S4C Colloquium Aveiro 2016 https://scientistsforcyclingaveiro2016.wordpress.com/ University of Aveiro (Portugal), Region of Aveiro (CIRA), ABIMOTA/Portugal Bike Value and the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) with its global network Scientists for Cycling (S4C)

1. Promoting the Aveiro region as a cycling
tourism destination:
The definition of cycle routes using GIS
André Pedrosa1, Helena Albuquerque 2, Zélia Breda3
1 DEGEIT | University of Aveiro [ pedrosa.andre@ua.pt ]
2 GOVCOPP | University of Aveiro [ helena.albuquerque@ua.pt ]
3 DEGEIT,GOVCOPP | University of Aveiro [ zelia@ua.pt ]

2. STRUCTURE
1. Theoretical framework: Cycling tourism and Geographic Information Systems
2. Aveiro Region
3. Methodology: Definition of cycle tourist routes using GIS
a) Selection of the points of interest
b) Definition of routes according to a set of criteria that influence cycling experience
c) Validation, test and communication
4. Final remarks

3. Cycling tourism
“Cycle tourism can be defined as recreational visits, either overnight or day visits away
from home, which involve leisure cycling as a fundamental and significant part of the
visit.”
Sustrans (1999)
Geographic Information Systems
“Everyone has their own favorite definition of a GIS, and there are many to choose from.”
“A container of maps in digital form” or a “tool for performing operations on geographic
data that are too tedious or expensive or inaccurate if performed by hand.”
Longley, Goodchild, Maguire, & Rhind (2005)
1. Theoretical framework 2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks

4. • Approximately 365,000 inhabitants
• Approximately 1,700 sq. km
• Main natural resources: Aveiro
Lagoon, Natural Reserve of São Jacinto
Dunes,Vouga River, Pateira de
Fermentelos.
• Main cultural heritage: Art Nouveau
architecture, tiles, traditions, …
• Gastronomy: Eel, Cod, Ovos Moles
(Aveiro), Pão-de-Ló (Ovar), roasted
piglet and wine from Bairrada
Figure 1: Aveiro region
1. Theoretical framework 2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks

5. Phase 1: Selection of points of interest
• Analysis of plans and programs related with cycling and tourism in the Aveiro region;
• Analysis of webpages about tourism in this region: Turismo do Centro, CIRA and
municipalities, especially WebGIS “Ria de Aveiro”;
• Selection of points of interest according to their importance and location;
• Individual meetings with stakeholders from each municipality.
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework

6. Figure 2: Short haul routes Figure 3: Medium haul routes Figure 4: Long haul routes
Spatial distribution of the points of interest and area radius of each route
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 1: Selection of points of interest

7. Example: C1 (Short haul route)
Points of interest Municipality
Farol da Barra/ Praia da Barra Ílhavo
Cais da Bruxa/ Caminho do Praião Ílhavo
Porto de Recreio da Associação Náutica da Gafanha da Encarnação Ílhavo
Caminho do Canal Vagos
Mercado do Peixe/ Praia daVagueira Vagos
Cais dos Pescadores da Costa Nova Ílhavo
Palheiros da Costa Nova Ílhavo
Praia da Costa Nova Ílhavo
Kitebeach / Kite spot Ílhavo
Centro Cultural da Costa Nova Ílhavo
Mercado Municipal da Costa Nova Ílhavo
Doca de Recreio da Marina Clube da Gafanha - MCG Ílhavo
Table 1: Points of
interest inside C1
radius area
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 1: Selection of points of interest

8. • Definition of criteria that influence the selection of the cycling
tourism experience
• Processing of geographical data
• Definition of route using the Network Analyst extension (ArcGIS)
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

9. Selected criteria according to the availability of data
Criteria Data Source
Road length Road segments length
PIMT-RA / CIRA
Cycling pathways Cycling pathways
Traffic Speed Road Speed limit
Traffic volume Road capacity
Distance from industrial
areas
Industrial areas location
Landscape
Land cover Corine Land Cover (2012)
Classified areas ICNF
Slope Altitude MDE Aster
Table 2: Selected
criteria, data used
and its source
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

10. Road network
• Information about road capacity, speed limit and cycling
pathways.
• Road segment length.
• All values between 0 and 1. Normalization formula:
(Max value – Recorded value) / (Max value – Min value)
• Connection between Ílhavo and São Jacinto (Aveiro) to
cross the Aveiro Lagoon by ferryboat.
Figure 5: Street network and
ferryboat connection
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

11. Cycling pathways
• Bike lanes, bike pathways physically
separated and bike pathways.
• Updated by each municipality on different
dates.
• Road with cycling pathways = 0
• Road without cycling pathways = 1
Figure 6: Cycling
pathways in Aveiro
region
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

