A Detailed Analysis of How an Urban Trail System Affects the Travel of Cyclists

Transportation specialists, urban planners, and public health officials have been steadfast in encouraging active modes of transportation over the past decades. Conventional thinking, however, suggests that providing infrastructure for cycling and walking in the form of off-street trails is critically important. An outstanding question in the literature is how one’s travel is affected by the use of such facilities and specifically, the role of distance to the trail in using such facilities. This research describes a highly detailed analysis of use along an off-street facility in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. The core questions addressed in this investigation aim to understand relationships between: (1) the propensity of using the trail based on distance from the trip origin and destination, and (2) how far out of their way trail users travel for the benefit of using the trail and explanatory factors for doing so. The data used in the analysis for this research was collected...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2007
• Where: Transportation
• Authors: Kevin J. Krizek, Ahmed El-Geneidy, Kristin Thompson
• Keywords: Bicycling, Cycling, Distance Decay, Off Street Facilities, Trails