Walking and Cycling Encouragement

Strategies That Encourage People To Use Nonmotorized Transportation

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TDM Encyclopedia

Victoria Transport Policy Institute

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About This Encyclopedia

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Updated May 17, 2007

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This chapter describes various ways to encourage walking and cycling transport.

Description

Bicycle and Walking Encouragement include a variety of programs and activities that support and promote nonmotorized transportation:

· Cycling and walking events and activities, particularly on trails and cycling routes.

· Cycling and walking commute campaigns. These often involve contests as to which workers and worksites commutes most by nonmotorized modes.

· Bicycle Parking and clothes changing facilities at worksites, transportation terminals and other destinations.

· Education programs that teach cycling skills.

· Cycling maps showing recommended cycling routes and facilities, roadway conditions (shoulders, traffic volumes, special barriers to cycling, etc.) hills, recreational facilities, and other information helpful to cyclists.

· Bicycles provided by employers and community organizations to rent or loan.

· Reimbursement of employee cycling mileage expenses.

· Programs to encourage use of bicycles for Freight deliveries and other commercial uses.

· Tourist promotion materials highlighting cycling and walking.

· Create a Multi-Modal Access Guide, which includes maps and other information on how to walk and cycle to a particular destination.

How It Is Implemented

Bicycle and walking encouragement programs are usually implemented by community groups such as cycling organizations, local transportation agencies, employers, Transportation Management Associations, chambers of commerce, Tourist Promotion Organizations, and individual businesses.

Travel Impacts

These programs can help increase nonmotorized transportation. Travel impacts tend to be greatest during a particular campaign, but the experience can lead participants to long-term changes in travel habits. Analysis by Wardman, Tight and Page (2007) indicates that an integrated program of improved cycling conditions (with bike lanes on commuter routes), Financial Incentives ($2-10 per day of cycling rather than driving) and improved trip end facilities (bike parking and shower facilities) could increase British cycling rates from about 6% to more than 20% of for commute trips under 7.5 miles, about half of which displace automobile trips. See Evaluating Nonmotorized Transport chapter for more discussion of travel impacts.

Table 1 Travel Impact Summary

Objective	Rating	Comments
Reduces total traffic.	2
Reduces peak period traffic.	2
Shifts peak to off-peak periods.	0
Shifts automobile travel to alternative modes.	2	Encourages nonmotorized transportation.
Improves access, reduces the need for travel.	0
Increased ridesharing.	0
Increased public transit.	0
Increased cycling.	3	Encourages cycling.
Increased walking.	3	Encourages walking.
Increased Telework.	0
Reduced freight traffic.	0

Rating from 3 (very beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.

Benefits and Costs

Shifts from driving to cycling or walking can reduce traffic congestion, road and parking facility costs and environmental impacts, and increase community Livability and improved Public Health. Programs to encourage and support walking and cycling can increase Transport Choice by raising public acceptance and support for nonmotorized travel.

Shifts from automobile to nonmotorized transportation can be particularly effective at Energy Conservation and Emission Reductions by reducing short motor vehicle trips which have high per-mile fuel consumption and emission rates. As a result, each 1% shift of mileage from automobile to nonmotorized modes tends to reduce energy consumption and pollution emissions by 2-4%. A short pedestrian or cycle trip often replaces a longer automobile trip (for example, consumers may choose between shopping at a local store or driving to a major shopping center).

Safety impacts vary depending on circumstances and perspective: although nonmotorized modes tend to have higher casualty rates per passenger-mile, this is offset by reduced risk to other road users, reduced total mileage, and improved health from aerobic exercise (Safety Impacts of TDM). A major study found that Danish workers who regularly commute by bicycle have a 40% reduction in mortality compared with people who do not cycle to work (Andersen, et al, 2000), which suggests that the incremental risks of bicycle transportation are outweighed by health benefits, at least for experienced adult cyclists riding in a bicycle-friendly community. Pucher and Dijkstra (2000) discuss these risks and describe ways to minimize crash risk to pedestrians and cyclists.

Costs consist primarily of program and facility expenses. See Evaluating Nonmotorized Transport chapter for more discussion of benefits and costs.

Table 2 Benefit Summary

Objective	Rating	Comments
Congestion Reduction	1	Reduces automobile travel.
Road & Parking Savings	2	Reduces automobile travel.
Consumer Savings	2	Reduces automobile travel.
Transport Choice	1	Increases choice for people who can walk or cycle.
Road Safety	2	Mixed crash impacts. Overall beneficial to public health.
Environmental Protection	3	Reduces automobile travel.
Efficient Land Use	2	Reduces automobile travel. Encourages higher-density.
Community Livability	3	Reduces automobile travel, improves street environment.

