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BikeMN Is All In on Protected Infrastructure

BikeMN’s mission is simple and practical: make it safer and easier for more people to bike, walk and roll throughout Minnesota. We focus on solutions that improve everyday travel, support public health and help communities function better for everyone.

Decades of research and real-world experience point to the same conclusion. Protected bicycle infrastructure delivers better safety, accessibility and utilization outcomes than painted bike lanes. This directly supports BikeMN’s core priorities: safety for all road users, access for people of all ages and abilities, and increasing the number of people who choose active mobility.

When BikeMN talks about protected bicycle infrastructure, we mean facilities that provide meaningful separation between people biking and motor vehicle traffic. This includes buffered bike lanes where the buffer creates real space, curb-protected bike lanes using concrete or hardened barriers, grade-separated cycletracks raised or lowered relative to the roadway, and fully separated multiuse trails designed for biking, walking, rolling and adaptive mobility. While these facilities take different forms, they share the same goal. They reduce conflict with motor vehicles and make biking more comfortable and predictable for more people. We also understand that it is also best to create separation between people who walk and those on bikes or scooters. When this is possible a generous width is required. 

What the data and lived experience tell us

Safety is not just about avoiding the worst outcomes. It is about how streets work every day and how they feel to the people using them. Protected infrastructure consistently reduces crashes, lowers vehicle speeds and decreases the severity of injuries when crashes occur. It also creates clearer, more predictable interactions for everyone, including people driving.

Painted bike lanes, even when buffered, leave people biking exposed to moving traffic, parking obstructions, dooring risk and stressful intersections. No one enjoys a car or truck being parked in a bike lane, including drivers – protected infrastructure goes a long way towards preventing this from being possible. Paint-only infrastructure will only ever have the ability to serve a relatively small group of confident riders. That limitation shows up in usage data. In cities where painted lanes make up most of the network, biking often remains around 1% to 2% of trips. That outcome reflects the design. If a facility only works for people who are comfortable riding in close proximity to traffic, it will not serve the broader community. BikeMN doesn’t want to see towns and cities stagnate on their bicycle usage at these levels – we know that more people want mobility freedom and to get out and experience their communities without being stuck behind a windshield.

Accessibility means designing streets that work for people of all ages and abilities. Painted lanes are often too narrow for families riding together, cargo bikes, tricycles or adaptive cycles. They are frequently unreliable in winter conditions and require people biking to merge into traffic at conflict points. Protected infrastructure is designed with these realities in mind, which is why it consistently supports higher use.

Modern transportation practice reflects this shift. Earlier approaches that treated biking as something that should happen in mixed traffic are no longer supported by professional guidance. Today, organizations such as the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) identify physically separated bicycle facilities as best practice. Places with high biking rates and low injury rates have achieved those outcomes by building protected networks that prioritize safety and comfort.

Research reinforces what people experience on the ground. When people feel safe, they bike more. Across multiple U.S. cities, protected bike facilities have led to increases in biking ranging from about 20% to more than 70% along individual corridors. These increases include people who were not biking before, including families, older adults and people using a wide range of cycle types.

Minneapolis offers a clear regional example. A peer-reviewed study of protected bikeways installed between 2007 and 2013 found an average 69% increase in corridor mode usage. This is especially important because it reflects observed behavior, shows effectiveness in a cold-weather city and demonstrates that benefits grow as networks become more connected.

The growing use of e-bikes does not change these conclusions. As national subject-matter leaders, BikeMN continues to track this closely. There is no current body of data showing that legal and responsible e-bike use changes the safety or accessibility benefits of protected bicycle infrastructure. Research shows that e-bike riders seek the same separation from traffic as other riders and that predictable, separated design becomes even more important as speed differences increase. Protected facilities reduce conflict regardless of how a bicycle is powered.

Cost is an important consideration, but it should be evaluated over the full life of a street. All streets require reinvestment over time. Protected bike infrastructure contributes to lower crash and injury costs, improved public health, reduced household transportation expenses and more efficient use of public right-of-way. When considered over time and as part of a connected network, these investments deliver lasting value to communities. When done as a part of a larger reconstruction project the incremental cost of protected infrastructure tends to be comparatively very small.

The bottom line

BikeMN supports transportation decisions rooted in data, professional consensus and community benefit. Individual experiences matter, but infrastructure must work for entire communities, including people who do not bike today or who do not feel safe doing so.

Our bottom line is clear. BikeMN’s priorities are safety, accessibility for all ages and abilities, and increased use of walking, biking and rolling. Protected bicycle infrastructure is the most effective way to achieve those goals. Painted bike lanes alone cannot meet today’s safety or accessibility needs. If communities want streets that truly work for everyone, protected networks are the proven path forward. 

Research and Further Reading

Talking About Protected Bike Infrastructure

Q: How do I start a conversation with someone who is skeptical or frustrated?

A: Start by listening. Many people are reacting from a place of worry about safety, access, or change in their neighborhood. A simple question like, “Help me understand what are you most concerned about?” can go a long way.

Once someone feels heard, it is easier to talk about shared goals. Most of us want streets where kids can move safely, where older adults feel comfortable, and where daily trips are easier for everyone.

Q: How do I explain why protected bike infrastructure matters without sounding technical or preachy?

A: You can keep it very simple. Protected bike infrastructure works because it gives people a little more space and separation from fast-moving traffic. That makes streets feel calmer and safer, which means more people are willing to use them.

It can help to frame this as a design choice that supports everyday life rather than a statement about who is “right” or “wrong.”

Q: What if someone says, “I bike all the time and paint works fine for me”?

A: You can acknowledge that experience and still broaden the conversation. Something like, “I’m glad that works for you. The challenge is making streets work for people who don’t feel that confident, like kids, seniors, or people just starting out.”

This keeps the focus on who else we want our streets to serve, not on dismissing anyone’s personal experience.

Q: How should I respond when someone is worried about change or loss?

A: It helps to recognize that change can feel personal, especially when it affects a familiar street. You might say, “It makes sense to be cautious about changes like this. The goal isn’t to erase what people value, but to make sure the street works safely for the community now and into the future.”

Centering long-term safety and access can help reframe the conversation away from fear and toward shared responsibility.

Q: How do I talk about cost in a way that feels grounded and fair?

A: Many people worry about cost because they care about how public money is used. You can acknowledge that and explain that streets need reinvestment over time no matter what. Protected infrastructure is about getting more long-term value from that investment by reducing injuries, improving health, and giving people more transportation options.

Keeping the focus on community benefit helps the conversation stay constructive.

Q: What if the conversation starts to feel tense or stuck?

A: It is okay to slow things down. You do not need to convince someone in one conversation. Staying respectful, sharing why this matters to you, and leaving space for disagreement can keep the door open.

Sometimes the most productive outcome is simply helping someone understand that the goal is safer, more accessible streets for everyone, not winning an argument.

Q: How can BikeMN supporters be most helpful in these conversations?

A: By showing up with curiosity, patience, and care. When supporters center safety, all-ages-and-abilities access, and broader community needs, conversations tend to be more productive.

You do not have to have every statistic memorized. Speaking honestly about why safer, more accessible streets matter to you and to the people around you is often enough to move the conversation forward.