Unlocking Cycling Preferences: How Street Environment Impacts Sports and Leisure Path Choices Across Different Urban Areas

This study explores how different street types impact cycling in Hangzhou. We analyzed 8,687 streets using ArcGIS to understand cycling flow. Mixed-use streets, which make up about 64% of the total, are the most popular among cyclists, with over 2 million trips. Following those are commercial streets, life service streets, scenic streets, and industrial streets, which see significantly fewer trips.

When looking closely at average trips per street type, scenic streets are surprisingly the busiest in terms of intensity, averaging 1,407 trips each. Life service streets have an average of 521 trips, while mixed-use streets feature 381 trips, and industrial streets see about 343 trips. This suggests that residents prefer mixed-use and scenic streets for cycling, while industrial streets are less attractive.

The analysis also found that high cycling traffic is clustered along rivers and near large parks in the city. Understanding this distribution helps local planners improve cycling infrastructure in these areas.

Next, we examined how various streetscape factors affect cycling flow. By conducting a Pearson correlation analysis, we found that most factors, like interface disorder and high motorization levels, negatively influence cycling. In contrast, a green view and proper safety measures positively affect cycling activity.

The analysis used the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model to determine the strength of these influences. Some variables showed multicollinearity, particularly the degree of enclosure, prompting their removal to refine future analyses. The remaining factors indicated that safety isolation and a green view significantly enhanced cycling flow. Overall, ensuring a safe cycling environment is crucial for increasing the number of cyclists.

When we looked at how these indicators vary across different street types, we found that mixed-use streets stand out for supporting diverse activities and traffic. They typically include well-structured biking lanes and a variety of facilities like bike parking and repair stations. These amenities facilitate a safer and more enjoyable cycling experience. However, the presence of too many visual distractions can reduce comfort and safety for cyclists.

Scenic streets in areas like West Lake offer beautiful views and a calming atmosphere. Although these streets often lack infrastructure, their surroundings attract many cyclists. In contrast, commercial streets, bustling with retail and dining options, experience high traffic but limited cycling space. This makes them less favorable for cycling.

Life service streets prioritize daily needs but often lack the attractions that encourage cycling. Similarly, industrial areas mainly support commuters preferring quick transportation options like cars or trains, resulting in low cycling numbers.

In conclusion, street design and environment play crucial roles in influencing cycling preferences. Mixed-use streets are the most appealing due to their integration of different functionalities and overall accessibility. On the other hand, scenic streets attract cyclists with natural beauty, despite infrastructure gaps. Street planners should consider these factors to develop more cyclist-friendly environments throughout the city.

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Street types,Recreational Cycling,Influencing factors,Spatial heterogeneity,Public Health,Medicine/Public Health,general,Epidemiology,Environmental Health,Biostatistics,Vaccine