Urban road segment level of service based on bicycle users’ perception under mixed traffic conditions

Abstract

During the past two decades, several methodologies are endorsed to assess the compatibility of roadways for bicycle use under homogeneous traffic conditions. However, these methodologies cannot be adopted under heterogeneous traffic where on-street bicyclists encounter a complex interaction with various types of vehicles and show divergent operational characteristics. Thus, the present study proposes an initial model suitable for urban road segments in mid-sized cities under such complex situations. For analysis purpose, various operational and physical factors along with user perception data sets (13,624 effective ratings in total) were collected from 74 road segments. Eight important road attributes affecting the bicycle service quality were identified using the most recent and most promising machine learning technique namely, random forest. The identified variables are namely, effective width of outside through lane, pavement condition index, traffic volume, traffic speed, roadside commercial activities, interruptions by unauthorized stoppages of intermittent public transits, vehicular ingress–egress to on-street parking area, and frequency of driveways carrying a high volume of traffic. Service prediction models were developed using ordered probit and ordered logit modeling structures which meet a confidence level of 95%. Prediction performances of developed models were assessed in terms of several statistical parameters and the ordered probit model outperformed the ordered logit model. Incorporating outputs of the probit model, a predictive equation is presented that can identify under what level a segment is offering services for bicycle use. The service levels offered by roadways were classified into six categories varying from ‘excellent’ to ‘worst’ (A–F).