Rating from 3 (very beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.

Equity Impacts

Most people can walk or cycle, although many cannot use these modes for transportation because they live in automobile-dependent areas. Programs that promote cycling and walking for transportation can benefit lower-income and transportation disadvantaged people by increasing public acceptance and support of nonmotorized travel. These programs may require subsidies, although these are usually smaller than per-trip subsidies for automobile travel (such as free automobile parking).

Table 3 Equity Summary

Criteria	Rating	Comments
Treats everybody equally.	0	Some people who cannot cycle may feel excluded.
Individuals bear the costs they impose.	0	May require subsidies, but often less than for a car trip.
Progressive with respect to income.	1	Many lower-income people cycle for transport.
Benefits transportation disadvantaged.	1	Many non-drivers cycle for transport.
Improves basic mobility.	1	Yes

Rating from 3 (very beneficial) to –3 (very harmful). A 0 indicates no impact or mixed impacts.

Applications

Walking and cycling promotion is appropriate in almost any geographic area, and can be particularly effective in areas with pedestrian and bicycle friendly environments. Such programs can be sponsored by local governments, business associations, neighborhood associations or educational organizations.

Table 4 Application Summary

Geographic	Rating	Organization	Rating
Large urban region.	2	Federal government.	1
High-density, urban.	2	State/provincial government.	2
Medium-density, urban/suburban.	2	Regional government.	2
Town.	2	Municipal/local government.	3
Low-density, rural.	1	Business Associations/TMA.	3
Commercial center.	3	Individual business.	2
Residential neighborhood.	2	Developer.	0
Resort/recreation area.	2	Neighborhood association.	3
College/university communities.	3	Campus.	3

Ratings range from 0 (not appropriate) to 3 (very appropriate).

Category

Incentive to Use Alternative Modes

Relationships With Other TDM Strategies

This strategy is closely related to Nonmotorized Transport Planning, Managing Nonmotorized Facilities, Bike/Transit Integration and Individual Actions for Efficient Transportation. It supports and is supported by Commute Trip Reduction, School Trip Management, Campus Transportation Management, and other strategies that provide incentives to reduce automobile travel.

Stakeholders

A public agency or non-profit organization usually organizes these programs. They are often supported as part of Commute Trip Reduction, Transportation Management Associations and Transportation Demand Management programs. Some national organizations such as the League of American Bicyclists (which sponsors National Bike to Work Month) provide planning and marketing resources. Media and corporate support can be important.

Barriers To Implementation

These programs require organizational leadership and funding. There is seldom opposition to such programs, but some people may be skeptical of their benefits.

Best Practices

Organizations listed below have experience operating various types of cycling and walking campaigns, and provide resources for developing local programs. Cleary and McClintock (2000) provide recommendations for employee cycling program development. Best practices include:

· Create a clear, consistent and positive message about the benefits of nonmotorized travel.

· Use promotional campaigns as part of an overall program to improve walking and cycling conditions. Identify and overcome barriers to nonmotorized transport, including bottlenecks in the street system, lack of education resources, lack of bicycle parking, and inadequate support from employers.

· Find opportunities for cooperation with other organizations, including recreation, public health, community development, schools, tourist promotion and neighborhood organizations.

· Work with local planners, employers and employees who cycle to design and improve cycling facilities and services. Include people who current do not cycle in program development to help identify and overcome the barriers they perceive to cycle transportation.

· Use cycling, walking and recreational organizations to enlist volunteers.

· Emphasize cycling skills and safety education.

Wit and Humor

A couple were riding a tandem bicycle on a tour of the countryside. Late in the afternoon the stoker (rider in the back position) asked the captain (rider in the front) how they are doing.

“I’ve got some good news, and some bad news,” said the captain.

“What’s the bad news?” asked the stoker.

“We’re lost,” was the reply.

“What’s the good news?” asked the stoker.

“We’re making good time,” replied the captain.

Examples and Case Studies

National Bike to Work Month (www.bikeleague.org)

The League of American Bicyclists has declared May to be National Bike Month since 1956. The League also promotes Bike to Work Week and Bike-to-Work Day. They invite communities, corporations, clubs, and individuals to join in sponsoring bicycling activities during the month of May in order to increase awareness and acceptance of bicycling. The League produces a National Bike Month Event Organizer’s Kit, to help individuals and organizations that promote these events.

