Journal of Cycling and Micromobility Research最新文献

Cyclists prefer to use infrastructures that separate them from motorized traffic. Using a traffic light to segregate car and bike flows, with the addition of bike-specific green phases, is a lightweight and cheap solution that can be deployed dynamically to assess the opportunity of a heavier infrastructure such as a separate bike lane. To compensate for the increased waiting time induced by these new phases, we introduce in this paper a deep reinforcement learning solution that adapts the green phase cycle of a traffic light to the traffic. Vehicle counter data are used to compare the DRL approach with the actuated traffic light control algorithm over whole days. Results show that DRL achieves better minimization of vehicle waiting time at every hours. Our DRL approach is also robust to moderate changes in bike traffic. The code used for this paper is available at : https://github.com/LucasMagnana/A-DRL-solution-to-help-reduce-the-cost-in-waiting-time-of-securing-a-traffic-light-for-cyclists

Electric pedal-assist bikes (e-bikes) are an emerging technology that aims to enhance cycling by incorporating battery-powered motors activated while pedalling. To promote cycling effectively, it is crucial to understand the factors that influence cyclists’ route choice behaviour. This study investigates individual route choice behaviour among cyclists, taking into account their bike type (i.e., e-bikes and regular bikes). Data collected through a stated preference (SP) survey in Finland is analysed using discrete choice models to compare the differences between e-bike and regular bike users’ route choice behaviour. The study also compares the outputs of multinomial and mixed Logit models for both e-bike and regular bike users to address the impact of error correlation in SP data. Furthermore, by employing a classification approach, the study examines the differences between the expected and actual behavioural changes upon using e-bikes, referred to as the expectation–reality gap, in terms of route choice behaviour. Our research findings highlight certain factors that consistently promote cycling among both regular bike and e-bike users, specifically, low interaction with traffic, fewer intersections, and the presence of separated bike facilities. Also, our findings imply that the SP survey is well-designed to capture the preferences of the individuals. Hence, the observations are not severely correlated, i.e., errors can be assumed to be independently and identically distributed. Furthermore, we show that regular bike and e-bike users with similar characteristics do not share similar beliefs regarding the effects of e-bikes on their cycling habits.

Cycling is good for health and the environment, and urban traffic planning is increasingly focused on making cycling easier and safer for everyone. Cycling in rural areas also has a high potential for increased cycling, but fundamental knowledge about rural road cycling is missing. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of rural cycling and the perceptions of cyclists and motorists on rural roads, especially in overtaking situations. Cross-sectional data from three surveys with 1899 respondents in total were used, whereof one survey provides results representative for Swedish adults in terms of age, gender, income, educational level and geographical regions. In total, 38 % of the respondents use rural roads as cyclists or pedestrians, 10 % never use rural roads and the remaining 52 % use rural roads as motorists only. Out of the latter, 44 % stated that they would like to cycle on rural roads, but do not do so for various reasons. The way overtaking manoeuvres are experienced differs between motorists with and without cycling experience. Qualitative analyses revealed which factors make cyclists uncomfortable during overtaking manoeuvres on rural roads. These should be considered when developing recommendations for appropriate overtaking manoeuvres. Examples of application are legislation, motorist information campaigns, driver coaching and future vehicle automation systems.

In Sweden, the transport sector accounts for 32% of greenhouse gas emissions, with passenger cars contributing to 62% of these. In this context, electric bikes, commonly known as e-bikes, have emerged as a promising solution for reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector. This paper explores the potential of e-bikes in substituting passenger car trips and reducing transportation-related emissions. To achieve this objective, we use a synthetic population in the Västra Götaland (VG) region, Sweden, with daily activity schedules and simulate an average weekday of travelling with e-bikes instead of their private cars. For assessing the potential for e-bike substitution, the current literature often relies on trip-level analysis, which does not adequately consider people’s daily travel-activity plans, resulting in an unrealistic estimation of replaceable trips and their carbon emissions reduction. Combining an e-bike speed model by agents’ characteristics and an open-source routing engine, our simulation identifies potential car trips that can be replaced with e-bikes, considering all activities and the travel between them for an average weekday. The simulation results suggest that e-bikes could replace 57.6% of car trips. Building on this, we explore the potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from car trips taken by residents in the study area. If the top 70% of feasible car users, ranked by shortest to longest daily travel distances, switch to e-bikes, emissions could be reduced by 10.1% compared to 2018 levels. If all feasible car users adopt e-bikes, a reduction of up to 22.8% in emissions could be achieved, representing the upper limit presented by our study. The findings also reveal that males under 40 years old provide the highest e-bike substitution rates in their daily activity schedules, and in areas with a high population density, replaceable car trips are more common than in rural areas. This research provides valuable insights into e-bike substitution and its impact on emission reduction. It contributes to the existing literature through its modelling approach that realistically considers individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics and daily activity schedules when assessing the substitution potential.

Safety concerns expressed by micro-mobility users seem to practically constrain the use and flexibility of these new modes. This paper introduces a new, parametric agent-based modeling approach for simulating micro-mobility, using MATSim as a platform. Perceived safety is introduced as a factor, which affects travel behavior of micro-mobility modes in a car-dominated, heterogeneous, and perceived unsafe road network. To meet the research objectives, different scenarios are simulated, using the city of Athens, Greece as a test bed, to examine the model performance and applicability. A universal scoring function based on travel time, cost, and safety, is proposed. This study also discusses the concept of unsafe discontinuities. Simulation results show that an unsafe road segment of 500 m long is sufficient to induce evident behavioral variations and hinder the practical use of e-bikes and e-scooters in the base scenario. The establishment of a cycle-friendly road network leads to significant changes in the chosen routes and decreases the average trip distance for micro-mobility users. In this case, the simulation process is guided by perceived safety, primarily focusing on formulating safer paths for micro-mobility mode users. Nevertheless, the routing behavior of car users is not modified due to the spatial uniformity of safety perceptions in a car-dominated road environment.

Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) present a jarring new normal for negotiation on public streets. Current communication and interaction stand to be disrupted with the presence of AVs. Active transport users, specifically bicycle users, rely on human communication and subtle cues to feel confident when negotiating with other road users. Shifts in communicability with AVs presents a unique challenge for bicycle users. It remains unclear how AVs will impact urban bicycle users. This paper employs a mixed-methods approach to understanding impacts that AVs have on urban bicycle users in four test sites with varying levels of traffic stress. Interviews and focus groups were used across different traffic stress scenarios in three countries to understand how bicycle users will be impacted by AVs in real-world scenarios. The results represent a pioneering cross-section of four bicycle cultures’ exposure to AVs. Results universally show that, compared to conventionally operated vehicles, an enduring sense of unease remains unresolved with AVs and that shifting focus to bicycle user experiences and prioritizing the needs of a diverse population of non-occupants will be critical. If AVs are not deployed responsibly and responsively, they could turn bicycle users away from cycling in a streetscape where active transport users are already marginalized.

Providing adequate infrastructure for cycling is crucial for increasing its modal share and for supporting the shift towards sustainable mobility. To foster well-targeted, efficient, and effective improvements of infrastructure in favor of cycling, we need data and methods for assessing its current state in an automated, scalable, and reproducible way. Present models are limited due to dependency on proprietary and/or scarce data, being closed-source and not taking into account the many nuances of bikeability on segment scale. Therefore, we propose an open, adjustable, and extendible model of bikeability that relies on open and globally available data sets. It allows to consider aspects of safety, comfort, and the immediate environment. Results from an evaluation study show its applicability while underlining the importance of considering diversity in regional, individual, and purpose-related mobility demands. Future bikeability research may be informed by results of the online survey conducted as part of the evaluation study. The proposed bikeability model can form the foundation for advanced network and accessibility analysis and serves as an important information layer for decision making.

Recent studies have demonstrated the importance of a well-maintained and safe bicycle network to increase winter cycling. However, inequities in the access to cycling infrastructure in winter have not been documented yet. Based on the concept of equity in transport, this research aims to fill the gap and assess whether inequities are exacerbated during winter in the city of Montréal, Canada. The distance to the nearest cycling network section and kilometres of cycling network with 2.5 km and 5 km were computed in GIS. Two types of statistical analysis were then conducted to assess potential inequities for four population groups: weighted t-tests and seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) models. Our results demonstrate that the winter cycling network is more concentrated in central neighbourhoods and that accessibility issues are increasing in winter. Visible minorities face the most lack of accessibility, compared to the rest of the population. People under the age of 15 and over the age of 65 years old are also in unequal situations, while the low-income population has better access to winter cycling infrastructure than other groups. Our results innovate by incorporating measures of accessibility to the winter cycling network into the assessment of transport inequities.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to describe how electric-assist (e-assist) handcycles facilitate participation in adapted mountain biking for people with a spinal cord injury.

Materials and Methods

Ten adults (n=10) living with a spinal cord injury who actively ride trails each completed an online semi-structured interview. Seven of these participants have ridden nature trails using an e-assist handcycle. Following descriptive phenomenology principles, interviews were thematically analyzed using NVivo software.

Results

Commentary on e-assist was categorized into the following themes: e-assist descriptions, e-assist as enjoyable, and e-assist accessibility. Handcycles with pedal e-assist were described as a prominent facilitator, whereby the electric motor can mitigate overexertion, help navigate uneven terrain, and reduce injuries. Participants described using e-assist mountain biking handcycles as a way to facilitate perceived safety, inclusivity, and overall accessibility in adapted mountain biking participation.

Conclusions

Findings of this research emphasize the importance of innovative technology in facilitating adapted mountain biking for people with spinal cord injuries. E-assist mountain biking handcycles make the outdoors more accessible to people with a spinal cord injury by increasing opportunities to enjoy exploring nature and travel further, with enhanced safety features, which are not replicable while using a traditional handcycle or wheelchair.

While shared micromobility has been gaining popularity in developed countries, these innovative technologies have yet to penetrate the market of mid-sized cities in developing countries, which make up the overwhelming majority of cities in the world. Shared micromobility includes inexpensive systems that could drive the first wave of electrification in the transportation sector in these regions. We designed and implemented a dynamic stated preference pivoting survey and used a panel data mixed logit model to assess the effect of temperature, precipitation, and availability of bike lanes on the propensity to use bikeshare, e-bike share, and e-moped share, controlling for sociodemographic factors. Using Kathmandu, Nepal, as a case study, where shared micromobility does not currently exist, we also assessed modal shifts from the existing travel modes. We found heavy rain negatively impacts users’ preference for shared micromobility, while users preferred e-moped share during cold temperatures. The effect of bike lane availability was positive but weak on bikeshare and e-bike share. Gender also had an effect on the choice of shared micromobility vehicles – females preferred e-mopeds over other vehicles. Ride-hailing users had a high preference for e-moped share, while introducing bikeshare and e-bike share caused a uniform modal shift among existing travel modes. We recommend that transportation agencies begin micromobility pilot programs by combining this study’s findings with the best practices of existing micromobility programs. We also suggest collecting usage and operations data to empower data-driven decision-making.