دانلود رایگان مقاله ارزیابی کیفیت مسیرهای چرخه ای بین شهری

Abstract

This paper presents the results of research into the development of a decision support tool for use in the route selection stage of inter-urban cycle routes. The study initially focuses upon designing routes for commuter and/or leisure purposes and the differences in the routes required for each user type. The evaluation tool developed was trialled through application to different candidate route options on the Dublin to Mullingar section of the National Cycle Network. A desk study was carried out to develop a list of key design considerations, which was used to inform an initial criteria matrix for the decision support tool. This tool was tested on two candidate route options between Dublin and Mullingar. A survey of experts in the fields of planning, design and cycling promotion was undertaken to identify the relative criteria weightings and tolerance thresholds for each type of cycle route. The results were then integrated into the criteria matrix framework. The candidate route options were reclassified using the new matrix. The results of this paper show that safety is the highest ranked concern when designing a cycle route for either commuters or leisure cyclists. The requirements for each differ thereafter however, resulting in a different order of importance for the criteria headings.

6. Conclusions

The primary aim of this research was to develop a route selection support tool which could be easily incorporated into the route selection phase for inter-urban cyclways. The appraisal matrix and corresponding methodology tools presented in this paper, fill a gap in the literature for inter-urban cycle planning internationally. The results presented in this paper show that a single route appraisal methodology for all target users is unadvisable for inter-urban cycleways, based upon the results of the expert survey. The results of the expert survey show that directness was the second most important criterion for commuter routes and was more important for commuter routes than for leisure routes. For leisure routes; attractiveness was ranked second, perceived personal security, comfort and coherence were ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively, while directness was considered to be the least important aspect by the experts. The third most important criterion for commuter routes was comfort, followed by perceived security, coherence and finally attractiveness. The appraisal matrix and methodology was tested on candidate route options in the Dublin to Mullingar corridor of the proposed National Cycle Network (NRA, 2011). Based on the assessment conducted it is clear that the preferred route option would be the hybrid route. The assessment shows that overall a route which satisfies the safety and attractiveness criteria aspects for leisure cyclists can still be appealing as a commuter route, as in the case of the canal route. However, a route which does well as a commuter route may not be as attractive as a leisure route if it fails to satisfy the safety criteria, as was the case with the road route.