Rating the disconnectivity of bike lane networks across cities

Abstract

Bike lanes are an integral part of active mobility. However, their usage is dictated by their connectivity, and usability. In this work, we introduce two metrics of difficulty and efficiency based on bike lane segmentation that provide a picture from the point of view of a prospective rider. We compare the bike lane networks of nine cities worldwide: Adelaide, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Bangkok, Berkeley, Berlin, Bogota, Cambridge (MA), and Mexico City. Among them, we find the Amsterdam bike lane network to be the easiest and most efficient to use, while Bangkok occupies the other end of the spectrum. Because of the biker-centric viewpoint, our proposed metrics can be used to identify problematic areas.