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Just what are the Benefits of Cycling Projects?. Glen Koorey Principal Researcher, Traffic Engineering & Road Safety Opus Central Laboratories, Lower Hutt. Introduction. What is a "Cycling" Project? Transfund Procedures Standard Benefits Other Benefits & Problems.
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Just what are the Benefits of Cycling Projects? Glen Koorey Principal Researcher, Traffic Engineering & Road Safety Opus Central Laboratories, Lower Hutt
Introduction • What is a "Cycling" Project? • Transfund Procedures • Standard Benefits • Other Benefits & Problems
What is a "Cycling" Project? Traditional: • Cycleways (off-road) • Cycle lanes (on-road) • Intersection markings/signals • Cycle Parking facilities
What is a "Cycling" Project? cont'd Revised: ANY Works that Benefit Cyclists • Traffic Management / Calming • Shoulder Widening • Removal of Path Barriers • "Pedestrian Improvement" Projects • Regular Shoulder Clearing/Sweeping
Transfund NZ Funding • Funds Roading Projects • "Benefit/Cost Ratio" > 4 • State Highways fully funded • Local Roads ~50% funded • Also funds "Alternatives to Roading" (ATR) Projects • Cycling included in Roading projects
Transfund Benefit Calculations • Calculated over 25 Years from Construction • Future Year $$$ "discounted" to Present Value • Standard Benefits detailed in Project Evaluation Manual (PEM) • Hard to justify non-PEM Benefits
Travel Time (TT) Benefits • Standard $Cost per hour of Travel • Differs with Vehicle Type, Trip Purpose • Transfer Trips from Motor Veh to Cycle • Slower More Cost? • Benefits depend on Congestion • "Short Cut" Routes for Cyclists • TT Savings over previous Road Route • Barrier Removal speeds up Trips
Veh Operating Cost (VOC) Benefits • Standard $Cost per km of Travel • Differs with Vehicle Type, Road Grade, Vehicle Speed, Road Roughness • NO Cyclist VOC costs in PEM • Mode shift should save costs • No Benefit from Cycle "Short Cuts"
Accident (Crash) Benefits Most common Cycling Project benefits • Standard $Cost per recorded crash • Differs by Severity, Vehicle Involved, Crash Type, Speed Limit • Crash numbers scaled up by "Under-reporting" factors • Cycle-only crashes may still be under-represented • Need to have SOME Crash History
Example: Petone-Ngauranga Cycleway • 1996-2000 (5 years): 10 crashes on SH2 • 1 Fatal, 3 Serious, 4 Minor, 2 Non-Inj • Total Cost of Crashes over 25 years: $5.84 million • Assume: • 80% Reduction in Southbound Crashes • 60% Reduction in Northbound Crashes • Predicted Cost of Crashes: • $1.48 million over 25 years Saving: $4.36 million
Other PEM Benefits • Environmental • CO2 & Other Emissions • Noise Reduction • Ground Vibration • Social • Severance • Site-Specific Discomfort • Reduced Maintenance Costs
Benefits Not Specified • Physical Health Benefits • Urban Speed Reduction • Only TT Disbenefits • No Standard Safety Benefits • Perceived Risk Improvement • Use of Typical Crash Rates • Security Benefits for Parking Facilities • Intangible "Willingness to Pay" (WTP) for Cycling Projects
Other Problems • Modal Shift Effects • How many people will switch to Cycling? • Trip Generation Demand • How many new people will take up Cycling? • Cycle Count Data • Typical Crash Savings of Facilities • Network/Strategic Evaluation of Projects
Opus: anaccomplished work, a creation, an achievement Central Laboratories