Active Travel in a Local Urban Environment: Strategies Supporting Safe and Equitable Bicycling

Abstract

Background Bicycling has been proposed as a potential intervention to reduce sedentary lifestyles, decrease air pollution, and promote active transportation. In partnership with a local bicycle advocacy organization, this policy-relevant study sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards bicycling, among both riders and non-riders; explore the dominant safety concerns for bicyclists; understand equity issues related to bicycling; and identify the necessary policies, programs, and environmental changes needed to support bicycling in urban areas. Methods A sequential mixed-methods design was used for this study, and data were combined during the design and analysis stages. Data were first collected from an online survey administered from mid-February 2014 through April 1, 2014. Descriptive analysis were conducted with STATA 13. Findings from the quantitative analysis guided the main themes of inquiry during semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of policymakers and advocates, and a focus group with neighborhood residents. A literature and document review supplemented the quantitative and qualitative data. Qualitative data analysis involved identifying key themes. Findings were disseminated to City leaders and the Mayor's Bicycle Advisory Committee (MBAC). Results The online survey was completed by 1,437 City residents (62% self-identified as regular riders). Primary reasons for riding were commuting to and/or from work or school (35.0%) and for recreation (27.9%). Although respondents were from over 20 different neighborhoods in the City, they were mainly White (87%), female (59%) and well-educated (88% had a Bachelor’s degree or higher), which reflected the City’s bicycling population. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents did not feel safe riding in the City. The leading safety concerns were motorists, lack of room to ride, uneven road surfaces, and the potential for crime. Only 37% of respondents said that the bicycling community was representative of the City population in terms of gender, race, and age. Key informants emphasized the safety risks, and acknowledged that the City suffers from inadequate infrastructure for cyclists. Respondents also highlighted significant inequities in neighborhoods where investments in infrastructure have been made, with perceptions that the areas dominated by tourists had the greatest investments. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of working with local leaders to collect data to support future policy and programmatic interventions to increase bicycling and equitable access. The findings of this study were broadly disseminated to the City Council, Department of Transportation, and the MBAC, which the lead investigator was invited to join upon completion of this research.