Bicycle Audit Checklists

Hi Scott
we've just been pilotting an audit for the very varied cycle network in our main City. We broke the audit down into 2 phases; (i) condition (the tecnhical aspects - what and where) and (ii) usability (rideability and stakeholder / user consultation). This audit will be more for operational management purposes (to record maintenance and inspection responsibilities and asset value) but eventually we hope to transform this information into pubically accessible maps so people can plan journeys and know what type of facility is on offer (ie is the route lit, is it suitable for a road or mountain bike, is it family friendly, is there parking, a cafe nearby etc).
As yet we've only done phase 1, but i'd be happy to pass on details.

Victoria Lloyd

Victoria Lloyd
United Kingdom

Courtesy of Alan Medcalf, who has cycle planning experience from the Waterloo area in Ontario and who, more recently, spearheading formation of the City of Brockville's Cycling Advocacy Committee:

"[...] the one thats used across the USA as the standard is the bicycle-friendly community evaluation. It grew out of an initiative of the League of American Wheelmen, with support along the way from many groups and sponsors. You can learn more at: http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/communities/ For communities that want to participate, theres an extensive application form which is, in essence, the detailed evaluation.

"This program was brought into Ontario through the Share the Road Coalition and you got some of this material with my committee pre-read. The website has more information, including the more-detailed evaluation."

Hugh

Hugh Campbell
Canada

The League of American Bicyclists' 'Bicycle Friendly America' program is an example of a marketing tool to raise awareness of cycling in various sectors including the municipal level of government. There is no data collection requirement as the basis of the "assessment". This is good tool to raise awareness but there are no research protocols that would suggest it is reliable enough for comparative or temporal accounting of the level of commuter cycling activity. The all-important mode share figure is not even part of the calculation for this award.
The cities of Copenhagen and Melbourne are now publishing regular reports on the progress towards more sustainable transportation systems in the form of bicycle accounts. The Danish reports can be downloaded from the Bicycle Victoria website (http://www.bv.com.au/general/bike-futures/42178/).
Nowhere is the importance of bicycle account audit tools more apparent than in the City of Calgary. It is Canada's fourth largest city with a population of one million but an ecological footprint the size of New York City. Just as recently as two days ago Calgary's top Transportation Planner was bragging about the city's 800 km of pathway in a boilerplate luncheon speech to professional engineers and geologists. Unfortunately it is built and maintained by another city department (Parks) and it is not designed for high speed bicycle commuting in a city with a case of terminal urban sprawl. Of the 800 km only 8.75 km is designated as bikeway but half of this is in a large inner city park (never used by bike commuters) and the other half reverts to multiple use pathway in the winter to economize on snow clearing and maintenance. If the figure is seasonally adjusted then the bikeway statistic drops to 2.1875 km. There is a 20 km/hr speed limit for bike commuters when this is a bikepath so the statistic should be further adjusted to account for that. (Assuming an average speed of 30 km/hr, I might suggest another one-third reduction.) Thus the Transportation Planners 8.75 km of bikepath is really only 1.458 km. A similar rating of the Citys 260 km of on-street bike lanes (another statistic contending for a world record) would show reality to be somewhat different when viewed from a bicycle saddle and a functional assessment tool to make sense of what can be meaningless statistics.

Gary Beaton
Calgary tour de nuit Society
Canada
www.morepeoplecycling.ca

Hi there,
You could try this link with the links on the left. it outlines the six basic requirements for all bike riders, wherever they ride, are: Space to ride Smooth riding surfaces Speed maintenance Clear sight lines Connectivity Information
http://www.bv.com.au/general/bike-futures/43763/

which stems from the general webpage to helping organisations and government to create better infrastructure within the (cycling) community
http://www.bv.com.au/general/bike-futures/

Jess Cerejo
Bicycle Victoria
Australia
http://www.bv.com.au/ride2school/90679/

Also this checklist is probably what you are asking for.

http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/pdf/bikabilitychecklist.pdf

Jess Cerejo
Bicycle Victoria - Ride2School
Australia
http://www.bv.com.au/general/ride2school/