Home-end and activity-end preferences for access to and egress from train stations in the Copenhagen region

Increasing public transport use with the aim of improving the sustainability of cities should focus not only on enhancing level and quality of the service offered, but also on understanding determinants of the choice of access and egress modes to and from the railway network. This study analyzes the difference in preferences at the home-end and activity-end for travelers who have chosen train as their main travel mode while investigating the effect of policy variables such as car parking availability, bicycle parking availability and type, and bicycle on train possibility. Specifically, this study analyzes the choices between five transport modes (i.e., “walk,” “bicycle,” “car driver,” “car passenger,” “bus”) for 2921 home-end and 3658 activity-end trips. Joint mixed logit models are specified and estimated to account for heteroscedasticity and correlation across alternative modes as well as taste heterogeneity across travelers. Model estimates and pseudo-elasticities uncover the importance of travel time and underline how the improvement of walkability, bikeability, and bus service would contribute significantly to the increase in the probability of choosing sustainable modes to and from train stations. Moreover, model results emphasize the role of bicycle parking in terms of the sheer number of spaces to be increased as well as covered places to be offered at the activity end, de facto giving the possibility to leave a bicycle at that end during the night. Lastly, model results show that it is a matter of not only time and trip characteristics, but also traveler characteristics, occupation, and purpose.     

Multi-city exploration of built environment and transit mode use: Comparison of Melbourne,Amsterdam and Boston

The built environment is an important determinant of travel demand and mode choice. Establishing the relationship between the built environment and transit use using direct models can help planners predict the impact of neighborhood-level changes, that are otherwise overlooked. However, limited research has compared the impacts of the built environment for different networks and for individual transit modes.This paper addresses this gap by developing built environment and transit use models for three multimodal networks, Amsterdam, Boston and Melbourne, using a consistent methodology. A sample of train, tram and bus sites with similar station-area built environments are selected and tested to establish if impacts differ by mode. It is the first study that develops neighborhood-level indicators for multiple locations using a consistent approach.This study compares results for ordinary least squares regression and two-stage least squares (2SLS) regression to examine the impact of transit supply endogeneity on results. Instrumented values are derived for bus and tram frequency in Melbourne and bus frequency in Boston. For other mode and city combinations, the 2SLS approach is less effective at removing endogeneity.Results confirm that different associations exist between the built environment and transit modes, after accounting for mode location bias, and that this is true in multiple networks. Local access and pedestrian connectivity are more important for bus use than other modes. Tram is related to commercial density. This finding is consistent for all samples. Land use mix and bicycle connectivity also tend to be associated with higher tram use. Train use is highest where opportunities exist to transfer with bus. Population density is commonly linked to ridership, but its significance varies by mode and network.More research is needed to understand the behavioral factors driving modal differences to help planners target interventions that result in optimal integration of land use with transit modes.     

Do your neighbors affect your bicycling choice? A spatial probit model for bicycling to The Ohio State University

Neighborhood social effects have recently become a focus of interest in transportation research, whereby transportation mode choice is not only affected by an individual’s characteristics and transportation system conditions, but also by the mode choices of that individual’s social neighbors. This study supports the neighborhood social effects argument, using a spatial econometrics approach and data from The Ohio State University (OSU) 2012 Campus Transportation Survey. A spatial probit model of commuters’ mode choices (bicycling versus non-bicycling) is estimated, accounting for spatial autocorrelation. The results show that the more OSU-affiliated bicycle riders are residing around an individual OSU commuter, the more attractive bicycling becomes, controlling for other factors such as gender, status, proximity to campus, bicycle infrastructure and attitudes. The results indicate that students and males are more likely to commute by bicycles. The probability of choosing bicycles decreases with distance from campus. In addition, proximity to bicycle infrastructure and physical environment both encourage respondents to bicycle. Feeling of safety, travel cost and concern for the environment also affect bicycling choice.     

