The construction of new cycling paths in Rovinj, Croatia, is an important step forward in promoting sustainable mobility and improving road safety. Designed by Dino Stanić, a civil engineer with extensive experience in transport infrastructure, the project involved creating parallel bike lanes alongside an existing roadway to connect the seaside coast with popular tourist destinations featuring resorts and hotels. The primary goal was to establish dedicated bike lanes that separated cyclists from vehicular traffic, ensuring both safety and comfort. Despite challenges posed by spatial limitations, such as narrow corridors bordered by walls, hedges, and existing roadways, the project successfully delivered a modern, cyclist-friendly solution through efficient and precise design using Plateia software.

Project name: New Cycling Infrastructure in Rovinj
Location: Rovinj, Croatia
Design team: Corridor Project
Contact: +385923574006
Email: [email protected]
The goal: To create dedicated and safe cycling infrastructure in Rovinj, Croatia, that promotes sustainable mobility and separates cyclists from vehicular traffic.
Investor: Municipality Rovinj
Software solution used: PLATEIA
Length of cycling infrastructure: 830,0 m
Costs: 298.000,00 €

Technical Challenges and Solutions

During the design process, Dino Stanić faced three big challenges that needed creative solutions and careful planning to complete the project successfully. These challenges included limited space and bigger problems related to infrastructure planning and technical rules.

1. Narrow Road Sections and Safety Standards
The first challenge was the narrow width of certain road sections, which made it difficult to meet safety standards. According to the regulations, cyclists must be positioned at least 25–50 cm away from the roadway and 25 cm from walls or fences to allow for leaning while cycling. Additionally, on the side adjacent to the roadway, this distance accounts for truck side mirrors, which can extend up to 30 cm into the bike lane, especially on curves, posing a risk of injury. While such requirements are more easily met on newly constructed roads, it was particularly challenging in older urban areas where space is limited and surrounded by buildings, walls, or other obstacles. In some narrow sections, achieving these safety distances was simply not feasible.

Image: One-way bicycle lane in an urban area.

Image: Cross-sections from the project.

In addition to the mentioned challenges, one of the main issues was the proper design of the transition for cyclists from the bike lane to the roadway. The transition must be marked in a way that both vehicles and cyclists can notice it in time to adjust their speed accordingly. After the transition from the bike lane to the roadway is properly marked, it is necessary to alert all road users about the shared use of the road surface. Therefore, on roads where cyclists share the roadway with motor traffic, and where significant cycling traffic is expected, appropriate road signs and markings on the roadway indicating cycling traffic are required.

In another case, cyclists need to be informed in time about the transition from shared use of the roadway to the bike lane. This transition must be marked across the full width of the bike lane, at least 10.0 meters before the start of the bike lane guidance. The radii used in these transitions must meet the needs of cyclists navigating curves, so it is recommended that the minimum radius in such situations is 15.0 meters. The project solution is shown in the following image.

Image: Detail of the cyclist crossing from the road to the bike lane.

The designed route of the cycling infrastructure is intersected by several side streets that cross the cycling lane. Therefore, it is necessary to inform cyclists in a timely manner about the approaching side street. This issue is resolved by the proper selection of horizontal signage. Specifically, the crossing is marked across its entire width with red paint, at least 5.0 meters before the start of the intersection or junction with the side road. This solution is shown in the following image.

Image: Detail of the bicycle crossing and side street.

2. Lack of a Comprehensive Cycling Strategy

The second challenge was the lack of a cohesive cycling strategy in the city. In some areas, land had not been acquired for the bike lane, causing the path to abruptly end and forcing cyclists to merge back onto the roadway. These gaps in infrastructure planning disrupted the continuity of the bike paths and made it difficult to ensure a safe and seamless route for cyclists.

3. Insufficient Technical Guidelines

The third challenge stemmed from insufficient technical guidelines for designing cycling infrastructure. Croatian regulations lack detailed specifications for key parameters such as curve radii, lane widths, and gradients. Dino addressed this issue by incorporating elements from Slovenian standards, which offer more precise technical guidance. This ensured that the final design adhered to safety and usability standards, even in the absence of local directives.

In Croatia, it is also required that the entire bicycle lane be painted red. In Slovenia, only a line is used, which is better and easier for construction and maintenance.

Plateia has been a vital tool since my university days, and it continues to be indispensable in my professional work. I strongly recommend it to anyone working in transportation infrastructure design.”

Dino Stanić, founder of Corridor Project

Plateia as a Key Solution

Plateia played an important role in overcoming the project’s challenges, enabling precise alignment calculations and optimizing the use of limited space. Dino used the software to import a digital terrain model, quickly identifying areas requiring retaining walls, embankments, and other structures. By leveraging Plateia’s tools, he efficiently defined curve radii, lane widths, and expansions, while generating 3D edges with ease. Since the longitudinal profile already existed, Dino focused on adjustments to the width on either side of the roadway, significantly streamlining the design process.

Dino values Plateia for its alignment with European standards and its localization to Croatian and Slovenian regulations, offering a distinct advantage over software tailored to American norms. Additionally, Plateia’s integrated design environment allows for situational plans, longitudinal profiles, and cross-sections to be managed within a single DWG file, providing a comprehensive and efficient workflow for complex projects.

Outcome and Impact

The newly constructed cycling paths in Rovinj provide a safe, accessible, and visually appealing route for cyclists, reinforcing the city’s commitment to sustainable mobility. Dino highlighted Plateia’s user-friendly interface and compliance with European standards, noting how it enabled the development of high-quality infrastructure despite the project’s challenges.

About Dino Stanić

Dino Stanić is an experienced civil engineer and the founder of Corridor Project, a company specializing in transport infrastructure design. Over the past seven years, Dino has worked on a range of projects, including roundabouts, new road designs, reconstructions, and cycling paths, both in Europe and internationally, with notable assignments in Papua New Guinea and Australia.

In addition to his professional achievements, Dino is also the author of a published article in the field of transport engineering. His paper, titled Analysis and Design of Cycling Infrastructure, explores innovative approaches to cycling infrastructure design and highlights his ability to tackle complex engineering challenges.

Dino’s academic journey began in Rijeka, Croatia, where he graduated in civil engineering, later advancing his expertise during an Erasmus exchange in Maribor, Slovenia. There, he developed a strong connection to Slovenian standards and methodologies, which continue to inform his work. During his studies in Maribor, he also became familiar with Plateia, a software he now uses extensively in his designs. In addition to designing infrastructure projects, he also provides professional supervision. His commitment to excellence and adaptability to diverse regulations make him a trusted expert in the field of infrastructure design.