VANCOUVER, BC - A study is underway at UBC to measure the "bikeability" of Metro Vancouver municipalities. A team of researchers have created what they call the "Bikeability Index," a color-coded mapping tool that rates Metro Vancouver neighborhoods based on how well they accommodate cyclists. The index is based on five important cyclist-identified components, which were explored in focus groups and validated by travel behaviors. Neighborhoods and municipalities are rated on the five following components.

The Five Components of the Bikeability Index

1. Bicycle route density
2. Bicycle route separation
3. Connectivity of bicycle-friendly streets
4. Topography
5. Destination density

The UBC team used the above components and mapping software to compile the data onto a series of color-coded maps, one for each category, to provide visual representations of the data. The color-coded maps show which areas have better bikeability: dark green areas have higher bikeability, whereas red areas have lower bikeability. The Bikeability Index ranks the City of Vancouver, New Westminster and Port Coquitlam highest in terms of overall bikeability, in part, because of the density cycling infrastructure. Other municipalities with higher bikeability ratings include Burnaby, Richmond, Langley and North Vancouver.

According to the study, people's activity level and motivation to to bike instead of drive is directly influenced by the design of communities. The research is aimed at giving urban planners a tool to help design more bike-friendly cities by providing them with a "scorecard" of their city's bikeability, which, in turn, could make it easier for cyclists to commute around the lower mainland.

The UBC bikeability study is part of a larger "Cycling in Cities" five-part research program, initiated to investigate the factors that encourage and discourage cycling as urban transportation and which types of infrastructure are associated with increased or decreased risk of cyclist injury. Several components of the program are already complete, while others are anticipating completion in 2012. 

One component of the study, an opinion survey, was sent out in web form and mailed out as a  questionnaire to 1,402 adults in Metro Vancouver. Respondents were asked about 16 bike route types, and 73 other factors that may influence their likelihood of cycling. The survey was aimed at adults in Metro Vancouver who self-identified as either regular, frequent, occasional or potential cyclists. Those people most likely to increase the number of trips they take by bike comprised the "near market" for cycling and represent approximately 31 percent of adults, or about 500, 000 people. Data from the survey will be used for an analysis called Mapping Cycling Trips.

The survey shows that, of the 16 route types presented to respondents, the top five were as follows.

The 5 Preferred Route Types

1. Paved off-street cycle paths for bikes only
2. Paved off-street multi-use paths
3. Unpaved off-street multi-use paths
4. Cycle paths next to major city streets, separated by a barrier
5. Residential street bicycle routes with traffic calming

The survey also found that there was little variation in route preference across types of cyclists or other demographics, except in the case of those who cycle at least weekly, who ranked unpaved off-street paths and residential streets without bicycle features lower than other cyclist groups.