What route types best motivate cycling? Evidence about route preferences & safety

What route types best motivate cycling? Evidence about route preferences & safety Photo: Ken Ohrn Kay Teschke School of Population & Public Health The University of British Columbia

Canadians don t cycle why? Canada USA Finland Sweden Germany % of work trips by bike 1 1 9 9 10 Denmark 18 Netherlands 26 Sources: NHS, 2011; Pucher & Buehler, City Cycling, 2012

European guru Jan Gehl people places North American guru John Forester vehicular cycling Image credit: Advocate Magazine

Two studies Cycling in Cities Opinion Survey N=1400 in Metro Vancouver 16 route types, 73 potential motivators or deterrents Bicyclists Injuries & the Cycling Environment Case-Crossover Study N=690 in Vancouver & Toronto 15 route types, other route features

Motivation route type matters + regular cyclists occasional cyclists potential cyclists mean men male mean women female Separated from traffic Quiet streets Busy city streets & rural roads Paved bike path Paved multiuse path Unpaved multiuse path Cycle track Residential street bike route, with traffic calming Residential street bike route Residential street Major street, with bike lane & no parked cars Rural road, with paved shoulder & bike symbols Major street, with bike symbols & no parked cars Major street, with bike lane & parked cars Rural road, with paved shoulder Major street, with bike symbols & parked cars Rural road, no paved shoulder Major street, no parked cars Major street, with parked cars

Motivation regular cyclists occasional cyclists potential cyclists route type matters + Separated from traffic Quiet streets Busy city streets & rural roads Paved bike path Paved multiuse path Unpaved multiuse path Cycle track Residential street bike route, with traffic calming Residential street bike route Residential street Major street, with bike lane & no parked cars Rural road, with paved shoulder & bike symbols Major street, with bike symbols & no parked cars Major street, with bike lane & parked cars Rural road, with paved shoulder Major street, with bike symbols & parked cars Rural road, no paved shoulder Major street, no parked cars Major street, with parked cars

Top motivators Route ease & enjoyment separate from traffic for the whole route beautiful scenery gentle slopes faster than other modes Source: Winters et al, 2011 7

Top deterrents Route safety car, bus & truck traffic vehicles driving faster than 50 km/h motorists who don t know how to drive safely near bikes risk of injury from car-bike collisions

Injury risk route type matters Major streets with parked cars no bike infrastructure shared lane bike lane Relative risk 1/10 1/2 1 2 Major streets, no parked cars no bike infrastructure shared lane bike lane Local streets no bike infrastructure bike route bike route with traffic diverters bike route with traffic slowing Separated from traffic sidewalk multiuse path, paved multiuse path, unpaved bike only path cycle track

Busy streets... arterials, collectors 400 to 2200 vehicles / hour 0 to 170 bikes / hour

Busy street, parked cars, no bike infrastructure Least safe, greatest deterrent to cycling Photo Flickr: Café Mama

Rural road, no bike infrastructure Less safe, deters cycling Photos: Jack Becker, Third Wave Cycling Photo Flickr: Café Mama

Busy street, sharrows Less safe, deters cycling Major street, parked cars, Major street, sharrows painted bike lane [Sources: Teschke et al, 2012; Harris et al, 2013] Photo Flickr: W.D. Vanlue

Busy street, parked cars, bike lane Less safe, deters cycling Major street, sharrows

Busy street, no parked cars, bike lane Safer, neutral impact on cycling [Sources: Teschke et al, 2012; Harris et al, 2013]

Busy street, separated bike lane Safest, motivates cycling [Sources: Teschke et al, 2012; Harris et al, 2013] Photo Flickr: Paul Krueger

Quiet streets... local, residential 10 to 130 vehicles / hour 0 to 110 bikes / hour

Quiet street Safer, neutral impact on cycling

Quiet street, bike route Safer, motivates cycling

Quiet street, bike route, with traffic diversion Safest, motivates cycling [Sources: Teschke et al, 2012; Harris et al, 2013]

Quiet street, bike route, with traffic circle Less safe, motivates cycling [Sources: Teschke et al, 2012; Harris et al, 2013]

Off-street... sidewalks, bike/multiuse paths vehicles not counted 0 to 170 bikes / hour

Sidewalk Less safe Photo: San Fransisco Citizen

Multi-use path Less safe, motivates cycling

Bike path Moderate safety, strongest cycling motivator

Do preferences & safety agree? route preference Multiuse path paved Multiuse path unpaved Multi-use paths Major street shared lane, no parked cars Major street bike lane, parked cars Major street shared lane, parked cars Major street bike lane, no parked cars Bike only path Residential street bike route Bike-specific facilities Residential street bike route & traffic diverters Residential street Cycle track Busy streets Major street with parked cars Major street no parked cars route safety

Busy streets separated bike lanes cycle tracks Quiet streets Photos Flickr: Paul Krueger bike routes with traffic diversion Off-street bike only paths

Both Oulu and Copenhagen have extensive networks of cycle tracks and dedicated bike paths, which made the ride easy. But something else was also different. It took a while for me to figure out what, but I eventually realized that I had relaxed. Unlike riding in Calgary, I wasn t on constant lookout for cars getting too close for comfort. I could feel the difference in my gut. Tom Babin, Calgary Herald, February 26, 2013 30

cyclingincities.spph.ubc.ca cyclingincities.spph.ubc.ca @kteschke Photo: Ken Ohrn