Abstract
Using a participatory approach, this multi-method case study compared bicyclists’ perceptions and physical indicators of bikeability on a college campus. Student focus groups discussed campus bikeability and mapped and graded common bicycle routes. Trained students conducted environmental audits with bicycle counts. In discussions, students expressed concerns about safe bicycle riding on campus, especially during peak times. Congestion with pedestrians, other bicyclists, and skateboarders created the potential for crashes. Five major routes were identified with map scores ranging from 21.4% to 70%. Audit scores ranged from 82.5% to 86.7%. Bicycle counts varied by time of day and ranged from 11 to 91 bicycles. Student perceptions of bikeability were poorer than objective assessments of routes. The audit tool did not differentiate enough between routes and did not capture conflict potential accurately. Specification is needed on audit tools to capture the potential for conflict between bicycling and other forms of active transport—especially in unique settings like college campuses. Campuses that have well-marked paths for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles and that communicate the importance and ease of bicycling may see the most overall success when promoting active transport options.
Highlights
Active transport is the act of traveling between destinations using some form of physical activity, such as walking or biking
Using a multi-method and participatory approach, we explored bicyclist perceptions of campus bikeability during focus group discussions and mapping activities, and we compared those perceptions to measures of campus bikeability based on physical indicators recorded through direct observation audits and bike counts
The purpose of this discussion was to discover whether student perceptions of the components of bikeability matched those of an audit tool to be used to conduct direct observation assessments on campus
Summary
Active transport is the act of traveling between destinations using some form of physical activity, such as walking or biking. Individuals may perceive that a street feels unsafe for bicycling, when a number of objectives measures, like bicycle lanes and slowed traffic, indicate that the environment is safe for this activity. This mismatch may interact with the level of experience and skill of individual bicycle riders. The purpose of this case study was to use a participatory approach to compare bicyclist perceptions of bikeability and objectively measured physical indicators of bikeability on a large college campus, in terms of safety, quality, and comfort. We hypothesize that there will be a mismatch between users’ perceptions and objective measures of bikeability on a college campus
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