Effects of upgrading to cycle highways - An analysis of demand induction,use patterns and satisfaction before and after

ObjectiveThe objective of the present study is to investigate the effects of improvements made to two large, interconnected bicycle infrastructure in the western suburbs of Copenhagen, Denmark, on bicycle volumes and mode share, and cyclists' behaviour, perceptions, and experiences.MethodsEffects are assessed by analysing data from automatic counting stations during 35 months to measure the changes in bicycle volumes on the investigated routes. Furthermore, a questionnaire survey repeated three times – before, and one and two years after opening the improved routes - is used. Findings are supported by a control survey at a nearby facility, which was not influenced by the infrastructure improvements.ResultsThe investments related to the two investigated cases of infrastructure improvements resulted in a significant increase in the volume of bicyclist two years after the improvements. On one of the routes, the “Albertslund Route”, on weekdays during the rush hour in daylight, an increase from 126 to 203 bicyclists/h was recorded, whereas an increase from 24 to 32 bicyclists/h was recorded at “Vestvolden” for the same period. Most of the increase could be attributed to relocation of bicyclists from other routes. Induced cycling trips – trips that were not previously made by bicycle - were estimated to account for only 4–5% of the bicyclists two years after improvements. Bicyclists using the improved route express an increase in satisfaction with the quality of the facilities, which is significantly higher than at the control site.ConclusionData from the counting stations provides useful information if measured over a long period. This is necessary to correct for factors such as climate effects and temporal variation. Investments in cycle infrastructure in the investigated case led to a higher number of bicyclists who were mainly relocated from other routes. A minor increase in the modal share of cyclists was observed two years after the infrastructure improvements. Furthermore, the investments resulted in a higher degree of satisfaction among active bicyclists. If measured over a longer period, this could lead to a higher modal share due to a potential social advertising effect.     

Perceptions of cycling among high school students and their parents

Cycling is a healthy, low-cost, and low-carbon alternative to motorized transport. As a relatively fast active mode of transport, cycling can overcome the distance barrier of walking, while also providing cardiovascular exercise and reducing demand for motor vehicle travel. The “cycling renaissance” has seen an increase in the number of cyclists in urban spaces, and there is evidence of increased investment in cycling infrastructure and cycle skills training in some places. Yet the number of high school students cycling to school is declining in many industrialized countries. Transport to school is a major contributor to daily traffic congestion, resulting in both local and global environmental concerns, and high school students have been relatively overlooked in research to date. In this paper, we present empirical material from a qualitative study of high school students and parents in Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand. Focus group sessions were conducted during 2014 and 2015 with students and parents separately, to explore their perceptions of modes of transport and transport to school decision making. Key findings relate to perceived safety, implicit messages, and social norms. We find that a complex range of factors contribute to perceptions of cycling safety, including features and perceptions of the built environment, traffic safety (including behaviors of other road users), previous cycling experiences (including accidents), and adolescents' cycling skills and on-road experiences. Overcoming concerns through behavioral and cultural interventions coupled with upskilling and thoughtful infrastructure may present a pathway to increasing rates of cycling.     

Land use effects on bicycle ridership: a framework for state planning agencies

State and local agencies increasingly recognize the importance of bicycling activity and as the number of riders has grown over the past several years, the agencies are becoming more aware of the need to provide better bicycle infrastructure. This paper proposes a series of empirical models and applies them to the State of Maryland in the United States, using a spatial lag approach to explore land use, built environment, demographic, socio-economic, and traffic condition connections to bicycle ridership, defined as the number of bicycle trips generated by a given analysis zone per day. A set of models is proposed for three land-use typologies: urban, sub-urban and rural. The data that drives this analysis was obtained from a recently conducted Household Travel Survey (HTS) in the Baltimore–Washington region in Maryland. Results show that some land uses, socio-economic and demographic characteristics, and transit accessibility are positively correlated with bicycle ridership. Other types of land use, transport system characteristics and income level have an inverse relationship with bicycle ridership. The contributing factors to bicycle ridership vary with land-use typology. This proposed approach could be used to evaluate factors relevant to bicycle demand. State and local agencies are advised to build designated bicycle paths according to traffic conditions and increase bicycle-parking capacity in specific establishments.     

