Proximity to four bikeway types and neighbourhood-level cycling mode share of male and female commuters

Kay Teschke, Anna Chinn, Michael Brauer

Abstract


We studied 2011 cycling mode share at the census-tract level in Montréal and Vancouver, Canadian cities with relatively high mode shares and diverse bike infrastructure. We examined whether mode share variability, for all commuters and male and female commuters separately, was related to proximity to any bikeway, proximity to four bikeway types, slopes on routes to bikeways, or commute times. Cycling mode shares at the census-tract level varied from 0 to 20.4%. About a third of cycle commuters were female, but this proportion approached parity with males in census tracts with mode shares of 7% and higher. A one-kilometer closer proximity to any bikeway was associated with four times higher cycling mode share. Proximity to cycle tracks was associated with higher cycling mode shares in both cities. Other bikeway types did not have similar associations in the two cities, and the pattern of results suggested that the networks formed may have been more important than specific bikeway characteristics. Uphill slopes to bikeways were associated with somewhat lower mode shares in bivariate analyses but not in adjusted models. Cycle commuting was most common in neighborhoods with intermediate average commute durations: 20 to 29 minutes. Our results suggest that cycle tracks and bikeways that form a connected network are associated with higher neighborhood cycling commute mode shares. These features appeared even more important to women, and their cycling (or not) was strongly related to overall cycling mode shares.

Keywords


Bicycling; Commuting to work; Mode share

Full Text:

PDF

References


Aldred, R., Elliott, B., Woodcock, J., & Goodman, A. (2016). Cycling provision separated from motor traffic: A systematic review exploring whether stated preferences vary by gender and age. Transport Reviews, 37(1) 29–55. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01441647.2016.1200156

Broach, J., Dill, J., & Gliebe, J. (2012). Where do cyclists ride? A route choice model developed with revealed preference GPS data. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 46(10), 1730–1740. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856412001164

Buehler, R., & Dill, J. (2016). Bikeway networks: A review of effects on cycling. Transport Reviews, 36(1), 9–27. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01441647.2015.1069908

Buehler, R., & Pucher, J. (2012a). Walking and cycling in Western Europe and the United States: Trends, policies, and lessons. TR News, 280, 34–42. http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/trnews/trnews280WesternEurope.pdf

Buehler, R., & Pucher, J. (2012b). Cycling to work in 90 large American cities: New evidence on the role of bike paths and lanes. Transportation, 39(2), 409–432. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11116-011-9355-8

Cao, X., Mokhtarian, P. L., & Handy, S. L. (2009). Examining the impacts of residential self‐selection on travel behavior: A focus on empirical findings. Transport Reviews, 29(3), 359–395. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01441640802539195

Dill, J., & Carr, T. (2003). Bicycle commuting and facilities in major US cities: If you build them, commuters will use them. Transportation Research Record, 1828, 116–123. http://trrjournalonline.trb.org/doi/pdf/10.3141/1828-14

Dill, J., & Gliebe, J. (2008). Understanding and measuring bicycling behavior: A focus on travel time and route choice, OTREC-RR-08-03. Portland, OR: University of Portland, Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium. https://works.bepress.com/jennifer_dill/26/

Environment Canada. 2016. Canadian Climate Normals, 1981-2010 Climate Normals & Averages. Retrieved from http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html

Garrard, J., Rose, G., & Lo, S. K. (2008). Promoting transportation cycling for women: The role of bicycle infrastructure. Preventive medicine, 46(1), 55–59. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743507003039

Harris, M. A., Reynolds, C. C., Winters, M., Cripton, P. A., Shen, H., Chipman, M. L., Cusimano, M. D., Babul, S., Brubacher, J. R., Friedman, S. M., & Hunte, G. (2013). Comparing the effects of infrastructure on bicycling injury at intersections and non-intersections using a case–crossover design. Injury Prevention, 19(5), 303–310. http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/early/2013/02/13/injuryprev-2012-040561.full.pdf

Heinen, E., Van Wee, B., & Maat, K. (2010). Commuting by bicycle: An overview of the literature. Transport reviews, 30(1), 59–96. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01441640903187001

Krizek, K. J., Barnes, G., & Thompson, K. (2009). Analyzing the effect of bicycle facilities on commute mode share over time. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 135(2), 66–73. http://kevinjkrizek.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Analyzing_effect.pdf

