Metro Vancouver Bikeability Index

A team of researchers at UBC recently released the Metro Vancouver bikeability index. The map above shows the availability of bike facilities, bike route density, topography and land use.

"If you make cycling and walking the easier choice, then people will be more likely to choose it because it’s faster to get [somewhere] than sitting in traffic,” said lead researcher Meghan Winters. “Then people will be less likely to choose their cars, they’ll be more likely to engage in physical activity, and that will reduce congestion in the city.”

I have been doing research this summer on active transportation exploring transportation options such as walking and cycling. Both options are becoming more salient forms of sustainable transportation and its refreshing to see a visual representation of such modes in the region. Indeed, the Metro Vancouver walkability index was released in the fall, and the bikeability index just a few weeks ago. Visual representations and maps like these, beyond the benefits of providing more information to residents, also help urban planners determine areas that could use more cycling infrastructure, for example.

Couple of small critiques. 1) I don't think the width of a bike path is measured. I have seen bike paths in Richmond, BC that are very narrow with most of the road space allocated to cars - hence a little less safe and secure.

2) While beyond the scope of the index, it would be neat if there was a qualitative dimension built into it. By qualitative I mean asking cyclists and motorists alike about their perceptions of cycling and perceptions of safety around cycling. For example, I may feel very safe and comfortable cycling in a separated bike lane downtown, however, a motorist may feel incredibly uncomfortable by my presence and less certain of how to interact with me when I leave the separated bike lane. Showing differences in perception of safety, among other things, would be a neat addition, I think.

Overall, this is really fascinating and, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Research:

"The Canadian Institutes of Health Research has provided the team with additional funds so that they can make up bikeability indexes for Victoria, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Charlottetown, Moncton and St. John's by 2012".