Eugene Encourages Bicycle Transportation (www.eugene-or.gov/bicycle)

Eugene, Oregon has a well-planned and well used cycling network that includes 28 miles of off-street paths, 78 miles of on-street bicycle lanes, and 4 bicycle/pedestrian bridges spanning the Willamette River. This results in 8% of commute trips by bicycle.

Bicycle Commuting Contest (Climate Solutions, 2005)

The Thurston County, Washington Bicycle Commuter Contest encourages individuals to bicycle to work, school, and to run errands throughout the month of May. The contest has been a participatory event for Thurston County residents and employees since 1988. The goal of the Bicycle Commuter Contest is to promote cycling as an efficient, non-polluting method of travel. Participants keep track of how often and how far they commute by bicycle, and win prizes in a variety of categories. In 1999 574 participants rode a total of nearly 15,000 miles. Individuals and teams compete to see who can:

· Ride the most miles.

· Ride the most number of days in their age category.

· Tally more total miles than any other team.

· Ride the most days per team-member (advantage to smaller teams).

· Compile the most days ridden by all members (advantage to larger teams).

· Compile the most days ridden by first-time participants (advantage to teams that recruit first-time riders).

Canadian Policies Increase Cycling (Pucher and Buehler, 2006)

Pucher and Buehler (2006) find that despite a colder climate, Canadians cycle about three times more than Americans. Reasons for this difference include Canada’s higher urban densities and mixed-use development, shorter trip distances, lower incomes, higher costs of owning, driving and parking a car, safer cycling conditions, and more extensive cycling infrastructure and training programs. The researchers point out that most of these factors result from differences in transport and land-use policies, and not from intrinsic differences in history, culture or resource availability. They suggest that it is possible to significantly increase cycling levels in the United States by adopting Canadian policies that have promoted cycling and enhanced its safety.

Bike To Work Week Campaign (www.biketoworkvictoria.bc.ca)

A Bike-to-Work-Week campaign is held annually in Victoria, British Columbia. In 2000 it included:

· A bicycle commuting contest with more than 200 teams at different worksites competing in various classes to see which can achieve the most bicycle commuters. All participants are eligible for prizes and drawings.

· A friendly contest between drivers and cyclists determines who gets the first cup of hot coffee at a downtown coffee shop without violating traffic rules.

· Free, bicycle skills training workshops for employees who want to learn more about bicycle commuting.

· An elementary school literary competition between bikes and cars. Cycling and driving parents leave the school at a specified time, travel to the downtown public library, check out a book and return to the school while following all the rules of the road. Students that estimate the closest time differences between the two modes are eligible to win great bike prizes.

· A Bike-to-Work-Week non-profit organization that plans and coordinates activities.

Go For Green (www.goforgreen.ca)

Go for Green is a national non-profit, charitable organization encouraging Canadians to pursue healthy, outdoor physical activities while being good environmental citizens. It encourages active transportation (walking and cycling). It sponsors the Commuter Challenge and school transport management programs. Go For Green provides information and materials, including newsletters, report, case studies and merchandize (logo shirts and hats).

Cycle-Friendly Employers’ Project (Cleary and McClintock, 2000)

A regional program in Nottingham, UK implemented in 1996, called “Cycle-Friendly Employers” included a number of improvements and incentives to encourage bicycle commuting, including workplace shower and changing facilities, workplace bicycle storage, cycle mileage allowances for short journeys (15 pence per mile), company pool bikes, public information, promotion (e.g., special events for cycle commuters), and a Bicycle Users Group to provide feedback from participants. Employers reported an increase in cycle commuting, and that most provisions for cycling are well used. More employees cycle more often. This resulting increase in cycle commuting stimulated additional bicycle facility improvements by local governments. The program is credited with increasing cycle commuting in the region by 19.5%, during which areas without such programs had a small decrease in bicycle travel.

Bethlehem, PA Bicycle Commuter Facility (www.car-free.org)

The Bethlehem Bicycle Commuter Facility affords its members access to bicycle tools, a shower facility, work sink, bathroom, washer/dryer unit, secure bicycle parking and a bike wash. There is a $400 annual fee for membership, half of which is payable by 20 hours of community service. There is a $100 security deposit for the keys.

