Motivations and Strategies for Bicycle Planning in Rural, Suburban, and Low-Density Communities: The Need for New Best Practices

Abstract

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Many planners view bicycles as a critical component of sustainable urban transportation, but assumptions about cycling derived from urban places may not translate to the social, political, and built environment contexts outside of cities. Our study focuses on the motivations and strategies that rural, small, and low-density (RSLD) communities have for investing in bicycle systems; our goal was to learn what kind of technical assistance such communities might need to realize their cycling goals. We conducted in-depth interviews in 10 communities that received grants from a Kaiser Permanente program in Colorado to increase cycling.

Takeaway for practice: These 10 cases present a conflict between a recreational or quality-of-life approach to increasing cycling in RSLD communities and a transportation approach more common in urban areas, which stresses the use of cycling to supplement or replace auto travel for purposive trips. Most RSLD cities did not have the political or cultural support to plan for and begin constructing major cycling infrastructure for either recreational or transportation cycling. Most need best practices to educate local stakeholders on the value of cycling to support economic development, increase tourism, and improve property values without significantly reducing auto access. Planners in RSLD places also need special guidance for addressing the needs of riders with diverse environmental values and those from disadvantaged communities.

Keywords:

• bicycle planning
• cycling
• political factors
• rural
• suburban

Acknowledgments

We thank the anonymous reviewers for their critical assessments and valuable comments, which resulted in material improvements to the article.

Supplemental Material

Supplemental data for this article can be found on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

This research received support from the University of Colorado Denver, the University of Colorado Boulder, the Colorado School of Public Health, and sponsored projects funded by Kaiser Permanente Colorado Community Benefit and the Centers for Disease Control, Prevention Research Center Program, Special Interest Project 09-10: Physical Activity Policy Research, Network (5U48DP001938-02).

Notes on contributors

Carolyn McAndrews

Carolyn McAndrews ([email protected]) is an assistant professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Colorado Denver.

Sara Tabatabaie

Sara Tabatabaie ([email protected]) is a doctoral candidate in the Environmental Studies Program at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Jill S. Litt

Jill S. Litt ([email protected]) is an associate professor in the Environmental Studies Program at the University of Colorado Boulder.