Bicycle network performance: Assessing the directness of bicycle facilities through connectivity measures, a Montreal, Canada case study

Abstract

Over the last two decades, cycling has seen a rise in popularity in North American cities, which are continuously expanding their bicycle networks. While studies highlight that a good utilitarian bicycle network should provide direct routes for cyclists to reach their desired destinations, most network assessments simply measure the length and growth of bicycle facilities. This study evaluates the performance of the bicycle network in Montreal, Canada using a set of complementary indicators accounting for the directness of bicycle facilities between observed origins and destinations of cyclists. The study first uses data on routes taken by cyclists from an online survey conducted in Montreal in 2009 to derive a perceived reduced cost of traveling on bicycle facilities. By applying the derived cost reduction coefficient to bicycle facilities (0.77), bicycle routes are then predicted for 1482 cycling trips from the 2013 Montreal Origin-Destination survey. For each predicted route, the proportion of route on bicycle facilities and the diversion from the shortest path are calculated to assess the directness allowed by bicycle facilities. These two indicators are then used to measure network connectivity. The findings reveal that only 33% of the routes are connected with a diversion lower than 12% and a route proportion on facilities higher than 50%. The results also highlight underperforming neighborhoods and demonstrate the importance of designing well-connected facilities between the boroughs. This study offers a proof of concept towards the development of a new methodology to measure bicycle network connectivity and support bicycle infrastructure planning.