Route choices of transport bicyclists: a comparison of actually used and shortest routes
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RESEARCH
Open Access
Route choices of transport bicyclists: a comparison of actually used and shortest routes Patricia Jasmin Krenn1*, Pekka Oja2 and Sylvia Titze1
Abstract Background: Despite evidence that environmental features are related to physical activity, the association between the built environment and bicycling for transportation remains a poorly investigated subject. The aim of the study was to improve our understanding of the environmental determinants of bicycling as a means of transportation in urban European settings by comparing the spatial differences between the routes actually used by bicyclists and the shortest possible routes. Methods: In the present study we examined differences in the currently used and the shortest possible bicycling routes, with respect to distance, type of street, and environmental characteristics, in the city of Graz, Austria. The objective measurement methods of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a Geographic Information System (GIS) were used. Results: Bicycling routes actually used were significantly longer than the shortest possible routes. Furthermore, the following attributes were also significantly different between the used route compared to the shortest possible route: Bicyclists often used bicycle lanes and pathways, flat and green areas, and they rarely used main roads and crossings. Conclusion: The results of the study support our hypothesis that bicyclists prefer bicycle pathways and lanes instead of the shortest possible routes. This underlines the importance of a well-developed bicycling infrastructure in urban communities. Keywords: Bicycling, Environment, Bicycle lane, GIS, GPS
Background Physical inactivity continues to be a significant health problem in many developed countries. A growing body of evidence shows that bicycling is a potentially sustainable solution to improve public health [1]. According to the socio-ecological models of health, a multi-level approach is advocated for the improvement of physical activity behaviour [2]. The relationship between the built environment and the physical activity behaviour of a population has been given attention in the last few decades. Various studies have shown that urban environments can be correlated with physical activity [3-5]; however, studies focusing on the environmental correlates of bicycling as a means of transportation are scarce. Bicycle lanes, bicycle pathways, flat * Correspondence: [email protected] 1 Institute of Sport Science, University of Graz, Mozartgasse 14, 8010 Graz, Austria Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
terrain, low traffic volume, and green and attractive areas have been shown to be correlated to cycling [5-8]. Two principal approaches have been used to investigate bicyclists’ routes in order to study the relationship between the environment and bicycling: questionnaires and global positioning systems (GPS). While questionnaires are subjective tools, GPS permits the objective measurement of routes [9,10]. GPS is a satellite-based
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