Facility preferences & safety

Photo Flickr: Boegh Facility preferences & safety Evidence from two studies Kay Teschke School of Population & Public Health University of British Columbia

Canadians don t cycle much % of trips by bike Canada USA 1 1 Finland Sweden 9 9 Germany 10 Denmark 18 Netherlands 26 Sources: Pucher & Buehler, City Cycling, 2012; Statistics Canada, 2011 National Household Survey

Women cycle less than men 100 Female Male 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Canada USA UK Germany Denmark Netherlands Source: Pucher & Buehler, City Cycling, 2012

Cycling Why not? 4

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 Source: Winters & Teschke, 2010

What would deter you from cycling?

What would motivate you to bike?

Safety concerns are top deterrents to cycling 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 Survey of 1400 Metro Vancouver adults representing near market for cycling approx number in population Potential cyclists 100,000 Occasional cyclists 200,000 Regular cyclists 200,000 8

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 9

Route type matters regular cyclists occasional cyclists potential cyclists + 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

Route type matters regular cyclists occasional cyclists potential cyclists + 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

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

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 Sources: Teschke et al., 2012; Harris et al., 2013

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 bikeway bikeway with traffic diverters bikeway with traffic slowing Separated from traffic sidewalk multiuse path, paved multiuse path, unpaved bike path cycle track

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 Do they agree?

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

City 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, cycle track 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, bikeway Safer, motivates cycling

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

Quiet street, bikeway 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 path Residential street bikeway Bike-specific facilities Residential street bikeway & traffic diverters Residential street Cycle track Busy streets Major street with parked cars Major street no parked cars route safety

Busy streets cycle tracks separated bike lanes protected bike lane Photos Flickr: Paul Krueger Quiet streets bikeways with traffic diversion Off-street bike 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 34

Bike facility selection tool on or beside roads 12,000 Urban Areas: arterials & collectors Suburban & Rural Areas: highways & roads Adapted from Cycling Embassy of Denmark Collection of Cycle Concepts 2012 10,000 8,000 Motor vehicle taffic volume (vehicles per day) 6,000 4,000 Cycle track Painted bike lane, no parking Cycle track with verge 2,000 0 Residential streets, mixed traffic Paved shoulder 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Traffic speed (km/h)

Danish best practice Off Street Bidirectional bike paths 10 30 km/h Mixed traffic 40 km/h Painted bike lanes Bike lanes on each side of 50 60 km/h Separated bike lanes street Right side of parked cars 70 130 km/h Separated by a median

Videos Photo Flickr: Boegh Bicycle Dutch: StreetFilms: http://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/uscycling-from-a-dutch-perspective/ http://www.streetfilms.org/cycling-copenhagen-throughnorth-american-eyes/