North America

United StatesEngineering and Planning

  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - Do roundabouts work for bicycles and pedestrians?
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    Modern roundabouts by their design require motorists to slow down typically to less than 25 mph (40 km/h), and preferably 15 mph (25 km/h) to proceed through the intersection. The literature shows that, given a properly designed single-lane roundabout, motorist and pedestrian safety is almost always improved when compared to conventional intersections. Results regarding cyclist safety are somewhat mixed.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, website, Policy and Planning
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    United States orientated, web based information centre covering a wide variety of topics on walking and cycling issues. This Policy and Planning link offers links to a large number of US walking and cycling strategy documents, as well as the benefits of cycling.
  • Pucher, J., Buehler, R., 2006, Why Canadians cycle more than Americans: A comparative analysis of bicycling trends and policies, Transport Policy, Vol. 13, p. 265 – 279.
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    This research paper, although North American focused, offers an important explanation of how transport and land use policies influence rates of cycling.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, undated, Bikeability checklist, Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States.
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    A practical guide designed to evaluate the bicycle friendliness of particular localities. Although it was developed in the United States, the majority of the content is relevant to the Australian context.
  • League of American Bicyclists, 2006, Bicycle Friendly Communities: Enhancing Cities Through Cycling.
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    Presents case studies of the top performing US cities, in terms of bicycle friendliness. Highlights the wide range of initiatives possible to improve conditions for cyclists and thereby enhance the livability of urban environments.
  • Pucher, J., Buehler, R., 2006, Why Canadians cycle more than Americans: A comparative analysis of bicycling trends and policies, Transport Policy, Vol. 13, p. 265 – 279.
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    This research paper, although North American focused, offers an important explanation of how transport and land use policies influence rates of cycling.
  • Transportation Research Board, 2005, Synthesis 4: Integration of Bicycles and Transit, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, Washington D.C.
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    This report offers a comprehensive assessment and analysis of the US experience of combining bicycles with public transport services. A significant proportion of the document is of relevance to the Australian context, despite the fact that it is US based.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - Creating Active Rural Communities, Haliburton County, Ontario - Contact: Sue Shikaze, Health Promoter, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, Box 570, 191 Highland St, Unit 301, Haliburton, ON K0M 1S0, susans@haliburton.hkpr.on.ca
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    There are many challenges unique to creating active communities in rural places, and yet there is very little literature or research to guide a community that pursues this goal. Some of the obstacles a rural community faces include large distances between destinations (20 km/12 miles or more); a prevalent "car culture"; an extensive road network and a small tax base, so that the focus on transportation is to maintain existing roads for cars, rather than to create or improve walking or cycling infrastructure; and limited capacity or expertise within municipal governments (staff and elected representatives) to make planning for active communities a priority.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - Intermodal Transportation Planning and Development: A closer look at linking transit to bicycling and walking Tucson, Arizona - Contact: Tom Fisher, Project Manager, Transit Services Division, City of Tucson, 149 N. Stone, 2nd Floor, Tucson, AZ 85726, (520)791-5883, tom.fisher@tucsonaz.gov
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    Can communities reduce the length or number of car trips by making better intermodal connections? An intermodal trip involves more than one type of transportation, such as walking and transit, bicycling and transit, or driving and transit. Communities interested in offering commuters more transportation choices in an age of rising gas prices and concern about climate change can learn from the plans, policies and programs implemented by the City of Tucson.

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Education and Training

  • United States Department of Transportation, 2002, Good practices guide for bicycle safety education, Federal Highway Administration, United States Government, Washington.
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    This is a useful resource for those wishing to develop or review a bicycle safety education program. Although the case studies are drawn from North America, much of the content can be applied to the Australian and New Zealand context.

Encouragement and Promotion

  • Pucher, J., 2007, Cycling is for everyone: The key to public and political support, Rutgers University, New Jersey.
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    A presentation by one of the world’s leading transport academics on the relationship between transport and health, with a particular focus on cycling. This presentation provides a comprehensive set of data and imagery outlining the importance of increasing rates of cycling and what needs to be done to make it happen.
  • Air Quality Sciences, 2006, Indoor Air Quality Hazards of New Cars, Air Quality Sciences Inc, United States.
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    This paper outlines the harmful chemical exposure from the interior of new cars.
  • Bowles, H.R., Rissel, C., Bauman, A., 2006, Mass community cycling events: who participates and is their behaviour influenced by participation?, The International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, Vol. 2, Issue 39.
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    This research paper investigates the type of people participating in mass cycling events and the subsequent effect on cycling behaviour.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - How can our community promote walking and bicycling to people who are concerned about high gasoline prices? 
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    High gasoline prices alone will inspire a few people to leave their cars at home and walk or bike. Communities that have already invested in sidewalks and/or a user-friendly bicycling system have a head start because these facilities will encourage novice walkers and bicyclists who might otherwise feel intimidated or overwhelmed.
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Centre, Case Studies - What is the best way to encourage work trips by bicycle?
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    Recruiting commuter cyclists depends on effective hardware and attractive software.
  • City of Boulder, USA (2007) Creating a web-based bike routing application Project Summary and Report of Findings
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    GOBikeBoulder.net is a new Transportation Demand Management tool aimed to make commuting by bike in Boulder more convenient through use of a web-based routing application. With GOBikeBoulder.net, users input their trip origin and trip destination to receive a map of the recommended travel route that includes turn by turn directions and related information such as calories burned and gas saved by biking instead of driving this route.

