@misc{9232173,
  abstract     = {{As cities continue to grow and the objectives for a more sustainable transport system become increasingly important, there is a growing need to develop attractive, safe and space-efficient cycling infrastructure. In the City of Malmö, GCM-stöd is used as a relatively quick and cost-effective method for creating physical separation between cycle traffic and motor vehicle traffic without requiring extensive reconstruction of the street environment. GCM-stöd is a Swedish term referring to prefabricated concrete kerb elements used to separate pedestrian, bicycle and moped traffic from motor vehicle traffic, also known as light segregation. In this study, the focus is primarily on their use as a separation measure between cycle traffic and motor vehicles.

The solution can contribute to a faster expansion of cycling infrastructure, but experience shows that GCM-stöd may, in certain traffic environments, become displaced, damaged or lead to recurring operation and maintenance issues. When the kerbs are moved out of position, the function of the separation, the usable space for cyclists and the perceived safety may all be negatively affected.

The use of GCM-stöd in urban environments has been studied in this report with the aim of investigating under which conditions the kerbs can be used as a functional and long-term sustainable separation measure. The report focuses on examining when GCM-stöd is an appropriate solution, which types of locations involve a greater risk of reduced functionality, and how the kerbs can be supplemented and designed to better meet requirements regarding traffic safety, operation and maintenance, and the urban environment. The study also examines how GCM-stöd compares with other separation measures, such as road markings for cycle lanes and traditional kerbs with a level difference.

The study has been carried out through a combination of a literature review, interviews, field studies and quantitative data collection. The literature review has been used to establish a knowledge base regarding cycling infrastructure, physical separation, traffic safety, and operation and maintenance. The empirical part is based on semi-structured interviews and personal communication with professionals working with traffic planning, street design, operation and maintenance, as well as suppliers. In addition, locations with GCM-stöd in Malmö have been studied through site visits, traffic data, customer service reports and accident data from Strada. To highlight the economic aspects, a simplified cost comparison and break-even analysis have been performed.

The results show that GCM-stöd can serve an important function in urban environments, but that their performance is highly dependent on the conditions of the specific location. The kerbs function best in predictable traffic environments, particularly on straighter sections with sufficient carriageway width, limited heavy traffic and few conflict points. In narrow and complex traffic environments, for example at intersections, curves, driveways, loading areas and locations with high proportion of heavy vehicles, the risk om impacts and displacement increases.

The study also shows that visibility is a crucial factor for the functionality of GCM-stöd. Bollards, reflectors, road markings and contrast markings should therefore not only be regarded as supplementary measures, but as part of the basic design. Operation and maintenance issues also need to be considered early in the planning process, since snow, ice, drainage, cleaning and recurring repairs can affect the long-term functionality of the solution.

The cost comparison shows that GCM-stöd has a lower investment cost than traditional kerbs with a level difference, but a higher cost than road markings alone. The low investment cost can be a clear advantage in locations where the kerbs function well, but in locations with recurring damage, operation and maintenance costs may reduce the economic benefit over time. The choice of separation should therefore not only be based on investment cost, but also on the traffic environment, expected service life and maintenance requirements of the location.

The main conclusions of the report are that GCM-stöd should be used selectively and adapted to the specific location, rather than as a general standard solution. They are most suitable in straighter sections with sufficient carriageway width, limited heavy traffic and few conflict points. In narrow, complex and heavily trafficked environments, more robust or integrated separation solutions should be considered. In summary, the study shows that GCM-stöd can be a useful tool for the rapid expansion of cycling infrastructure, but only when the solution is used in the right context and is preceded by a site specific analysis in which traffic, environment, vehicle swept paths, cycle path width, visibility, operations and maintenance, and urban design values are considered together.}},
  author       = {{Johansson, Felix}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{GCM-stöd i urban miljö}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}