In these days of expanding waist lines and rising gas prices, people are coming to recognize that biking is an excellent means of transportation. Pedaling around town to run errands or to commute to work is a good way to reduce transportation costs and lead an active lifestyle. In order to promote an active biking community, municipalities need to provide appropriate infrastructure. A well-connected system of bike paths, lanes and facilities encourages residents to pedal instead of drive. A recent study in the Journal of the American Planning Association found that having an on-street bicycle lane “significantly increased the odds” of bicycle use among people living within 400 meters of such a facility compared to those living more than 1,600 meters away. These findings reinforce the need for a biking network to be comprehensive if it is to be effective.
Before any bicycle network can be developed, a “bikeability” assessment should be completed. This assessment will help identify facilities already in place, areas where infrastructure improvements need to be made, and areas that can be utilized to enhance the system. The assessment examines several factors, including road surface quality, the number of on-road/off-road paths, safety of intersections, driver response to bicyclists, and the ease of use and availability of bike racks or lockers. After looking at the current bike network, the assessment will be a guide to infrastructure and policy development. A good example of a bikeability assessment was developed by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center as a guide for communities across the country and can be found at www.bicyclinginfo.org.
At the very least, every municipality should inventory the number and location of bike parking facilities within its borders. This inventory can lead to the formation of future policy on how and when to provide bike parking for residents. Adding bike racks is an easy and inexpensive way to quickly raise the level of bikeability in a municipality. Racks should be located at all businesses, government offices, schools, parks, transit hubs and community centers. The racks should be visible to ensure that people are aware that they are there and they should be plentiful enough to accommodate all who may want to use them.
The following three case studies outline what some communities have done to support successful biking networks.
