A Guest Post By Austin Thompson
Color-coding comfort levels and sharing experiences
Hi, all! My name is Austin Thompson and I’m a second year PhD student at NC State. I’m in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management Department and advised by Dr. Kyle Bunds. My research is related to governance and finance for urban green infrastructure in the US. In addition to being a PhD Student, I am a Raleigh resident, cyclist, craft beer fan, and hobby-jogger. During the fall of 2021 I had the opportunity to pursue a research project of my choosing (that was not related to my dissertation research) as part of a qualitative research methods course. As an avid bike commuter in Raleigh, the choice was easy. I reached out to Mary at Oaks and Spokes and she quickly helped me find folks to interview. If you were one of those people, THANK YOU! I could not have done it without you. Okay, on to the research!
Context + Research
Background
As cities strive to be more sustainable and emphasize “smart growth” principles (APA, 2012), the topic of alternative transportation strategies tends to be an important topic. One of these transportation strategies, at least within modern cities, is to increase the share of bicycle commuting, as it reduces the number of automobiles on the road and promotes physical activity and wellness (Galway et al., 2021; Marquart, Schlink, & Ueberham, 2020). Nevertheless, bike commuting remains a small share of commuting trips in the US, especially outside of characteristically “bike-friendly” metro areas like Portland, OR (Tyndall, 2020). Further, recent research suggests that urban planners and cyclists may have different priorities in how they navigate the built environment and thus the planning of bicycle infrastructure may reflect urban planning theory over practice (Marquart, Schlink, & Ueberham, 2020). Thus, if cities are serious about supporting bike commuting as an alternative form of transportation, there is reason to understand the experiences and route choice factors of existing cyclists, as they serve as a group of willing participants that may have valuable insights to share to support new or aspiring bike commuters.
Existing research suggests that many factors influence an individual’s willingness to cycle, including interpersonal factors like gender and relationship status (Moudon et al., 2005); social factors like a supportive work and social environment (Caldwell & Boyer, 2018), an identity as a cyclist (Lois, Moriano, Rondinella, 2015), or friends and family that cycle (Dill and McNeil, 2013); and physical environment factors like weather (Engber & Hendriksen, 2010; Fernández-Heredia, Monzón, & Jara-Díaz, 2014) and steepness of gradients along the route (Broach, Dill, & Gliebe, 2012; Fernández-Heredia, Monzón, & Jara-Díaz, 2014). Additionally, more recent research suggests that the built environment factors, like the level of protection provided by bike infrastructure, influence the route choices of cyclists (Broach, Dill, & Gliebe, 2012). Finally, it is important to note that perceived safety may not always align with empirical risk. Cyclists may perceive an environment to be unsafe despite objective evidence to the contrary (Cho, Rodríguez, Khattak, 2009). Together, these factors are often assembled into a “social-ecological model” (Stokols, 1992) where the built environment factors, physical environment factors, social and cultural environment factors and interpersonal factors influence an individual’s perceived safety and willingness to cycle (see Galway et al., 2021; Mayers & Glover, 2021). So much of these factors vary between cities, between places distinct in their historical and present approaches to urban planning.
With all of this in mind, and with the help of Oaks and Spokes, I set out to understand the experiences and route choice factors of cyclists in the downtown Raleigh, NC area using a mixed-methods, basic qualitative study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). The research was two-fold: first, a participatory sketch-mapping exercise (known as Qualitative GIS or mental mapping) where participants assigned color-coded comfort levels (blue = most comfortable, yellow = moderately comfortable, red = least comfortable) to roads they regularly travel by bike; and second, a Zoom interview following where we talked about where they ride, what influences the different comfort levels they feel, and their experiences riding bikes in the Raleigh area. This research was conducted as part of a graduate qualitative methods course at NC State University, where students are charged with completing a qualitative research study on a topic of their choosing. As a commuter cyclist myself, the choice was easy.
