roadway corridors. 

Sidepaths are recommended as a preferred treatment for Priority Bicycle Corridors identified within this plan if the routing is directly along an arterial roadway.  

Protected bike lanes are dedicated bicycle facilities that provide physical separation from adjacent vehicular traffic, creating a safer and more comfortable riding environment than traditional striped bike lanes. By introducing vertical or physical barriers between cyclists and moving vehicles, protected bike lanes help reduce conflicts with traffic and increase rider confidence for users of all ages and abilities.

Protection can be achieved through a variety of design elements, including modular curbs, raised concrete curbs, flexible delineator posts (flexposts), landscape buffers, parked vehicles, or other vertical separation treatments. These features create a clear distinction between the bicycle space and motor vehicle travel lanes, enhancing both actual and perceived safety while encouraging more people to choose bicycling for transportation and recreation.

Protected bike lanes are the next recommended treatment for Priority Bicycle Corridors arterial corridors identified in this plan if a sidepath is not feasible.

Protected intersections are intersection designs that extend the benefits of protected bike lanes through crossings and turning movements, creating a safer and more intuitive environment for bicyclists and pedestrians. These intersections use physical design elements such as corner islands, setback crossings, and refuge areas to separate bicyclists from motor vehicle traffic and improve visibility between all users.

By reducing potential conflict points and slowing turning vehicles, protected intersections help increase the safety and comfort of bicycling, particularly for less experienced riders. The added separation and clearer organization of movements make intersections easier to navigate while encouraging more people to choose bicycling as a practical transportation option.

Buffered bike lanes are on-street bicycle facilities that include an additional painted buffer space between cyclists and adjacent vehicle travel lanes and/or parking lanes. This extra separation provides greater comfort and operating space for bicyclists, helping reduce the effects of passing traffic and creating a more forgiving environment than a standard bike lane. While buffered bike lanes do not include physical barriers, the added lateral distance from motor vehicles increases perceived safety and can encourage more people to bicycle.

Buffered bike lanes do not typically offer enough protection and comfort to create a “low-stress” bicycle experience on higher traffic and higher speed roadways and are recommended to be used on lower traffic collector roadways.  Collector roadways are encouraged to be used, when possible, as parallel routes to arterials identified as Priority Bicycle Corridors within this plan.

Bicycle boulevards are low-speed, low-volume streets that are designed to prioritize bicyclists while maintaining local vehicle access. Rather than relying on dedicated bike lanes, bicycle boulevards use a variety of traffic calming measures to create a safer and more comfortable environment for people biking.

Common traffic calming features include speed humps, traffic circles, curb extensions, chicanes, and median diverters that reduce vehicle speeds and discourage cut-through traffic. These treatments help create a calmer street environment where bicyclists can comfortably share the roadway, improving safety and encouraging more people of all ages and abilities to travel by bike.

Bicycle boulevards are encouraged to be used as parallel routes to arterial roadways identified as Priority Bicycle Corridors, when possible, as they provide low stress alternatives to high-volume and high-speed arterial roadways. The cities of Phoenix and Tempe have been advancing bicycle boulevards as alternative, low-stress routes to arterial corridors and serve as local examples of bicycle boulevard applications.