Following the delivery of the first phase of a 4km experimental bike lane on RD 6098 between Antibes and Villeneuve-Loubet on May 7, 2020, and its inauguration on May 14, 2020, the Department of Alpes-Maritimes undertook a second phase of works to address the main weaknesses of the project.
These included:
• Addressing the four narrowing points of the bike lane, specifically by widening the lane around the two mini roundabouts and removing the sidewalks at Fort Carré and La Siesta to expand the cycling platform.
• Improving the horizontal signage. The horizontal signage of the bike lane was enhanced with a centerline and additional bicycle logos for better visibility.
• Organizing parking. In consultation with the city of Antibes, dashed lines were marked on the bike lane to organize and restore the parking bays that previously existed, as well as the areas provided for professionals (food trucks, water sports activities, etc.). This affected one-third of the development’s length, with 11 marked spaces. It is a reminder that parking vehicles on a bike lane is prohibited by the highway code and subject to fines. Therefore, access to the parking bays is only possible at marked locations.
However, after analyzing the operation of these developments during the last busy weekend, it proved challenging to offer a completely secure bike lane during the summer. The potential conflicts between motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians are too numerous in the summer period.
Therefore, it was decided to suspend the experiment during the summer and revert to the cycling configuration that prevailed before the lockdown, namely a one-way lane along each road – on the railway side heading from Villeneuve-Loubet to Antibes and on the seaside heading from Antibes to Villeneuve-Loubet.
