Suggested Citation:
Watkins, Kari, Giovanni Circella, Patricia L. Mokhtarian, Calvin Clark, Reid Passmore (2019)

BeltLine Bicyclist Facility Preferences and Effects on Increasing Trips

The objectives of this study were to investigate perceptions of users and potential users of bicycle infrastructure and to investigate the impact of multi-use paths on bicycle trips. Data were collected through a before-and-after survey in 2017 and 2018 (wave 1 N=1,335, wave 2 N=713) of residents near the Eastside Atlanta BeltLine extension and the Westside Atlanta BeltLine trail, along with residents in neighboring control communities of Grant Park and South Atlanta. Survey data was analyzed using statistical models such as analysis of variance, ordinary least squared regression, and segmented models. The analyses indicate positive perceptions of comfort and safety along with willingness to try biking on facilities with a greater degree of separation from traffic. Although results suggest that those residing near the BeltLine projects perceived a greater degree of neighborhood improvements for both biking and walking, there does not appear to be any statistically significant difference between the BeltLine and control communities in terms of actual changes in frequency of bicycling. The findings of this research suggest that although the BeltLine has had a positive impact on perceptions of the bikeability of the neighborhood it is not enough to spur substantial changes in behavior