12. Speed limit
• Road speed limit according with PIMT-RA.
• Highways were deleted.
Speed limit (km/h)
Normalized value (two
decimal places)
0 0.00
30 0.43
40 0.57
50 0.71
60 0.86
70 1.00
Table 3: Value for
speed limit
Figure 7: Road speed
limit
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

13. Capacity
• Hourly capacity for each direction according with PIMT-
RA.
• Normalization formula results in value 0 for traffic-free
roads and in value 1 for streets with hourly capacity for
each direction of 3,600 vehicles.
Figure 8: Road capacity
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

14. Distance to industrial areas
• 14 Industrial areas according with PIMT-RA
Distance (meters) Description Value
< 25 Streets inside 1
25 - 100 Access ways 0.75
100 - 500 Surrounding roads 0.5
500 - 1,000 Relatively closeby roads 0.25
> 1,000 Other streets 0
Table 4: Distance classes and value
Figure 9: Roads distance
from industrial areas
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

15. Classified areas
Classification Corresponding area
National Network of
Protected Areas
Natural Reserve of São
Jacinto Dunes
Natura 2000 Network
Special Protection Zone of
the Aveiro Lagoon
Sites of Community
Importance: Barrinha de
Esmoriz;Vouga River; Mira
Dunes, Gândara and
Gafanhas; Aveiro Lagoon
Site.
Ramsar Sites
Pateira de Fermentelos and
the valleys of the rivers
Águeda and Cértima
• Classified areas
national system
• Roads inside = 0
• Roads outside= 1
Table 5: Classified areas in the Aveiro region
Figure 10: Roads location
in classified areas
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

16. Land cover
Classes Value
Artificial surfaces 1
Agriculture areas + forest and semirural
areas
0.5
Wetlands + water bodies 0
• Corine Land Cover 2012: Level 1
Table 6: Classes and
value for land cover
Figure 11: Land cover
adjacent to roads
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

17. Slope
• Maximum length of 100 meters by segments
• Formula :
Abs ((Altitude from start point - Altitude from end point)/
Length *100)
Slope (%) Value
<2 0
2 to 5 0.25
5 to 8 0.5
8 to 12 0.75
>12 1
Figure 12: Road
slopes in
percentage
Table 7: Slope categories and its value
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

18. Criteria weights (%)
Criteria Short (%) Medium (%) Long (%)
Length 20 25 25
Slope 20 20 15
Cycling pathways 20 20 20
Speed limit 15 10 12.5
Road capacity 15 10 12.5
Landscape
(Classified area + land cover)
5 10 10
Distance to industrial areas 5 5 5
Table 8: Weights
for each criteria by
type of route
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

19. Figure 13: Short haul index Figure 14: Medium haul index Figure 15: Long haul index
Index map by categories
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

20. Example: C1 (Short)
Figure 16: Route and points of interest
(ArcMapView)
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

21. Tourist cycling routes
Figure 17: Short haul routes Figure 18: Medium haul routes Figure 19: Long haul routes
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

22. Example: C1
Point of Interest Municipality
Time
required
Link to
"Riadeaveir
o.pt"
Farol da Barra/ Praia da Barra Ílhavo X X
Cais da Bruxa/ Caminho do
Praião
Ílhavo ? ?
Porto de Recreio da Associação
Náutica da Gafanha da
Encarnação
Ílhavo X X
Caminho do Canal Vagos X X
Mercado do Peixe/ Praia da
Vagueira
Vagos ? ?
Cais dos Pescadores da Costa
Nova
Ílhavo X X
Palheiros da Costa Nova Ílhavo X ?
Praia da Costa Nova Ílhavo X X
Farol da Barra/ Praia da Barra Ílhavo ? ?Figure 20: Map of the C1 route
Table 9: Points of interest along the route
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework
Phase 2: Definition of routes according to several criteria

23. » Validation of all routes by the municipalities’ interlocutors
» Testing of all cycling routes
» Ria de Aveiro website (CIRA tourism website):
• Route description with a reference to gastronomy of each municipality;
• Route map;
• Link to a description of the highlighted points of interest;
• Reference to others points of interest along the route;
• Directions of the route;
• KML file;
• GPX file;
• Useful information (recommendations; bike type; rent-a-bike; tourism offices).
Phase 3:Validation, test and communication
2. Aveiro Region 3. Methodology 4. Final remarks1. Theoretical framework

24. Contributions
• GIS contribution to cycling tourism
• Importance of cycling in the Aveiro region
• Cycling tourism potential in the Aveiro
region
3. Methodology 4. Final remarks
Final remarks
2. Aveiro Region
Limitations
• Lack of available geographical data
• Some difficulties in data collection – several
municipalities…
• Phase 3 is not finished due to time
constraints
1. Theoretical framework

25. Thank you for your attention!
Promoting the Aveiro region as a cycling
tourism destination: The definition of cycle
routes using GIS
André Pedrosa
pedrosa.andre@ua.pt
Helena Albuquerque
helena.albuquerque@ua.pt
Zélia Breda
zelia@ua.pt