Center for Transportation Research News

Editor Note: As an update to the passage of the Master Bike Plan, Annick Beaudet, the Bicycle Program Manager with the City of Austin in Department of Public Works, has provided this update on the implementation of the plan.

Colored bike lane on Dean Keaton East of IH 35.

It is my pleasure to write about my [...]

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The City of Austin is testing four bicycle safety improvements with research involvement of the Center for Transportation Research. KVUE News in Austin covers “sharrows” in a news segment today; the video is posted online.
http://www.kvue.com/news/Austin-part-of-bike-and-car-sharing-experiment-68806662.html
Anyone driving, walking or cycling down Guadalupe between MLK and 4th street Monday may have seen them being installed and [...]

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Stolen and vandalized rental bikes challenge a system designed to reduce congestion in France.
Vélib’, Paris’s bicycle rental system, inspired a new urban ethos for the era of climate change.
Renters of Vélib’ bicycles in Paris say it can be a challenge to find functioning ones among those that have been vandalized. In Paris 80 percent of [...]

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In 2006 Madison, Wisconsin won the distinction from the League of American Bicyclists of being named a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community–one of only nine U.S. cities to earn this ranking. Any community interested in becoming more bike-friendly can learn from Madison’s example. Read full descriptions of these five tips.
#1: Set ambitious goals and involve the [...]

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An indicator species is a species that defines a trait of a given environment. For example, the presence of a particular species may indicate an environmental condition such as disease, pollution, species competition, or climate change. Indicator species are invaluable to biologists who are monitoring a region, as that species can provide a highly sensitive gauge.
Interestingly, a recent article in Scientific [...]

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Each year the League of American Bicyclists grants four levels of awards to U.S. businesses that “encourage a more bicycle friendly atmosphere for employees and customers.” The levels are platinum, gold, silver, and bronze, with a handful of honorable mentions. As might be expected, many of the companies receiving awards are bicycle retailers but other organizations [...]

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David Bryne, author of Bicycle Diaries, and frontman for the band, Talking Heads, will be part of a panel discussion titled: “Bicycles, Cities, and Transportation in Austin.” The event takes place September 27, 2009, at 7 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre. The Paramount is located at 713 Congress Avenue. The event is free and open [...]

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As some bicyclists have experienced, cars tend to pass closer to bicyclist when there is a marked bike lane. A recent study by Leeds and Bolton universities shows that cars ride closer to bikes when the bike is perceived to have its own lane. Researchers indicate that bike lanes should be at least 1.5 [...]

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Posting shows a list of research with findings that improved bicycling facilities and pedestrian access improvements lead to increased biking and walking as a transportation mode for commuters and other transportation needs.
BETTER BICYCLE FACILITIES PROMOTE MORE BICYCLING
Hopkinson and Wardman (1996) found that individuals were willing to pay a premium to use bicycle facilities that are [...]

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A blog maintained by the authors of the popular Freakonomics cited the following statistics regarding cyclists’ deaths:
More than 52,000 bicyclists have been killed in bicycle traffic accidents in the U.S. over the 80 years the federal government has been keeping records. When it comes to sharing the road with cars, many people seem to assume [...]

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