Challenges to Bicycle Usage in Columbus, Ohio: A Seasonal Analysis of Central Ohio Greenway Mode Choice
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Date
2021-05
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
In the United States, bicycle ridership is generally lower than in other cities across the
globe. American cities lag behind other countries, especially some cities in Western Europe such
as Copenhagen and Amsterdam. A number of factors may contribute to this decrease in ridership
such as reduced infrastructure and a lack of cycling culture. Another factor may be weather,
which is a focus of this study. How does weather impact ridership in U.S. cities, and what can
those cities do about it? To explore this question, I measure how temperature and precipitation
impact trail use and cycling in Columbus, Ohio. During the winter months between December
21, 2020 and March 20, 2021, I collected original broad data on trail usage modeled after a study
conducted by the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. Two North American case studies
were also done on Portland, Oregon and Montréal, Canada in order to understand how higher
ridership is maintained with adverse weather conditions. I argue that there is a greater potential
for usage in Columbus. Of the total number of users observed on the trails, 18% were bicyclists
and 77% were pedestrians. Temperature and precipitation also played key roles. As temperature
increased, bicycle ridership increased. Similarly, on days with little or no precipitation, ridership
was higher than days with heavier rainfall or snow. Columbus is projected to continue growing
in the long-term, and investing in a more interconnected, well-maintained, and widely accessible
bike network has the potential to create cultural change in the city for bicycles that would
significantly change mode choice for those living in the region.
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Keywords
Seasonal Analysis, Bike, Winter