Master the art of safe cycling route planning with our comprehensive guides covering infrastructure, planning strategies, and commuting best practices.
Begin by clearly defining your origin and destination. Consider the distance and estimated time needed for your commute or recreational ride.
Use Brakeaway to analyze potential routes and identify sections with:
Review Brakeaway's safety ratings for each segment. A score of 75+ indicates good infrastructure, while scores below 60 may require extra caution.
Account for hills and your fitness level. Elevation data helps you choose routes matching your physical capabilities.
Identify alternative routes in case road conditions change or construction affects your primary route.
Physically separated from traffic, these offer the highest level of safety. Protected lanes are ideal for all ages and skill levels, making them the gold standard for urban cycling infrastructure.
Marked with paint only, these lanes are separated by lines but not physical barriers. They're safer than riding in traffic but require more awareness of turning vehicles.
These indicate shared use of the road. Cyclists should stay alert and use defensive riding techniques in these sections.
On highways and rural roads, wide shoulders provide safe cycling space. Typically 4+ feet wide, they allow comfortable cycling away from vehicle traffic.
These quiet streets with minimal traffic can be excellent cycling routes. Watch for parked cars and intersections with higher-traffic roads.
Use Brakeaway to identify the safest route, even if it's slightly longer. A safer route with lower traffic often beats a direct route through heavy traffic.
Brakeaway combines real-world infrastructure data from OpenStreetMap with traffic analysis to give you detailed safety information for any cycling route. Our algorithm considers:
Use this data alongside local knowledge to make informed routing decisions that prioritize safety.