Cycling Infrastructure Assessment

Abstract

The 21st century is called a century of urbanization due to the fast growth of the share of the urban population in the world. Cities often grow into metropolitan areas, which stimulates the development of transport that, due to new technologies, can ensure accessibility of every point in the metropolitan area. While earlier the concentration of production facilities was accompanied by an extra effect (so-called “agglomeration effect”), negative effects arise more and more often now: transport chaos in urbanized territories, water supply and environmental issues. Growing automobilization is the main transportation problem in cities. Cars need space for movement and parking and, per one person, take twenty times more space than a streetcar and ninety times more than the subway. Pedestrian infrastructure public transport, and bikes not only save urban space but also contribute to the establishment of healthy and cost-effective cities. The top priority is to ensure the safety of all road users. In its Global Status Report on Road Safety (2018), WHO points out that currently, road accidents are the primary cause of death of people aged 5 to 29. Cyclists are one of the most vulnerable groups of road users. Ideally, roads should be designed in such a way so that safety was ensured for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Since any changes in traffic infrastructure re-quire a feasibility study, including in terms of safety of the transportation system, the risks and consequences of changes in the traffic pattern should be taken into account.

Introduction

Summary:

Bicycling is increasingly recognized worldwide as a crucial mode of urban transport due to its health benefits, environmental advantages, and potential to reduce traffic congestion. Encouraging cycling can lead to significant public health improvements and economic savings by reducing reliance on motorized transport for short trips. Providing safe, comfortable, and well-connected cycling infrastructure is key to promoting cycling. Various types of infrastructure—from conventional bike lanes to separated cycle tracks—are implemented globally, especially in cycling-friendly European countries, and are often integrated with public transport systems.

Research highlights that infrastructure quality strongly influences cyclist comfort and safety, which in turn affects cycling uptake. Several assessment methods exist to evaluate bicycle infrastructure, such as Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS) and Bikeability indices, but these methods lack comprehensive categorization and guidance on application, creating challenges for policymakers and planners in selecting suitable tools.

The literature review covers multiple studies:

• European cities show diverse needs and emphasize tailor-made cycling infrastructure integrated with broader urban planning measures like car-free zones and speed limits to encourage cycling cultures.

• A case study in Atlanta demonstrated that expanding dedicated bike lanes can improve safety and traffic flow without increasing congestion.

• UK research assessed cyclists’ satisfaction and comfort, identifying maintenance and surface quality as crucial factors affecting user experience.

• A Paris study developed a method to identify where cycling infrastructure improvements are most needed using open data.

• Another study found that engineers and urban planners generally agree on safe infrastructure designs, but more alignment with cyclists’ needs, especially at intersections, is required.

The study follows PRISMA guidelines for systematic scoping reviews, employing a rigorous search strategy across databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar) focusing on bicycling, infrastructure, and assessment methods. Out of thousands of papers, 55 relevant articles were selected for analysis. Thematic analysis was used to categorize assessment methods and explore their applicability in different contexts.

Conclusion

Bicycle infrastructure conditions strongly influence the perceived comfort and safety of cyclists. Different methods have been developed to assess the aspect of comfort and safety of the bicycle infrastructure. Understanding the scope of assessment methods is essential for evaluating bicycle infrastructure effectively. A clear knowledge of their objectives, limitations, and applicability ensures the selection of the most suitable method to address specific aspects of cycling facility evaluation and improvement. The assessment methods developed vary greatly in scope. Based on common characteristics, this scoping review categorized these methods into four groups (vibration index, BLOS, BI, and BSI). Some developed methods are generalizable and adaptable; however, it is crucial to consider relevant methods when applying them. For example, the BI method is the most suitable approach when conducting an overall bicycle friendliness of a city because BI includes components like comfort, safety, attractiveness, cohesiveness, and cohesion of bicycle infrastructure. The vibration or roughness index is more appropriate for assessing the comfort levels of bicycle infrastructure, particularly concerning pavement conditions. This technique evaluates the smoothness of cycling routes, making it a pertinent choice for assessing comfort. Similarly, the BSI index is relevant when assessing the safety of bicyclists on a given route. BSI incorporates a combination of objective data and user perceptions, making it a robust tool for evaluating and suggesting improvements in the safety aspects of bicycle infrastructure. Adapting the assessment method to specific needs ensures a thorough and targeted analysis, contributing to a more customized assessment. This scoping review provides a detailed overview of assessment methodologies, which will help city authorities select appropriate assessment methods tailored to specific contexts. Some methods require advanced technical skills for implementation, which is needed to enhance the accuracy of the findings. This review paper also guides the selection of appropriate methods by categorizing the required technical skills, estimated time, and associated costs from low to high. This information enables urban and transport planners to make informed decisions when choosing and applying the most suitable method for their needs. The availability of infrastructure data is essential for adapting assessment methods to specific contexts. The unavailability of data can significantly limit the range of methods that can be applied. For example, the comprehensive bicycle friendliness (bikeability) of an urban area or neighborhood assessment can be difficult and time-consuming without secondary data availability. However, some methods that utilize OSM data can provide an accessible and efficient alternative for such evaluations.

References

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825000279 [2] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277889848_Engineering_condition_assessment_of_cycling_infrastructure_Cyclists\'_perceptions_of_satisfaction_and_comfort [3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2046043024000686 [4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198222001099 [5] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269030861_A_review_and_critical_assessment_of_cycling_infrastructures_across_Europe [6] https://bjrbe-journals.rtu.lv/bjrbe/article/view/bjrbe.2024-19.644

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Spoorthy R, Prakruthi Raj, Pruthvi H R, Sanjana Poojar. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.