Kay Teschke School of Population & Public Health The University of British Columbia

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

Photo: Ken Ohrn

% of work trips by bike

Sources: NHS, 2011; Pucher & Buehler, City Cycling, 2012

1

1

9

9

10

18

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Canada

USA

Finland

Sweden

Germany

Denmark

Netherlands

Canadians don’t cycle … why?

North American guru John Forester

�vehicular cycling�

European guru Jan Gehl

�people places�

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

Pave

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ath

Pave

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Unp

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Cyc

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& n

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car

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Maj

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Rura

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Rura

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cars

Maj

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regular cyclists

occasional cyclists

potential cyclists

mean male mean female

Separated from traffic

Quiet streets

Busy city streets & rural roads

men women +

–

Motivation … route type matters

Pave

d bi

ke p

ath

Pave

d m

ultiu

se p

ath

Unp

aved

mul

tiuse

pat

h

Cyc

le tr

ack

Resid

entia

l str

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ike

rout

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Resid

entia

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Resid

entia

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lane

& n

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s

Rura

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or s

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& n

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car

s

Maj

or s

tree

t, w

ith b

ike

lane

& p

arke

d ca

rs

Rura

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Rura

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regular cyclists occasional cyclists potential cyclists

Separated from traffic

Quiet streets

Busy city streets & rural roads

+

–

Motivation … route type matters

Source: Winters et al, 2011 7

Top motivators Route ease & enjoyment •  separate from traffic for

the whole route •  beautiful scenery •  gentle slopes •  faster than other modes

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

“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

Two studies …

Injury risk … route type matters

1 2 Relative risk 1/10

Major streets with parked cars no bike infrastructure shared lane bike lane

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

1/2

“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?

Two studies …

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

Photo Flickr: Café Mama

Rural road, no bike infrastructure Less safe, deters cycling

Photos: Jack Becker, Third Wave Cycling

[Sources: Teschke et al, 2012; Harris et al, 2013] Major street, sharrows Major street, parked cars,

painted bike lane

Busy street, sharrows Less safe, deters cycling

Photo Flickr: W.D. Vanlue

Major street, sharrows

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

[Sources: Teschke et al, 2012; Harris et al, 2013]

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

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

[Sources: Teschke et al, 2012; Harris et al, 2013]

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

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

route safety

rout

e pr

efer

ence

Major street with parked cars

Major street shared lane, parked cars

Major street bike lane, parked cars

Major street shared lane, no parked cars

Major street no parked cars

Busy streets

Multiuse path paved

Multiuse path unpaved

Multi-use paths

Major street bike lane, no parked cars Residential street

Bike only path

Residential street bike route & traffic diverters Residential street

bike route

Cycle track

Bike-specific facilities

Do preferences & safety agree?

Quiet streets

bike routes with traffic diversion

Phot

os F

lickr

: Pau

l Kru

eger

Off-street

bike only paths

Busy streets

separated bike lanes “cycle tracks”

“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

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Photo: Ken Ohrn