Raleigh Specific Examples + Findings
The Research
In the interest of time (and wordiness) I’ll spare you the methodological details. Rest assured that all 10 interviews were transcribed and reviewed in their entirety to identify key themes and build a social-ecological model of cycling in the downtown Raleigh area. A few key themes are discussed below (in no particular order).
The participants in this study are already committed to bike commuting and have constructed mental maps to optimize their commutes. The participants in this study were quick to acknowledge that they choose to bike commute. Indeed, the participants in this study had access to a vehicle when needed, but elected to bike commute as much as possible. When participants were asked how they learned where to ride, the answers varied. Some practiced trial and error on new roads, others leaned on family members or friends, and some utilized online map platforms like open street maps or Google Maps. Indeed, many folks agreed that learning where to ride is not as simple as following the bike infrastructure in the city. Thus it remains a challenge to share this knowledge with new cyclists that may have a greater aversion to testing new roads or may lack the social support of shared routes.
Painted bike lanes do not necessarily create a more comfortable cycling environment. Participants were grateful for the addition of painted bike lanes over the old standard (sharrows), but many stated that paint is not physical separation from cars. Indeed, there were many instances where participants stated a preference for neighborhood roads without bike lanes over arterial roads with them.
The Raleigh Greenways system is wonderful, but is designed for recreation rather than transportation. Participants often described the greenway as their ideal cycling environment, noting that it is a corridor without cars. Nevertheless, most folks did not use the greenways as part of their regular commutes because “the greenways don’t take you where you need to go. The greenway doesn’t go to the grocery store.” When asked about the greenways, most participants stated using it for recreational purposes and tended to associate it with positive experiences. Indeed, Raleigh’s greenway system is expansive and is designed to make use of floodplain areas and sewer system right of ways, but as it stands now, it is a corridor primarily designed for recreation. Efforts made by the City to connect the greenway to neighboring streets should continue to be a priority.
The City of Raleigh is doing a good job and progress is being made, but there is more work to be done. Many participants noted that Raleigh does a pretty good job of creating an environment that feels safe for cyclists and on the whole participants have had very positive experiences riding bikes in the city. Indeed, comments related to ways to improve the cycling environment were often caveated with a compliment to the city’s recent work, including policies like Text Change 3-21 or protected bike lanes in recognized conflict points, like the intersection of Person Street and Peace Street. Nevertheless, participants noted that infrastructure changes move slowly, and it takes too long to take action to protect vulnerable road users.
This group of participants only reflects the experiences of a small group of Raleigh cyclists. There needs to be more work to connect with folks that have to bike commute if the goal is to create a safer cycling environment. Participants within this group tended to cite increased work and life flexibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic that facilitated increased bike commuting. By working from home more frequently and living close to downtown, participants had access to immediate needs via bike. Many noted that Raleigh needs to consider providing access to bike infrastructure in areas outside of the downtown corridor, especially as density increases further from the city’s core. This will be increasingly important as real estate prices continue to escalate downtown, pushing people further outside of the Beltline and lengthening commutes. By engaging with folks actively commuting outside of the Beltline or on roads not currently outfitted with bike infrastructure, the City can plan future infrastructure changes to meet the needs of users.
The Project Take-Aways
Conclusions
Condensing the findings down for the length of a blog post was no easy feat. The key themes identified here illustrate actionable ways the City can create a safer cycling environment, starting first by listening to the voices of those who ride bikes on streets within the City. Further, folks that already ride bikes can continue to advocate for change, starting with their friend, family member, or neighbor; being a mentor and sharing the local, learned knowledge of how to traverse the city and the shared experience of riding a bike together. There are safe streets in the city, and we need to help people find them.
Perhaps the thing missing most from this blog post is the lived experiences shared during the interviews. The good times shared with family and friends by bike; the connection to a place that comes from knowing a city by bike. Examples of this arose in every interview and illustrate how Raleigh could create a strong sense of place and community by encouraging bike commuting. Bike commuting not only creates a healthier environment, it creates a more connected one.
If you have questions, comments, or want to know more about the findings from this research, please contact Austin Thompson at ahthomp4@ncsu.edu.