Browsing by Author "Rueter, Demian"

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    Strategies for increasing cycling in winter: A case study of Calgary
    (2007-01) Rueter, Demian; Levy, Richard
    In North American Cities with a winter climate, the use of the bicycle drops dramatically during the winter season. The thesis of this research, is that the drop in ridership is not determined solely by climate. Climactic variables will likely always cause some effect, however, If bikeways are properly maintained and designed, the effect of the winter will be far less dramatic. A case study of the city of Calgary was conducted using a survey of cyclists to the Central Business District as the principal research instrument. This determines characteristics of winter cyclists and along with the literature review, provides the basis for a strategy to increase winter cycling in that city. Calgary retains a high number of winter cyclists compared with other Canadian municipalities, with 47% of cyclists commuting year round. Winter cyclists in Calgary tend to be male, located slightly closer to their destinations and tend to cycle because they believe it is faster than other modes of travel. The high number of cyclists retained is believed to be due to the existence of a high quality pathway that is cleared of snow, that directly links outlying communities with the Central Business District.