4.9 Side Roads or T-Junctions
Side roads present either as T-junctions, left turns or right turns depending on the approach direction. This section considers non-signalised junctions at side roads along main cycle routes.
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4.9.1 General Arrangement of Side Roads
Left curve radius is too generous
The objective is to control traffic movements and speed, and to ensure legibility for all road users. Key items to consider in making side roads more legible and cyclist-friendly are covered below.
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus cycle lanes, if provided)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Mandatory cycle lane approaching junction, to provide cycle space and preclude parking,
- Red coloured surface commencing 20.0m in advance of the side road to improve legibility
- Cycle lane brought across mouth of junction
- Cyclists opposite side road may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
4.9.1.1 Single Lane Side Roads Only
Side roads should use a single 3.0m wide lane approach. A single approach facilitates clearer visibility between motorists and cyclists on both roads.
In contrast, double approach lanes obstruct visibility. Emerging left-turning motorists may not see cyclists approaching along the main road due to vehicles in the outer lane of the side road.
Furthermore, if there are two lanes, there is no obvious way for a cyclist to turn right from the side road onto the main road.
4.9.1.2 Set Back Stop and Yield Lines
In built up areas, set back stop signs, yield signs and road markings should be located such that they are highly visible, to increase junction legibility, and reinforce the expectation of main road priority.
Stop and yield lines should be located at the first point of conflict with pedestrians, i.e., the back of the footpath, (or the building line or the fence line depending on context). Under this design, emerging vehicles make a two stage approach to the junction.
In the first stage, motorists stop or yield at the set back location, to allow pedestrians cross the side road with greater comfort and security. In the second stage, motorists proceed to the actual junction at a slow speed giving them time to see cyclists approaching the junction along the main road.
4.9.1.3 Tight Kerb Radius
Where cyclists share the road space, either in a mixed street environment or with cycle lanes, a tight kerb radius of 1.0m to 3.0m at the mouth of side streets restricts the speed of turning vehicles.
Where side roads have cycle tracks, it is important to ensure the cycle track radius is at least 5.0m to ensure cyclists do not swing out into the path of turning vehicular traffic.
4.9.1.4 Cycle Facility on Side Road
Where possible, a mandatory cycle lane on the side road should be provided to ensure cyclists have access to the stop line. This confers an advantage on cyclists in situations where there may be periodic queues on side streets.
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4.9.2 Examples of Side Road Junctions
The following drawings illustrate how different main road traffic regimes interface with the unsignalised side road.
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus cycle lanes, if provided)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole (not shown) for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus cycle lanes, if provided)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole (not shown) for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Mandatory cycle lane approaching junction, to provide cycle space and preclude parking,
- Red coloured surface commencing 20.0m in advance of the side road to improve legibility
- Cycle lane brought across mouth of junction
- Cyclists opposite side road may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus hatched kerb side)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole (not shown) for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Mandatory cycle lane approaching junction, to provide cycle space and preclude parking,
- Red coloured surface commencing 20.0m in advance of the side road to improve legibility
- Cycle lane brought across mouth of junction
- Cyclists opposite side road may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus cycle lanes, if provided)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole (not shown) for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Cycle track with transition to mandatory cycle lane approaching junction, to provide cycle space and preclude parking
- Red coloured surface commencing 20.0m in advance of the side road to improve legibility
- Cycle lane brought across mouth of junction
- Cyclists opposite side road may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus cycle lanes, if provided)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole (not shown) for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Segregated cycle lane approaching junction, to provide cycle space and preclude parking and ensure cyclist are not encroached by turning vehicles
- Cycle lane brought across mouth of junction in red colour
- Cyclists opposite side road may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
- Minor side roads and access streets in built up areas up to 6.0m wide
- Continuous footpath with vehicle cross over
- Vehicles on side road edge out slowly across the footpath and then into traffic
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Mandatory cycle lane approaching junction, to provide cycle space and preclude parking
- Red coloured surface commencing 20.0m in advance of the side road to improve legibility
- Cycle lane brought across mouth of junction
- Cyclists opposite side road may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus cycle lanes, if provided)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole (not shown) for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Built out footpath enhances visibility beyond parked cars for emerging motorists
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus cycle lanes, if provided)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole (not shown) for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Mandatory cycle lane approaching junction, to provide cycle space and preclude parking,
- Red coloured surface commencing 20.0m in advance of the side road to improve legibility
- Cycle lane brought across mouth of junction
- Cyclists opposite side road may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
- Built out footpath enhances visibility beyond parked cars for emerging motorists
- Narrow side road in built up areas (6-7m, plus cycle lanes, if provided)
- For urban centres, stop or yield line at / behind rear of footpath
- Vehicle on side road makes two-stage progress, first across pedestrian crossing area, and then across cycle lane to enter traffic
- Pole (not shown) for stop / yield located at rear of footpath, away from desire line for pedestrians
- Kerb radii tight (3-5m)
- Mandatory cycle lane approaching junction, to provide cycle space and preclude parking,
- Red coloured surface commencing 20.0m in advance of the side road to improve legibility
- Cycle lane brought across mouth of junction
- Cyclists opposite side road may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
- Built out footpath enhances visibility beyond loading bay for emerging motorists
- HGV environment
- Larger kerb radii required
- Cyclists removed from the turning path of large trucks
- Main road cyclists lose priority and join shared pedestrian area at junction
- Use high kerbs to deter cyclists from joining the road
- For quiet street environments
- Use junction table as shown
- Use lit bollards to emphasis edge of vehicular lane
- For quiet street environments
- Use lit bollards to emphasis edge of vehicular lane
- Contra flow cycle track terminated at side road
- At conventional pedestrian crossing, contra flow cyclists must dismount and cross the side street as a pedestrians. At shared pedestrian crossings, contra flow cyclists must yield to pedestrians and join a shared pedestrian crossing of the side road
- Cyclists with main traffic flow maintain main road continuity across mouth of side road
- Kerb extends close to junction to segregate two way cycle track from main road traffic
- Cyclists opposite cycle way may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
- Termination of a cycle way at a street environment
- Continuous footpath with pedestrian priority shared space
- Bicycles edge out slowly across the footpath and then into traffic
- Cyclists opposite cycle way may stop / slow to make direct crossing, or take central position in traffic lane before making right hand turn
