1. The Relationship Between Bicycle Safety and
the Usage of Bike in UCSD
1. Introduction
Ho Yan Claudia Chow - University of California, San Diego - Urban Studies and Planning Program - Senior Sequence - March
12, 2015
RESEARCH QUESTION: How bicycle
safety affects the usage of bike in UC
San Diego?
ABSTRACT: This project examines
how the main components of bicycle
safety: bicycle safety infrastructure,
bicycle safety education and bicycle-
related injuries and accidents
influenced the usage of bike on the
UCSD campus.
The following research would reflect
students’ perspectives on current
bike safety infrastructures and
provide insights on creating a safe
environment for students and faculty
to bike around the campus.
3. Research Method
DATA COLLECTION:
• 16 Survey questions
• 2 in-depth interviews
• UCSD Injury data
• Literature
CASE STUDY:
• UC Davis
4. Findings
STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES:
Surveys and individual interviews show that students only feel
slightly safe while biking on the UCSD campus, and their main
concern is that with no bike paths that separated from the vehicle
lanes and the pedestrians could not ensure their safety. Also,
since most of the pathways are narrow and shared by both
pedestrian and bikers, students believe that if there are bike lanes
that are dedicated to cyclists, which ensure both bikers and
pedestrian safety, they would be very likely to biking or bike again.
Also, many students responded that they do not wear a helmet
5. Conclusion
The components of making UCSD a bikeable and
sustainable campus are to improve the bicycle
safety infrastructures and provide safety
educational programs for students to learn and
protect themselves while cycling on the campus.
When students follow the biking rules along with
bicycle safety infrastructures, such as separated
bike pathways from the vehicles and pedestrians
could immediately reduce the chances of
accidents, and encourage more students to bike.
The left picture is a recent project to improve the
bicycle and pedestrian safety on Peterson Hill,
where a high traffic intersection are located.
There would be a new stairway for pedestrian to
go up to the hill, and to bike lanes for students to
bike.
Lack of bicycle
safety infrastructures
Lack of bike
safety
educationIncreased rate of
bike injuries and
accidents
LOW USAGE OF BIKE
2. CONTEXT
BACKGROUND:
Based
on
literatures,
the
local
government
of
San
Diego
has
invest
a
significant
amount
of
money
on
different
bike
programs
but
ci=zens
did
not
seem
to
adapt
the
biking
habit
due
to
the
safety
concerns.
Since
college
campuses
are
the
miniature
of
the
society,
focusing
on
a
par=cular
campus
in
San
Diego
could
examine
the
reasons
of
low
usage
of
bike,
and
provide
ideas
to
improve
the
bicycle
safety
environments.
PURPOSE:
• Shows
the
insufficiency
in
both
bike
safety
Infrastructures
and
educa=on
• Provides
ideas
on
crea=ng
a
bicycle
safety
environment
in
UCSD
• Encourage
more
students
and
faculty
to
bike
• Reduce
the
bike-­‐related
injury
and
accident
rates
while biking and have not heard
about any programs that
address the bicycle safety on
campus.
LOGIC MODEL
This is an excellent
example to show how
dedicated bike paths that
separated from
pedestrians could ensure
safety within college
campus.
Charts above show students’ willingness on biking if there are
future bike infrastructure improvements.
àA narrow pathways
on Peterson Hill.
à UC Davis Bicycle circle.
Shared pathway on Ridge Road
with pedestrians, bikers and
golf carts.
à A narrow pathway next to the SUNGOD
statues towards the faculty club direction.
New
bicycle
and
pedestrian
safety
improvement
on
UCSD
campus.
Key References:
Picture: UC Davis Magazines
Balsas, Carlos J.l. "Sustainable Transportation Planning on College Campuses." Transport Policy 10.1 (2003): 35-49. Web.
Toor, Will, and Spenser Woodworth. Havlick. Transportation & Sustainabe Campus Communities: Issues, Examples, Solutions.
Washington, D.C.: Island, 2004. Print.