Imagine a Singapore where more people feel safe cycling—reducing congestion and pollution while improving health. The main thing stopping us? The fear of being too close to traffic.

We often hear there’s “no space” for proper bike lanes. But what if the space is already there, just waiting to be reallocated?

Our “Lane Width” project is measuring Singapore’s roads to find out. The idea is simple: by slightly standardizing the width of car lanes when they are due for repainting, we can create a crucial 1.2-meter of space for cyclists along the curb. This isn’t a full Dutch-style lane, but it’s a vital first step that makes cycling much less intimidating and tells drivers exactly where to expect cyclists.

Best of all, this change is virtually free. Since the roads need repainting anyway, it’s just a matter of painting them smarter. This low-cost adjustment would make our roads safer and more welcoming for everyone, paving the way for a more cycling-friendly future.

The Lane-Width Map
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&vpsrc=1&ll=1.298656518065342%2C103.84629104326518&spn=0.018555%2C0.077581&source=embed&mid=1ol3h46EwOSKJsqKA4zW6Oa6m9gM&z=13

Click on the green dots to show the lane width measured at that location
If the map doesn’t show up, refresh the page may help.

Lane width measurement team: Tah Ching of Studioorigins, AhSun of Bamboobee, Francis Chu of LoveCyclingSG and Safety for Active Mobility Users

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Media update: The New Paper: 2012-08-28

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Tokyo update: 2014-01-03

I was recently in Tokyo, took the opportunity to measure the roads and lane width. There is a wide spread of 40 km speed limit. Car lanes tends to narrow down a bit to before traffic junction to help slow down the speed. Here is a picture from Google street view, showing clearly the average lane width is 2.85 meters. In Singapore it is often 3.2 meters or more.

Reference for lane width
The CityFix – Bigger Is Not Better

Dewan Karim- Narrower Lane, Safer Streets