Larsen, J., & El-Geneidy, A. (2011). A travel behavior analysis of urban cycling facilities in Montréal, Canada. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 16(2), 172–177. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920910001100

Lusk, A. C., Furth, P. G., Morency, P., Miranda-Moreno, L. F., Willett, W. C., & Dennerlein, J. T. (2011). Risk of injury for bicycling on cycle tracks versus in the street. Injury prevention, 17(2), 131–135. http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/17/2/131.full.pdf

Mueller, N., Rojas-Rueda, D., Cole-Hunter, T., de Nazelle, A., Dons, E., Gerike, R., Goetschi, T., Panis, L. I., Kahlmeier, S., & Nieuwenhuijsen, M. (2015). Health impact assessment of active transportation: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine, 76, 103–114. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743515001164

Oja, P., Titze, S., Bauman, A., De Geus, B., Krenn, P., Reger‐Nash, B., & Kohlberger, T. (2011). Health benefits of cycling: A systematic review. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 21(4), 496–509. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2011.01299.x/full

Reynolds, C. C., Harris, M. A., Teschke, K., Cripton, P. A., & Winters, M. (2009). The impact of transportation infrastructure on bicycling injuries and crashes: A review of the literature. Environmental Health, 8(47). .http://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-069X-8-47

Schoner, J. E., Cao, J., & Levinson, D. M. (2015). Catalysts and magnets: Built environment and bicycle commuting. Journal of Transport Geography, 47, 100–108. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692315001301

Schoner, J. E., & Levinson, D. M. (2014). The missing link: Bicycle infrastructure networks and ridership in 74 US cities. Transportation, 41(6), 1187–1204.

Statistics Canada (2011a). Census Dictionary. Catalogue no. 98-301-X2011001. Retrieved from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/ref/dict/98-301-X2011001-eng.pdf

Statistics Canada. (2011b). National Household Survey. Record number 5178. Retrieved from http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p2SV.pl?Function=getSurvey&SDDS=5178

Statistics Canada. (2011c). National Household Survey: Final response rates, census subdivisions. Retrieved from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/ref/about-apropos/nhs-enm_r013.cfm?Lang=E

Statistics Canada. (2011d). Table 282-0129 Labor force survey estimates (LFS), by census metropolitan area based on 2011 Census boundaries, sex and age group. Retrieved from http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&id=2820129

Statistics Canada. (2011e). National Household Survey Focus on Geography Series. Census subdivisions, with 5,000-plus population, grouped by provinces and territories. Retrieved from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/fogs-spg/Pages/CSDSelector.cfm?lang=E&level=4#PR59

Teschke, K., Harris, M. A., Reynolds, C. C., Winters, M., Babul, S., Chipman, M., Cusimano, M. D., Brubacher, J. R., Hunte, G., Friedman, S. M., & Monro, M. (2012). Route infrastructure and the risk of injuries to bicyclists: A case-crossover study. American Journal of Public Health, 102(12), 2336–2343. http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2012.300762

Wardman, M., Tight, M., & Page, M. (2007). Factors influencing the propensity to cycle to work. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 41(4), 339–350. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856406001212

Winters, M., & Teschke, K. (2010). Route preferences among adults in the near market for bicycling: Findings of the Cycling in Cities study. American Journal of Health Promotion, 25(1), 40–47. http://ahp.sagepub.com/content/25/1/40.abstract

Winters, M., Davidson, G., Kao, D., & Teschke, K. (2011). Motivators and deterrents of bicycling: Comparing influences on decisions to ride. Transportation, 38(1), 153–168. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11116-010-9284-y

Winters, M., Teschke, K., Brauer, M., & Fuller, D. (2016). Bike Score®: Associations between urban bikeability and cycling behavior in 24 cities. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 13(18). https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-016-0339-0

Winters, M., Teschke, K., Grant, M., Setton, E., & Brauer, M. (2010). How far out of the way will we travel? Built environment influences on route selection for bicycle and car travel. Transportation Research Record, 2190, 1–10. http://trrjournalonline.trb.org/doi/pdf/10.3141/2190-01




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5198/jtlu.2017.943


Copyright (c) 2017 Kay Teschke, Anna Chinn, Michael Brauer