Sidewalk fix,elite maneuvering and improvement sensibilities: The urban improvement campaign in Moscow

Drawing upon recent work on uneven development, neoliberal urban improvement, and everyday urban mobilities, I focus on the ways in which narratives of improvement intersect with infrastructural agendas for roads and sidewalks. While a lack of finances or political autonomy prevents many municipalities from investing in the maintenance of transport infrastructure, some capitals receive considerable central state resources directed towards ambitious infrastructural projects. I build a case about the current massive reconstruction of the Moscow center. I demonstrate that in the context of today's Moscow, neoliberal urban improvement becomes the mechanism for uneven development of the city in question but also of the country as a whole while everyday urban mobilities hardly become more sustainable. The case reveals the intersection of diverse trajectories of urban speculative development, experiences and sensibilities of citizens, and the circuits of power. Drawing on fieldwork conducted in 2015–2017, I contribute to the growing transport infrastructure literature by considering how prioritizing the nexus of improvement and rent-seeking results in subjecting citizens to various inconveniences and risks related to street refurbishment. I use three main concepts to make sense of Moscow's urban improvement campaign. I employ the concept of “improvement sensibilities” to theorize the translation of material and discursive components of the “My Street” campaign into practical and political effects. The trends around coping with transport congestion by introducing higher densities, walkability and public transport connections comprise, I argue, “the sidewalk fix” that combines attempts to restructure the built environment with the aim to continue rent-seeking and economic expansion. “Elite maneuvering” is engaged to capture the ways in which the accumulation of enormous rewards is variously secured by the Moscow authorities, including the use of the rhetoric of “comfortable city”.     

Wayfinding for cycle highways: Assessing e-bike users' experiences with wayfinding along a cycle highway in the Netherlands

In many regions, governments are motivating increased bicycle ridership by designing new and improving existing bicycle infrastructure. Cycle highways are an effective and cost-efficient type of bicycle-specific infrastructure that are designed to provide a functional connection between places where people work, go to school and live. One important element of developing high quality cycle highways is the development of an effective wayfinding system which allows current, potential, and new users to clearly identify and navigate a bicycle network. The wayfinding design standards used for conventional bicycle infrastructure may not be compatible for cycle highways, which encourage cyclists to travel at relatively higher speeds. This may warrant introducing specific wayfinding signage compatible for this new type of bicycle infrastructure. This study uses qualitative analysis including field observations, ride-along videos, and semi-structured interviews, to assess electrically assisted pedal bicycle (e-bike) users' opinions and experiences with wayfinding signage along a pilot cycle highway route located between Tilburg and Waalwijk in the Netherlands. In the summer of 2018, base-line observations and interviews were administered with twelve e-bike users who were unfamiliar with the route to assess their experiences with conventional signage for cyclists before changes were made to the wayfinding system. Follow-up observations were held in the fall, after the installation of two new pilot wayfinding systems that were specifically designed to accommodate cycle highway users. Initial findings suggest that the changes made to the location, size and clarity of the signage improve cyclists' overall experiences, and that cyclists' perceptions of the built environment are important. Specifically, it became easier for users to navigate the route, their overall travel related stress decreased, and several participants perceived shorter travel times. Policy makers and transportation planners are likely to be interested in the results of this study as they reveal how specific improvements to wayfinding along cycle highways not only help improve navigation, but also positively influence cyclists' overall comfort and stress.     

