A Safe Infrastructure for Micromobility: The Current State of Knowledge

Abstract

Major cities in Europe have seen a significant increase in micromobility infrastructure, including cycling infrastructure, with 42 European Metropolitan cities implementing 1421.54 km of cycling infrastructure in a year. However, the design principles for bikeways primarily rely on conventional road design for bicycles and lack consistency in accommodating emerging powered micromobility devices like e-scooters. To address this research gap, this paper conducts a systematic review and scientometric analysis to explore safe bikeway infrastructure design. It identifies three overlooked topics (marking and signing, grading, and mode choice) and nine understudied areas (vibration, distress, skidding, alignment features, clearance, lateral control, connectivity, traffic composition, and intersection presence) that significantly impact micromobility safety. The study’s comprehensive understanding and use of scientometric tools reveal patterns and relationships within the literature. It also highlights criteria influencing micromobility safety and the need for research on pavement and user behavior. The findings contribute to evidence-based decision-making for practitioners and researchers, emphasizing the importance of tailored infrastructure design to enhance micromobility safety and achieve cost-effective improvements.