Cycling to work in 90 large American cities: new evidence on the role of bike paths and lanes

Abstract

This article analyzes the variation in bike commuting in large American cities, with a focus on assessing the influence of bike paths and lanes, which have been the main approach to increasing cycling in the USA. To examine the role of cycling facilities, we used a newly assembled dataset on the length of bike lanes and paths in 2008 collected directly from 90 of the 100 largest U.S. cities. Pearson's correlation, bivariate quartile analysis, and two different types of regressions were used to measure the relationship between cycling levels and bikeways, as well as other explanatory and control variables. Ordinary Least Squares and Binary Logit Proportions regressions confirm that cities with a greater supply of bike paths and lanes have significantly higher bike commute rates-even when controlling for land use, climate, socioeconomic factors, gasoline prices, public transport supply, and cycling safety. Standard tests indicate that the models are a good fit, with R 2 ranging between 0.60 and 0.65. Computed coefficients have the expected signs for all variables in the various regression models, but not all are statistically significant. Estimated elasticities indicate that both off-street paths and on-street lanes have a similar positive association with bike commute rates in U.S. cities. Our results are consistent with previous research on the importance of separate cycling facilities and provide additional information about the potentially different role of paths vs. lanes. Our analysis also revealed that cities with safer cycling, lower auto ownership, more students, less sprawl, and higher gasoline prices had more cycling to work. By comparison, annual precipitation, the number of cold and hot days, and public transport supply were not statistically significant predictors of bike commuting in large cities.

The link between socioeconomic position, access to cycling infrastructure and cycling participation rates: An ecological study in Melbourne, Australia

“…While these results are consistent with other ecological studies (Dill et al, 2003, Buehler and Pucher, 2012, Krizek et al, 2009, their replication in a new geographical context adds to the generalisability of this phenomenon. This replication also suggests the relevance of our approach of using the local density of cycling infrastructure as a meaningful basis for assessing socioeconomic barriers to cycling participation.…”

Bike-and-Ride: Build It and They Will Come

“…If bicycles are to play a significant mobility role for accessing rail stations in the U.S., safe, secure, and well-designed bicycle infrastructure will be needed. This conclusion, drawn from case-based assessments, is supported by other research that has stressed the importance of separate, protected facilities in encouraging cycling more broadly (Dill and Voros 2007;Krizek et al 2007;Buehler and Pucher 2012). It is also consistent with a recent regression-based model prepared for BART that showed, among the system's 42 stations, the presence of bike stations and increases in bike rack and electronic locker spaces were statistically associated with increased bicycle access trips to BART (Fehr and Peers 2012).…”

Active commuting of the inhabitants of Liberec city in low and high walkability areas

“…In other cities in Great Britain, the amount of cycling commuters is approximately 3%. Similar result was revealed in a Spanish study (Chillón et al, 2013) in which 2% of adolescents were cycling to school in 2006-2007, and in a US study (Buehler & Pucher, 2012) in which approximately 2% of adults were cycling in selected cities (e.g., Seattle 2.5%, Washington 2.0%, Oakland 1.9%, Tucson 1.8%) of adults in 2006-2008. Compared with these results, the 0.81% of active cycling commuters makes Liberec a very belowaverage city in terms of cycling.…”