Public Bike Rentals (Beatley, 2000)

Public bike programs exist in Scandinavia, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and France. Typically, the bikes are withdrawn from municipally furnished racks by depositing a token costing about $3.50, and then replaced in similar racks (with token returned) at the end of the trip.

Copenhagen Free Bike Program (www.cios.com)

In 1995, the Free City-Bike Program was implemented by the City of Copenhagen. One thousand specially designed free City-Bikes were stationed at 120 stands around the City at train and subway stations, parking lots and large housing blocks. The bikes were also stationed around common final destinations, such as office buildings, shopping districts, parks and other tourist attractions. For a deposit of only 20 Dkr. (US$3), anyone can take a bike and cycle wherever they want, within downtown (restricted area). When the bike is returned to any bike stand within the area, the user gets their deposit back. There are now more than 2,000 bikes in the program.

Loaner Bicycles (TA, 1998)

The Downtown Management Commission of Boulder, CO, has made available 100 bicycles and 50 helmets for residents and tourists; all that’s required is a credit card as a deposit. Champlain College in Burlington, VT, gives bikes to students who agree not to keep a car on campus.

Employer-Funded Commuter Bikes (TA, 1998)

The Nabisco bakery in Buena Park, CA, gives new bicycles to employees who commute to work three out of five days for a six-month period. Those who commute on their own bikes are given $300, the cost of a moderately priced new bike. Ten percent of the plant’s 480 workers now commute regularly by bicycle, helping Nabisco satisfy the Los Angeles area’s anti-pollution rules. “These commuters have become biking enthusiasts,” reports Nabisco transportation coordinator Byron Kemp. “For them, biking is now an important social activity, and they regularly participate in fun rides on weekends.”

Apple Computer provides free use of mountain bikes for employees at its Cupertino, CA, facility, as part of a Commuter Alternatives program. The chemical company Ciba-Geigy was able to avoid building a new garage at a facility in Switzerland by encouraging its employees to ride to work. Any worker willing to give up his or her parking space was given a new bicycle, an option 230 employees chose.

Cross-Continent Run Teaches Exercise and Education (Audrey Van Eerden, Victoria)

Each September I presented the idea of a cross-continent run to my elementary students. They were given a few days to think about it and then they voted on paper. The concept is simple. Each day an average size class of 25-30 students walks, jogs or runs one kilometre every school day. The class records the cumulative distance and marks the location on a map of Canada. A “thousand” party celebrates each 1000 kilometres with a film or stories and pictures about where we are at that point in the run. The proudest celebration is when we symbolically dip our toes in ocean water to signify crossing 4500km from ocean to ocean.

The activity provides many benefits. The children gain confidence in their ability to achieve a set goal and that confidence transfers to other areas of achievement. The students and teacher are energized by the physical activity at the start of the day. An honour system allows students to contribute additional kilometres that they run outside of school. Math skills were used to calculate the growing results and students enjoyed learning about places in Canada as we run by. We used variety to make our run interesting. Some days we included various guests. We tried racewalking and skipping and pursuit (a game when runners stay in single file and the last runner sprints to the lead and then slows to a jog, and then the next runner sprints to the lead, and so on.) Most importantly we actively contributed to our health and we felt good when we returned to our classroom.

BikeWell (www.movingtheeconomy.ca/cs_bikewell.html)

BikeWell works with employers, corporations and institutions to promote clean transport and “Wellness,” a holistic concept based on healthy living and environmentally friendly transport. BikeWell’s programs integrate green/clean transport into holistic human settlement and employment scenarios, which include:

· An employee based initiative that starts with road and cycling safety and maintenance.

· Encouraging students to develop projects which incorporate cycling as a means to reduce transport barriers.

· Bulk purchase to lower the cost of bicycles for participants.

· Cycle tours as an income-generating activity.

· Encouraging employers to purchase bicycles and allow employees to pay for the bikes over time by direct payroll deductions or savings schemes.

· Community and employer health and safety day events.

BikeWell, initially developed by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and South African partners, offers corporate and other sponsors the opportunity to start their own bicycle wellness program for employees as well as sponsoring initiatives for the less fortunate. PEER Africa and Kutlwanong Civic Integrated Housing Trust (KCIHT) are the principal implementing arm of the program in South Africa and both have launched projects for their staff. Letters of interest have been received from several large institutions keen to introduce the program into their corporate wellness programs.

BikeWell differs from traditional bike give-away projects in several key areas: