Does the Effect of Micro-Environmental Factors on a Street’s Appeal for Adults’ Bicycle Transport Vary across Different Macro-Environments? An Experimental Study
Background Characteristics of the physical environment can be classified into two broad categories: macro- (“raw” urban planning features influenced on a regional level) and micro- (features specifically within a streetscape influenced on a neighborhood level) environmental factors. In urban planning applications, it is more feasible to modify conditions at the neighborhood level than at the regional level. Yet for the promotion of bicycle transport we need to know whether relationships between micro-environmental factors and bicycle transport depend on different types of macro-environments. This study aimed to identify whether the effect of three micro-environmental factors (i.e., evenness of the cycle path surface, speed limits and type of separation between cycle path and motorized traffic) on the street’s appeal for adults’ bicycle transport varied across three different macro-environments (i.e., low, medium and high residential density street). Methods In total, 389 middle-aged adults completed a web-based questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic characteristics and a series of choice tasks with manipulated photographs, depicting two possible routes to cycle along. Conjoint analysis was used to analyze the data. Results Although the magnitude of the overall effects differed, in each macro-environment (i.e., low, medium and high residential density), middle-aged adults preferred a speed limit of 30 km/h, an even cycle path surface and a hedge as separation between motorized traffic and the cycle path compared to a speed limit of 50 or 70 km/h, a slightly uneven or uneven cycle path surface and a curb as separation or no separation between motorized traffic and the cycle path. Conclusions Our results suggest that irrespective of the macro-environment, the same micro-environmental factors are preferred in middle-aged adults concerning the street’s appeal for bicycle transport. The controlled environment simulations in the experimental choice task have the potential to inform real life environmental interventions and suggest that micro-environmental changes can have similar results in different macro-environments.
Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium;Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 4k3, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium;Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium;Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000, Brussels, Belgium;Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 4k3, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium;Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium;Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000, Brussels, Belgium;Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium;Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000, Brussels, Belgium;Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium;Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185, 4k3, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium;Department of Human Biometry and Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Education and Physical Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium;Ohio State University, City and Regional Planning, 292 Knowlton Hall, West Woodruff Avenue 275, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States of America;Department of Geography, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, S8, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium;Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium;Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Egmontstraat 5, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
Recommended Citation:
Lieze Mertens,Jelle Van Cauwenberg,Ariane Ghekiere,et al. Does the Effect of Micro-Environmental Factors on a Street’s Appeal for Adults’ Bicycle Transport Vary across Different Macro-Environments? An Experimental Study[J]. PLOS ONE,2015-01-01,10(8)