Implementing and Promoting Bicycle Sharing in Chattanooga, Tennessee, 2011
After 3 years of planning by a multisector partnership, Chattanooga, Tennessee, will launch a fixed bicycle-sharing system in early 2011. We describe strategies and processes used to bring this innovative transportation approach to a midsized Southeastern city. The socio-ecological model for health promotion, which recognizes multiple levels of individual, social and environmental influences on behavior, will be used to promote bicycling as a desirable means of transportation on surface streets.
Speakers: Kassi M. Webster, MPH, fellow in the Public Health Prevention Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Philip Pugliese, MBA, Outdoor Chattanooga
1. Philip Pugliese, MBA
Outdoor Chattanooga
Kassi M. Webster, MPH
CDC/Outdoor Chattanooga
Christopher J. L. Cunningham, PhD
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
2. The findings and conclusions
in this report are those of the
author(s) and do not
necessarily represent the
official position of the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention.
3. Why bike sharing?
Early “bike sharing” in Chattanooga
Chattanooga’s bike share process
Promotion of bicycling at multiple levels
Bicycling focus group results
Next steps
4. Attendees should be able to
1) Identify opportunities and strategic partnerships for
bicycle sharing
2) Identify a process for implementing bicycle sharing
3) Identify a funding mechanism for purchasing a
bicycle-sharing system
4) Use the socio-ecological model to identify
strategies at multiple levels to increase bicycling
34. Bike2Lunch appears to be successful in:
◦ engaging beginners into bicycling using the group
ride approach
◦ increasing consideration of bicycling for
transportation
◦ increasing knowledge of safe bicycling in traffic from
before to after participation
35. Top choice of what would make it easier to
bike during the work day…
Bike Access
36. Promote and encourage bicycling among
worksites and the University
37. On a broader level, increase community
awareness, cohesion and support of bicycling
40. Get a pulse on community’s view of bicycling
for recreation and transportation – what are
the priorities for Chattanoogans?
Use findings to:
◦ Guide bike share development and marketing
◦ Support bicycling related policies
◦ Increase awareness among partners
◦ Support and design other programs
42. Nine focus groups between March and July
5 with downtown workers
3 with downtown dwellers
1 with UTC students
◦ Total = 56 participants
◦ Range of 2-9 per session
43. Survey Demographics (54 surveys)
◦ Race/ Ethnicity
White = 39 (80%)
African American = 9 (18.3%)
Hispanic = 1 (2%)
◦ Majority female (63%)
◦ Average (M) age = 35.07 years
SD = 12.00 years
Range 20 – 60 years
44. Participants ride a bike 7.6 rides/month, on
average
◦ 26% ride zero times/month
◦ 50% ride ≤ 5 times/month
6.7% would not consider cycling for
transportation at all
48. “You miss so much of your community. In your car
you’ve got the music on, you’re not paying attention
to what’s going on around you. You don’t see the new
business that opened up or the new construction
that’s happening. …You’ll drive right by it and end up
at work and somebody’s talking about how they heard
on the news that they’re building such and such over
in downtown and you’re like I just drove by there and
didn’t see that. You don’t recognize it. But on your
bike, I guarantee you’ll recognize it.”
50. “In terms of commuting, that puts the bikes on
the road at the peak of traffic when people are
in a hurry.”
“If you knew it in advance, you could dress
appropriately. But if it’s just on a whim, I don’t
know that one of us office workers could jump
on a bike.”
52. “I’m not going to carry my personal bike in
here to do that [errands], but I think what ya’ll
are talking about doing is having them down
there and you can go grab one. I would be
more likely to do that if it were that
convenient.”
53. “… I’d love to get a backpack or a basket or
something and ride down there to run a few
errands. … It’s just a couple of miles and
would be so good for me and I could leave the
car in the garage. But that section of Brainerd
Road is just too dangerous. They’re driving too
fast or texting and eating. I’d get whacked out
the first day. Ya’ll would read about me on the
Chattanoogan.com.”
55. “My favorite commuter wears a giant Elmer
Fudd hat and has all this hair and he drives by
and I just think “you’re awesome.”
“It’s not so much that they are on a bike, but
how they are using the bike that colors our
perception.”
56. Giv e room
29%
They need to
follow rules of
the road
19%
Understand
because of
ow n cycling
experience
15%
Irritated w hen
it backs up
traffic
13%
They need to
be v isible
11%
Other
13%
57. “…before I commuted some, you get behind them
and it’s like I’m in a hurry and I have that moment
of ah, when am I going to get past them. After
being in the shoes of the cyclist who’s riding
whether it’s for recreation or commuting or
whatever, I try to have a lot more patience because
I understand what it’s like to be in those shoes
and that’s great that they’re out there doing it as
opposed to sitting around.”
58. “Even being a cyclist, when you’re driving your
car and your on a lane where you can’t pass, it
is frustrating and I completely understand that.
Great, you’re out driving your car or riding
your bike, but in certain situations it sucks.”
“Sometimes you’ll see those people on bikes
and they’re in the middle of the street like
they’re a car.”
60. “…one thing that hinders advancement and
people getting used to bikes, I usually see
people when they first start out riding that
they’re so terrified of riding on the road
that they ride strictly on the sidewalk. And
that’s horrible and it ruins it for everybody
because it gives cars the perception that
people are supposed to be on the
sidewalks.”
61. “Unless we have people who bike with people
who don’t bike, you’ve got to get those two
groups together. There’s the etiquette and
things that people don’t understand.”