Autos,transit and bicycles: Comparing the costs in large Chinese cities

This study compares the full costs of seven passenger modes in the large Chinese cities facing the difficult yet crucial choice among alternative passenger transportation systems. The seven modes are evaluated at varied traffic volumes in hypothetical radial and circumferential commuting corridors. Using detailed estimates of private and social costs, the full cost of each mode is minimized by optimizing infrastructure investment and operation plans. On all corridors and across different scenarios, commuting by one or more forms of bus transit or bicycle costs less than automobile or rail. Nonetheless, in circumferential corridors, rail can be almost as cost-effective as bus under certain conditions, and bicycle can be less cost-effective than bus in some cases. Unlike results from similar studies conducted in the US, automobile commuting does not cost less than bus transportation at low traffic volumes.     

Does bicycle network level of traffic stress (LTS) explain bicycle travel behavior? Mixed results from an Oregon case study

This paper draws on census data, mode choice, and regional household travel survey data to investigate the relationship between the varying levels of traffic stress (LTS) routes and bicycle travel behavior. Specifically, does bicycle level of traffic stress explain bicycle behavior enough to warrant its use given the limitations? Bicycle level of traffic stress is a new system of bicycle infrastructure classification for cities that cannot afford existing alternatives such as bicycle level of service which is more data-intensive. The LTS criteria lacks many of the input variables found significant in predicting both route choice and mode choice, including several that are required for its more expensive alternatives. The authors select the Salem-Keizer metropolitan area, a case study representative of the kinds of small and medium-sized communities that may prefer to use the LTS to evaluate cycling infrastructure given its lower input costs. The results validate LTS on travel behavior data from the Oregon Household Activity Survey (OHAS), but not mode choice data from the American Community Survey (ACS). These results suggest the LTS criteria may not be useful for cities looking to prioritize infrastructure improvements for specifically increasing commuter cycling. That said, results suggest the system provides a valid measure of a household's propensity to cycle. Further research on a broader cross-section of communities can clarify these mixed results.     

“新零售”背景下智慧物流治理策略探讨

"新零售"商业形态给物流产业带来了巨大商机,同时给物流产业提出了全新要求。智慧物流是现代物流创新转型适应"新零售"发展的重要途径。阐述"新零售"背景下我国智慧物流发展现状及存在的问题,针对"新零售"对智慧物流发展提出依托供应链整合全渠道物流、订单驱动导向的精准物流服务、高强度的城市配送承载能力等要求,提出应充分发挥政府引导作用,加快智能物流基础设施建设;赋予市场引导功能,建构智慧物流信息平台;彰显社会共治效用,建设智慧物流多重保障体系,形成"政府引导、市场主导、社会共治"三位一体的智慧物流治理策略,以实现对"新零售"的高质量支撑。     

Joint analysis of the impacts of built environment on bikeshare station capacity and trip attractions

Shared micromobility is proliferating throughout the world. Many researchers have extensively studied the links among factors representing the built and natural environment and bikeshare demand. One common feature of the existing demand models is that they view bikeshare infrastructure as a group of exogenous variables along with other influential factors. Indeed, this assumption is seldom true in planning practices. Bikeshare system operators usually allocate resources in dense urban areas based upon the environmental correlates. This study contributes to the literature by jointly exploring the determinants of bikeshare station capacity (i.e., the number of docking points) and trip arrivals at the station-level. The research dataset is constructed from the Citi Bike system in New York City in September 2016. The analytical results reveal that the effects of built environment characteristics on bikeshare usage could be carefully considered during the system installation process. We find existing bicycle facilities do not significantly influence the supply of docking points at the station-level. However, they exert direct and positive effects on hourly trip arrivals. The findings improve our understanding of the bikeshare system installation process.     

