By Charles Pekow — Bike share use increased by about 18 percent when protected bike lanes were installed—and by 14 percent with painted lanes or sharrows. That’s what researchers found when studying Citi Bike use in New York City.
But when researchers from New York University factored in demographic differences between neighborhoods—such as race and age—they found that only the addition of protected bike lanes significantly increased ridership, and even then, the effect was smaller in predominantly Black neighborhoods.
“These findings indicate that planners must emphasize protected bike lanes to spur ridership, and simultaneously target policies and programming to communities of color, to ensure that such infrastructure makes urban cycling a viable option for all residents,” the report suggests.
According to the study, after protected lanes were installed, ridership increased by an average of 341 trips per month at nearby stations in the following year compared to the previous one. (However, the study does not clarify whether other variables—such as weather, economic shifts, or demographic changes—also played a role.)
Read Causal Impacts of Protected Bike Lanes on Cycling Behavior with Demographic Disparities.
