Get Started Studio | Railings on Trails with Drop-Offs

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Photo: Trails should have railings if there is a significant drop-off adjacent to the travel way

Description of Problem: This Colorado community is doing some bike path design and sent in some questions about the maximum vertical drop-off height adjacent to a bike path and how this fits into a shared use path.

Some Solutions: We haven't seen any real studies on this topic, but there is something of a "state of the practice," based on the Minnesota bicycle facilities guide, and later guides from Arizona, North Carolina, and Wisconsin.

The basic idea is that railings are particularly important if there is something dangerous on the other side. A steep drop to a creek would be a good place for a railing. A shallow drop to an adjacent grassy swale would not need much attention. In the latter case, providing a 2-3 foot level shoulder would probably be adequate.

The resources below give guidance on where to install railings adjacent to paths.

- The Minnesota Bicycle Transportation Planning and Design Guidelines; MN Dept. of Transportation | 1996 Downloadable booklet PDF Format

- The Wisconsin Bicycle Facility Design Handbook; WI Dept. of Transportation | 2004 Downloadable booklet

 

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