A GPS data-based analysis of built environment influences on bicyclist route preferences

This study examines the effects of built environment features, including factors of land use and road network, on bicyclists' route preferences using the data from the city of Seattle. The bicycle routes are identified using a GPS dataset collected from a smartphone application named “CycleTracks.” The route choice set is generated using the labeling route approach, and the cost functions of route alternatives are based on principal component analyses. Then, two mixed logit models, focusing on random parameters and alternative-specific coefficients, respectively, are estimated to examine bicyclists' route choice. The major findings of this study are as follows: (1) the bicycle route choice involves the joint consideration of convenience, safety, and leisure; (2) most bicyclists prefer to cycle on shorter, flat, and well-planned bicycle facilities with slow road traffic; (3) some bicyclists prefer routes surrounded by mixed land use; (4) some bicyclists favor routes which are planted with street trees or installed with street lights; and (5) some bicyclists prefer routes along with city features. This analysis provides valuable insights into how well-planned land use and road network can facilitate efficient, safe, and enjoyable bicycling.     

How does the inclination to bicycle sway the decision to ride in warm and winter seasons?

Many cities are creating policies and programs aimed at expanding bicycling mode shares. Attitudes towards bicycling in combination with weather conditions, however, can strongly influence the decision to ride. In locations with wide annual seasonal variation, attitudes can radically alter demand on bicycle networks across the year. Though researchers have looked at weather impacts on bicycling, the link between attitudinal factors that might impact riding decisions and seasonal variation remains understudied. This paper investigates heterogeneous taste preferences about the inclination to bicycle for riders who ride only in the warm weather and those who ride all year long (including during severe winters). This research relies on survey data from Edmonton, Canada and presents results from a hybrid discrete choice model. After controlling for age, sex, education, income, the supply of bike lanes, and the latent variable “bicycling inclination,” the results indicate that attitudes have a significantly positive impact on the decision to ride across seasons. The findings suggest that public education and season-specific training programs—particularly aimed at adults and women—have the potential to increase bicycling all year around.     

The influence of stratification by motor-vehicle ownership on the impact of built environment factors in Indian cities

Development of compact cities, many contend, aids in the promotion of sustainable modes (public transit, walking and cycling). But the studies done until now have inadequately represented the effect of socio-economic stratification on the relationship between built environment factors and non-motorized transport (NMT) mode choice, which is important in context of a developing country like India. The present study, done in the city of Bangalore, analyzes the influence of built environment factors –density and diversity - on the mode choice and trip distance for the two segments: respondents owning at least one personal vehicle and respondents not owning any personal vehicle. The built environment factors are analyzed for their marginal effects in the presence of various socio-demographic and alternate specific attributes. The results of the built environment factors for the vehicle non-owning group highlighted the requirement of a policy framework to reduce their trip distance by controlling their employment and housing location. The gender of a commuter had a significant effect on the choice of modes, and the results that females had a higher likelihood of using NMT compared with males contradicted the results in other cities. Also, the trip distance model determined that females preferred a shorter walking distance compared with males. Further, the study determined the need for a well-planned, inclusive and coordinated land-use and transport control strategies in the future.     

The indirect effect of the built environment on travel mode choice: A focus on recent movers

Many studies have demonstrated that the built environment has a strong impact on people's travel mode choice. However, the built environment also influences elements such as travel distance and car ownership, which might be the true predictors of which travel modes are chosen. In this study, we analyse the effects of changes in residential neighbourhood on changes in travel mode (for commute trips and leisure trips), both directly and indirectly through changes in car ownership, travel distances and travel attitudes. This study applies a structural equation modelling approach using quasi-longitudinal data from 1650 recently relocated residents in the city of Ghent, Belgium. Results indicate that the built environment has strong direct effects on active leisure trips and car use. However, distance (for car use) and attitudes (for active travel) were found to be important mediating variables. In sum, the effect of the built environment on travel mode choice might be more complex than commonly assumed as it partly seems mediated by travel distance and travel attitudes.     

Public bicycle as a feeder mode to rail transit in China: The role of gender,age, income,trip purpose,and bicycle theft experience

A marriage between public bicycle and rail transit presents new opportunities for sustainable transportation in Chinese cities. To examine determinants of public bicycle usage for rail transit access, an intercept survey of feeder mode choice among rail transit users was conducted near rail stations in Nanjing, China. Mode choice models were estimated with five feeder mode alternatives, including car, bus, walk, private bike, and public bike. By differentiating between public and private bicycle modes in the mode choice models, the study reveals the effects of personal demographics, trip characteristics, and station environments on public bicycle usage for rail transit access. Results show that female, older, and low-income rail commuters are less likely to use public bicycle to access rail transit. Rail commuters with bicycle theft experience and making school- or work-related trips are more likely to use public bicycle to access rail transit. Land use variables are largely insignificant in this study except that density shows a positive relationship with walking to rail transit. The results on demographic differences raise equity concerns when it comes to investing in public bicycle systems. Policy implications are discussed for Chinese cities to equitably boost public bicycle integration with rail transit.     

Millennials,built form,and travel insights from a nationwide typology of U.S. neighborhoods

We examine the relationship between the built environment and the travel of Millennials in the United States. We develop a neighborhood typology to characterize the built environment and transportation networks in almost every U.S. census tract, allowing us to identify possible synergistic and/or threshold effects on travel. We measure travel behavior in two ways: (1) using a multi-faceted traveler typology created using latent class analysis, and (2) by measuring the vehicle miles of travel among people in each of these traveler types. This dual approach allows us to distinguish between the built environment changes needed to encourage travel by modes other than driving, and those needed to reduce vehicle miles traveled among drivers. Using a multinomial logistic regression, we find that travel patterns are relatively stable along much of the urban-rural continuum, everything else equal. Driving was substantially lower only in “Old Urban” neighborhoods, where densities, job access, and transit service are dramatically higher than in all other neighborhood types. This finding implies that dramatic changes in the built environment—doubling or even tripling development density or transit service—may do little to get young people out of their cars when initial densities or transit services are low, as they are in most of the U.S. Conversely, reducing vehicle miles traveled among drivers appears to require more modest built form changes, a finding that offers some room for optimism among those concerned with auto dependence.     

What about people in cycle network planning? applying participative multicriteria GIS analysis in the case of the Athens metropolitan cycle network

The bicycle is gaining ground as an inexpensive, fast, healthy, and enjoyable mode of transport, but the development of cycle infrastructures appears to be a necessary prerequisite for supporting further growth in cycling rates. Thus far, few studies have developed comprehensive methodologies for the prioritisation of cycling infrastructure investments, and the role of end users has been underestimated in this process. The unique relationship that cyclists develop with the bicycle itself, their co-cyclists, bicycle facilities, and the urban environment as a result of sensory, kinaesthetic, symbolic, or even political reasons can assist in designing cycle facilities that are more efficient and closer to fulfilling the needs and desires of users. We propose a comprehensive four-step methodology for cycle network planning, which both accounts for the city structure and the zones in which higher cycling demand is possible and uses participative multicriteria GIS processes to incorporate cyclists’ views with regard to choosing the cycle network segments. Our case study is Athens, Greece, where cycling facilities are few and heavily fragmented, although cycling demand has recently grown. This methodology may be useful for cities attempting to introduce and prioritise cycling infrastructures because it focuses on determining where cyclists would prefer to cycle to make such investments more successful in attracting users.     

The broader effects of transportation infrastructure: Spatial econometrics and productivity approaches

The importance of “broader” economic effects of transportation infrastructure has recently become apparent. “Broader” refers to impacts beyond the geographic boundaries within which the infrastructure investments are undertaken. Approaches to estimate “broader” impacts in production and cost function models are evaluated. A contribution of this paper is the empirical demonstration with a cross-section of US states’ manufacturing data that ignoring broader effects of a spatially lagged dependent variable can lead to mis-statements of the overall productive impacts of public infrastructure. These inaccuracies can arise because of missing indirect effects and from specification bias that may directly impact the infrastructure elasticity.