Browsing by Subject "Bicycle commuting"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Assessing the Economic Impact and Health Effects of Bicycling in Minnesota
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2016-12) Qian, Xinyi; Linscheid, Neil; Tuck, Brigid; Lindsey, Greg; Jessica, Schoner; Pereira, Mark; Berger, Aaron
    This project estimated the economic impact of the bicycling industry and events in Minnesota, estimated bicycling infrastructure use across the state, and assessed the health effects of bicycling in the Twin Cities metropolitan area (TCMA). A survey of bicycling-related manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, non-profit and advocacy groups found the industry produced a total of $779.9 million of economic activity in 2014. Using data from multiple sources, the number of bicycle trips in Minnesota was estimated to be between 75.2 and 96 million annually. The TCMA accounts for 69%-72% of the total number of trips and miles traveled in Minnesota. Bicycling events, including races, non-race rides, fundraising events, mountain bicycling events, high school races, and bicycle tours, produced a total of $14.3 million of economic activity in 2014. All six types of bicycling events mainly attract white, non-Hispanic male participants. “Riding my bicycle” was the most frequently identified reason to attend an event (except for fundraising event participants), and there is a variety of enjoyable attributes that differed across event types. Overall, respondents were satisfied with the events. Bicycle commuting prevents 12 to 61 deaths per year, saving $100 million to $500 million. Bicycle commuting three times per week is also linked to 46% lower odds of metabolic syndrome, 32% lower odds of obesity, and 28% lower odds of hypertension, all of which lower medical costs. Project findings tell a compelling story for the positive effects of bicycling and provide direct evidence that supports the efforts of promoting bicycling-related industry, infrastructure, events, and activities.
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    Commuter Bicyclist Behavior and Facility Disruption
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, Research Services Section, 2007-05) Francis, Harvey; Krizek, Kevin
    Cyclists confronted by disruptions to facilities (e.g., dedicated paths, designated lanes) experience disturbances that prompt them to select sub-optimal facilities to avoid disruptions. Cyclists who have ready access to such improved facilities often choose sub-optimal facilities. This project collected a variety of data to help gain a better understanding of commuter cyclist behavior using Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to record cyclist movements and behaviors. Using GPS units for data collection provides significant data for analysis; however, a substantial and unexpected amount of effort went into determining the best operational use of the GPS units and verifying data collection protocols. Among important findings, results show that as perceived safety decreases, riders appear to be more cautious and move more slowly; however in situations of substantial perceived danger, riders go faster to spend as short a time in unsafe conditions. Cyclists choose these dangerous situations over alternatives because of lessened travel times. The research has been successful in establishing insightful relationships between commuter cyclist behavior and facilities. The methodological results are significant for future work.
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    The Minnesota Bicycle and Pedestrian Counting Initiative: Implementation Study
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2015-06) Lindsey, Greg; Petesch, Michael; Hankey, Steve
    The Minnesota Bicycle and Pedestrian Counting Initiative: Implementation Study reports results from the second in a series of three MnDOT projects to foster non-motorized traffic monitoring. The objectives were to install and validate permanent automated sensors, use portable sensors for short duration counts, develop models for extrapolating counts, and integrate continuous counts into MnDOT traffic monitoring databases. Commercially available sensors, including inductive loops, integrated inductive loops and passive infrared, pneumatic tubes, and radio beams, were installed both as permanent monitor sites and used for short-duration counts at a variety of locations in cities, suburbs, and small towns across Minnesota. All sensors tested in the study produced reasonably accurate measures of bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Most sensors undercounted because of their inability to distinguish and count bicyclists or pedestrians passing simultaneously. Accuracy varied with technology, care and configuration of deployment, maintenance, and analytic methods. Bicycle and pedestrian traffic volumes varied greatly across locations, with highest volumes being on multiuse trails in urban areas. FHWA protocols were used to estimate annual average daily traffic and miles traveled on an 80-mile multiuse trail network in Minneapolis. Project findings were incorporated in a new MnDOT guidance document, “DRAFT Bicycle and Pedestrian Data Collection Manual” used in statewide training workshops. A major challenge in implementing bicycle and pedestrian traffic monitoring is data management. Years will be required to institutionalize bicycle and pedestrian traffic successfully.
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    The role of perceived satisfaction and the built environment on the frequency of cycle-commuting
    (Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2021) Echiburú, Tomás; Hurtubia, Ricardo; Muñoz, Juan Carlos
    Understanding how several street attributes influence the frequency of cycle commuting is relevant for policymaking in urban planning. However, to better understand the impact of the built environment on people's choices, we must understand the subjective experience of individuals while cycling. This study examines the relationship between perceived satisfaction and the attributes of the built environment along the route. Data was collected from a survey carried out within one district of Santiago’s central business district (N=2,545). It included socio-demographic information, origin-destination and route, travel behavior habits, and psychometric indicators. Two models were estimated. The first, a satisfaction latent variable model by mode, confirms previous findings in the literature, such as the correlation between cycling and a more enjoyable experience, while adding some new findings. For instance, satisfaction increases with distance and the number of trips per week. The second is a hybrid ordered logit model for cycle commuting frequency that includes satisfaction, through a structural equation, that shows this latent variable plays a significant role in travel behavior. The presence of buses along the route decreases cycling satisfaction and frequency, while the trip length and the availability of cycle paths has the opposite effect for male and female cyclists. These results allow us to understand the main factors that deliver satisfaction to cyclists and therefore induce frequent cycle commuting. Overall, our study provides evidence of the need for policymakers to focus their strategies so as to effectively promote cycling among different types of commuters.
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    Understanding the effects of individual attitudes, perceptions, and residential neighborhood types on university commuters’ bicycling decisions
    (Journal of Transport and Land Use, 2019) Park, Yujin; Akar, Gulsah
    This study investigates the effects of individual perceptions and residential neighborhoods on university commuters’ bicycling decisions using the 2015 Ohio State University Travel Pattern Survey data. We generate eight attitudinal/perceptual components based on the 26 bicycling-related questions that capture detailed perceptions of commuters toward bicycling, neighborhood environments, and residential location choice. We create distinct neighborhood typologies combining land use and socioeconomic characteristics, including population, employment, housing and intersection densities, housing types, median age of housing stock, and median household income. Probit regression models are estimated to assess the effects of sociodemographic, attitudinal/perceptual components and neighborhood types while accounting for the residential self-selection effect. Results show that people residing in different neighborhood types reveal significant attitudinal differences in terms of their conditional willingness to bicycle, and evaluation of bicycle friendliness of neighborhoods and routes. We find that bicyclists are more likely to live in neighborhoods that they perceive as having good-quality for bicycling in terms of access to bicycle facilities and lower traffic levels. Results also show the significant association of neighborhood types with bicycle commuting outcomes. People from medium-density, mixed-use, and suburban single-family neighborhoods are less likely to commute by bicycle as compared to those from high-density, mixed-use neighborhoods.