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Enforcement and Road Safety
TQ is an electronic newsletter that provides transportation leaders concise and relevant information about major transportation issues. Relevant articles include:

  • Pucher, J., 2001, Cycling Safety on bikeways vs roads, Transportation Quarterly, Vol. 55 (4), p.9-11
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    An exhaustive cycling bibliography.
  • US Federal Highway Administration, website, Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Research
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    This web site provides information on issues and research related to improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
  • US Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), website, Research and Development: Safety
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    A list of research resources that address safety issues as they relate to bicyclists. PBIC Visit Site also support an Information Clearing House Visit Site , which is a network of technical professionals and experts in various areas who are available to answer questions about pedestrian and bicycling issues.

    There are also pages on:
    • Education and Enforcement
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    • Bicycling Crashes
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    • National Centre for Bicycling and Walking, (US)
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      Is the major program of the Bicycle Federation of America, Inc. Besides providing a number of excellent resources, it also has a free fortnightly newsletter, Centrelines Visit Site , on cycling and walking issues.
    • Accident Analysis & Prevention
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      Recent journal articles on cycling (available for a fee from Science Direct Visit Site include the following:
      • Kima, J., Kimb, S., Ulfarssona, G.F., and Porrello, L.A., 2007, Bicyclist injury severity's in bicycle–motor vehicle accidents, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Volume 39, Issue 2, March 2007, p.238-251
      • Walker, I., 2007, Drivers overtaking bicyclists: Objective data on the effects of riding position, helmet use, vehicle type and apparent gender, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Volume 39, Issue 2, March 2007, p.417-425
      • Walker, I., 2005, Signals are informative but slow down responses when drivers meet bicyclists at road junctions, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Volume 37, Issue 6, November 2005, p.1074-1085
      • Wang, Y., Nihan, N.L., 2004, Estimating the risk of collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles at signalized intersections Accident Analysis and Prevention, Volume 36, Issue 3, May 2004, p.313-321
      • Herslund, M., Jørgensen, N.O., 2003, Looked but failed to see errors in traffic, Volume 35, Issue 6, November 2003, p.885-891
    • Injury Prevention
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      The Injury Prevention web site has a good search facility and has published a number of cycling related articles, particularly on the helmet issue, including:
    • Macpherson, A.K., Macarthur, C., To, T.M., Chipman, M.L., Wright, J.G., and Parkin, P.C., 2006, Economic disparity in bicycle helmet use by children six years after the introduction of legislation, Injury Prevention, Vol 12, p.231-235
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    • Robinson, D.L., 2004, Reasons for trends in cyclist injury data, Injury Prevention, Vol 10, p.126-127
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    • Jacobsen, P.L., 2003, Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling, 2003, Injury Prevention, Vol 9, p.205-9
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    • Robinson, D.L., 2003, Helmet laws and cycle use, Injury Prevention Vol.9, p.380-381
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    • Transportation Quarterly (US)
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Recreation

  • The Florida Department of Transport, USA, provides a variety of research papers.
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    The Department of Transportation conducts research on issues related to pedestrians and bicycles.
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    Using the links, you will be connected to a summary of the research, and have the ability to download a PDF version of the report if desired.

CanadaEngineering and Planning

  • Litman, T., 2007, Evaluating Transportation Land Use Impacts, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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    This paper examines how transport planning choices affect land use, and the economic, social and environmental impacts of these decisions. It outlines particular methods to ensure that planning decision are made to support rather than hinder economic, social and environmental objectives.
  • Victorian Transport Policy Institute
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    This website has numerous papers on cycle related research; encouragement, economic benefits and safety.
  • Litman, T. 2004, Quantifying the benefits of Non-motorized Transportation for Achieving Mobility Management Objectives, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Canada
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  • Litman, T., Blair, R., Demopoulos, B., Eddy, N., Fritzel, A., Laidlaw, D., Maddox, H., Forster, K., 2002, Pedestrian and bicycle planning: A guide to best practice, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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    A thorough guide to best practice pedestrian and bicycle planning. This is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to achieve better planning outcomes for pedestrians and cyclists. An extensive list of references allows for convenient research opportunities.

Education and Training

  • Litman, T., 2007 School transport management: encouraging alternatives to driving to school, Victoria Transport policy Institute, Canada.
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    This webpage provides useful information, including many hyperlinks, for those wishing to reduce car trips to school by making it safer and more enjoyable to cycle.

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Encouragement and Promotion

  • Litman, T., 2004, Quantifying the benefits of non-motorized transportation for achieving mobility management objectives, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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    This paper outlines the numerous benefits associated with active transport modes such as cycling. It discusses the methods available to quantify the social, economic, environmental and transport benefits of cycling.
  • Litman, T., 2007, Win-win transportation solutions: Smart transportation strategies can achieve emission reduction targets and provide other important economic, social and environmental benefits, Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Victoria, Canada.
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    This paper introduces a range of market-based policy reforms aimed at increasing transport efficiency, improving health and reducing emissions.

Recreation

  • Fraietta, J. (2004) Cycle Tourism Research Summary,  Tourism Research Analyst
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    The information in this report was compiled to profile the cycle tourism market, review the current literature on the subject, and increase tourism operators’ awareness of cycle tourism as an emerging market opportunity in Alberta.
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