Study shows direct cycling routes most preferred

by Jef Stout

A September cyclist behavior survey made clear the need for bicycle-facility improvements to heavily traveled corridors. The survey, a volunteer count of evening commute time cyclists at 37 locations in Minneapolis, was conducted by Transit for Livable Communities and the City of Minneapolis Public Works Department.

One of the survey’s findings was that a prime decision-making factor for cyclists choosing their routes is direct access to their destination. Illustrating one of the findings, TLC pointed out that more cyclists choose to ride on busy corridors lacking in bicycle facilities, such as Riverside Avenue, than on routes reserved for non-motorized traffic, such as Bridge #9 near the U of M campus. TLC also notes that a lack of bicycle facilities often correlates to higher rates of cyclist crashes, even when the location supports few cyclists.

“Since cyclists want direct access to destinations, we should look at well-designed bike lanes, signage, and other ways to make Minneapolis a better city to ride bicycles,” said Steve Clark, program manager for Bike/Walk Twin Cities, a non-motorized transit program administered by TLC. “These results demonstrate that we need to invest in safer places to ride bicycles,” he said.

Over the next three years, more than two dozen improvement projects are planned by the city, which hopes they will serve as incentive for people to leave their cars at home and bike or walk to their destinations. The Midtown Greenway Bridge, spanning the Mississippi River, which opens on Nov. 8, is one of those upcoming projects.