Rotas de ciclistas no ambiente urbano: fatores decisivos para a escolha de percursos na cidade de Rio Grande - RS.

Abstract

The lack of suitable bicycle paths in Brazilian city centers together with the dispute over lanes on pavemented roads with motored vehicles are a reality that compromises safety and comfort of citizens who use bicycles as means of transportation. In Brazil, the majority of bicycle users who circulate through towns, ride bicycles for everyday purposes, like commuting. However, few cities provide adequate cycling network systems, as well as strategy to meet the demand of its users’ routes. Thus, given the reality experienced by the cyclists on their daily routes in contrast with the bike paths and segregated lanes currently disposed, the present investigation starts with the premise that some particular urban characteristics could influence the choice of certain routes that link points of origin and destination of users, contributing to a better perception of comfort and safety. This paper discusses the routes that are legitimately chosen by bike commuters, aiming to analyze how characteristics of traffic, pavement, and environmental conditions affect the choice of cyclists when opting for a particular route. This research is conducted by a quantitative and qualitative approach in a case study performed in the urban area of the city of Rio Grande - RS - Brazil, which intends to trace the legit routes used by the studied cyclists with the purpose of investigating the main factors that make the chosen routes more attractive. Based on a conducted face-to-face survey, it has been realized that, by assessing their chosen routes regarding comfort and safety conditions, 49% of bike riders consider their preferred routes as "fair", while 24% see them as "poor", contrasting with other 24% who defined them as "good", leaving up to just 3% the status of "excellent". The research also has found that most of the bike riders who use bicycles as means of transportation are unwealthy men who use them solely for commuting, and most of the time, sharing their lanes with automobiles, due to the absence of well signalized segregated lanes. Streets and avenues that provide adequate cycling infrastructure, such as bicycle paths and segregated bike lanes, are a priority among users who also prefer pavemented streets together with the absence of risky intersections. Another factor regarding the street hierarchy is that despite the fact arterial roads offer considerable risks to cyclists and drivers, cyclists still prefer to ride through these routes in favor of a better connectivity between points of origin and destination.