Effects of on-street parking on cyclist route choice and the operational behavior of cyclists and motorists.

457058398PDFTech ReportRoute choiceBicycle travelOn street parkingTexas. Dept. of Transportation. Research and Technology Implementation OfficeTorrance, Kristen.University of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation ResearchUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationTexas. Dept. of Transportation. Research and Technology Implementation OfficeUS Transportation CollectionBecause of the serious societal, environmental, economic, and public health problems associated with motorizedtransportation, there is increased interest in encouraging non-motorized modes of travel. The current study contributes toward thisobjective in two ways. First, it evaluates the operational impacts of bicycling adjacent to on-street parking. Second, it identifiesthe importance of attributes influencing bicyclists\ue2\u20ac\u2122 route choice preferences. The importance of evaluating both operations andindividual preferences at the same time is the interrelationship between the two; poorly designed roadways may encouragecyclists to leave designated bicycle routes.Operationally, this study examines field data that was collected in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio and resulted inover 6,400 observations of motorists and/or cyclists adjacent to on-street parking. From the data, multivariate regression modelswere developed to predict the motorist\ue2\u20ac\u2122s and cyclist\ue2\u20ac\u2122s position on the roadway and the probability of motor vehicle encroachment.The models indicate that on-street parking has a significant impact on motorist and cyclist position; a bike lane combined with abuffer space is the only way to completely remove cyclists from the door zone, and operationally, a bicycle lane is more effectivethan a wide outside lane. As a result of the study, the Texas Guide for Planned and Retrofit Bike Facilities was updated to includeon-street parking.In evaluating route choice, the study specifically examines a comprehensive set of attributes that influence bicycle routechoice, including: (1) bicyclists\ue2\u20ac\u2122 characteristics, (2) on-street parking, (3) bicycle facility type and amenities, (4) roadwayphysical characteristics, (5) roadway functional characteristics, and (6) roadway operational characteristics. The data used in theanalysis is drawn from a web-based stated preference survey of Texas bicyclists. The results of the study emphasize theimportance of a comprehensive evaluation of both route-related attributes and bicyclists\ue2\u20ac\u2122 demographics in bicycle route choicedecisions. The empirical models indicate that travel time is the most important attribute for commuters in choosing their routes.These factors also impact bicyclists\ue2\u20ac\u2122 route choice: traffic volume; speed limit; on-street parking characteristics; bicycle routecontinuity; number of stop signs, red lights, and cross streets; and roadway terrain