Bikeability in Basel

Abstract

“Bikeability” is becoming increasingly relevant in the fields or transport- and urban planning. However, it is not always clear how bikeability is defined, let alone how it can be modeled. The goal of this project is to develop a quantitative method to model bikeability. A case study area in the city of Basel, Switzerland has been selected for assessing the model. Here “bikeability” is understood as the ability and convenience to reach important destinations by bike, based on perceived safety, comfort and attractiveness of the streets and intersections along the routes, as well as the travel distances. The underlying assumption is that cyclists try to minimize the distance traveled and maximize the perceived safety, comfort and attractiveness of their route of choice. Unlike previous bikeability assessements that we have reviewed, our method uses existing route choice studies to quantify the cycling quality, which presumably results in a model, which more accurately reflect real life behavior. Many relevant attributes are included in this work that have not been captured by previous models, such as the gradient, tram tracks and the turn direction at intersections. The method is suitable for a multitude of applications in urban planning, such as the identification of locations that need improvement and the comparison of various planning measures. The current analysis is designed to model conventional bikes being used by commuting cyclists. However, the method can be used for E-bikes and non-commuting cyclists, by applying the appropriate input values.