64. “There are a lot of unanswered questions for
me anyway, I haven’t studied the bike laws or
the rules, but there are a lot of unanswered
questions about what I’m allowed to do and
what I’m not allowed to do.”
65. “I don’t need some place where I put my bike
rack on my car and drive my bike to some
place to ride my bike, I just want to ride my
bike. But whether it’s true or not, I have the
general sense that that’s the attitude, if you
want to ride your bike, you go away to do it.”
66.
67.
68. Overall perceived safety in Chattanooga
◦ Scale of 1-5 (1=Not at all, 5 = Completely)
◦ M = 2.72, between Somewhat and Moderately in
overall perception of safety
SD= 0.71
Development of program in 2007TDOT Commuter Transportation Assistance Program – Partnership with CARTA$37,500 for two-year project.Assets – Selection of Bianchi MilanoHelmets, Locks
Model: Work with local employers to encourage employees to travel by bike.Corporate partners developedUnun, TVA, City of Chattanooga, smaller firms.Created brand, marketing presence “Green bikes”, Media coverageWhat worked: Group experience, social aspect, comfortable, convenient, safe.Demographics – Women, foreign born workers
Barriers to Use:2nd Year --- Convenience – not there everyday.Lack of commitment.Scalability to larger numbers.Fixed Units --- Automated lockers, fixed kiosk units
Locker System envisioned(Dasani Blue Bike Program) – Cycle Safe other locker companies
Introduction
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Not only focus on the individual, greater focus on the environmental and policy contexts of behavior, as well as social influences. Using comprehensive approach before and during bike share implementation to facilitate usage.Using this approach for before and during bike share implementation.
Bike safety classesGroup rides with instruction
Bike2Lunch program271 rides since AprilOlder adult bicycling programs
Give tips for access to showers, allowing time, etcProvide advice and technical assistanceEngage worksite wellness coordinators with Bike2Lunch & bike share promotion
Media outreachActive Living & Transportation NetworkBike Valet
And other policy briefs as needed, using data and focus group results. 3-foot lawComplete Streets policies
Target list edited as needed based on response, interest and participant diversity. Some pre-existing groups, some general population recruitment
Most common responses (90 total)Walk = 20%Bike = 20%Gym = 14%Run = 11%Other = 35%
Most common responses (74 total)Exercise/ Health related= 28%Exercise = 9%Low impact exercise = 4%Incorporate exercise = 4%Exercise - muscles = 4%Exercise alternative = 3%Transport-related= 22%Transport = 11%Fast transport = 11%Social opportunities = 11%Community connection = 9%
Most common responses (81 total)Errands = 16%Commute = 11%Go to/ ride in Park = 10%Would not consider = 9%Food = 7%Festival = 7%
Would consider, but not able to do it.
Positive perception, such as saying they are awesome, cool, brave, etc. and/ or they respect or admire them. They are doing something positive.Most common responses (77 total)Generally positive = 22%They don’t know/ don’t follow the rules = 18%Fear for their safety = 9%Want them to be visible = 8%Dedicated = 8%Sweaty = 6%
Most common responses (84 total)Give room = 29%They need to follow rules of the road = 19%Understand because of bicycling experience = 15%Irritated when backs up traffic = 13%They need to be visible = 11%
Most common responses (100 total responses)Traffic safety = 17%Lack of/ Insufficient bicycling infrastructure = 17%Road conditions = 13%Bicyclists not following the rules = 7%Hills = 7%
Quotes for bicyclists not following/ knowing the rules
Most common responses (69 total responses)It’s not difficult = 20%Bike/ ped conflict on Riverwalk = 14%The stop/ start in the downtown = 10%Lack of infrastructure = 10%Mountain Bike = 7%Knowing routes to take = 6%Other = 10%
*** 27% related to education and awareness on both sides.Most common responses (131 total responses)Bike lanes = 13%Bicyclist education = 13%Motorist education = 7%Public awareness = 7%Bike routes = 7%Traffic calming = 6%Separate bike facilities = 6%*Access to bikes = 3%
Series of 5 questions that made up a safety index: How confident are you in your personal abilities to ride a bicycle safely in Chattanooga?How safe is the Chattanooga downtown for cyclists?How safe is North Chattanooga for cyclists? How safe are the surrounding residential areas for cyclists?How safe are the surrounding non-residential areas for cyclists?Answers range: Not at all, Somewhat, Moderately, Very, Completely
Not enough bike lanesNot enough safe bike parking
DriversBicyclists
Good for bike share because that’s where it’s starting
Bicycling for recreation seems to be more accepted by general population – use this to introduce bicycling for transportation. Bike/ ped interaction on Riverwalk is an issue
Have high respect for bicycle commuters
Bike sharing may create a greater demand for bike lanes or facilities to separate bikes from cars.Focus group findings reveal that bike lanes are important, whether for perception of safety or for increasing separation from cars so that cars can safely pass. Roads should be cleaned of debris for bicyclist safety, and to prevent damage to bicycle tiresWith the bike share, will be able use GPS data to determine which roads most used – priorities.
Use partnership to leverage resources to create a public awareness campaign aimed at both drivers and bicyclistsPut a face and voice to the bicyclists
Shower accessOffer on site safety classesCreate newsletter/ listserv to keep them informed and trade ideasOffer bike share promotion ideas
Offer discounted passes for the Incline Railway to bike commuters on Lookout MountainParks to not ban children on bikes or make additional areas to support
Focus Group results:Convene ALTN partners to discuss results,Release results – ALTN website, press release, journal article/ white paper,Create fact sheets/ policy briefs as needed.
