Intermodal Bus and Bicycling Transportation in Southern Nevada

Intermodal Bus and Bicycling Transportation in Southern Nevada

Abstract: 

Active transportation, such as walking and bicycling, have numerous environmental, health, and economic benefits. Currently, many efforts are underway to increase the rate of active transportation and decrease the rate of travel by private vehicles. The purpose of this study was to understand perceptions and likelihood of using various types of bicycle infrastructure by Las Vegas Metropolitan Area (LMVA) residents. A survey tool was developed to collect data regarding demographics, travel characteristics, safety perceptions of the current bicycling infrastructure, general safety concerns related to bicycling, and the likelihood that residents would use any of eight bicycle infrastructure alternatives. Additionally, stakeholder interviews were conducted with a small number of residents who reported bicycling as their primary mode of transportation.

Study findings suggest that LVMA residents perceive many barriers to bicycling related to safety and infrastructure type. If the goal is to increase the rate of bicycling for transportation, then both the actual and perceived barriers need to be adequately addressed. The authors suggest recommendations to increase the number of LVMA residents who bicycle for transportation

Authors: 

ALEXANDER PAZ, PH.D., PE

Alexander Paz, PhD, is an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Dr. Paz is also the director of the Transportation Research Center at UNLV, and is licensed as a professional engineer (PE) in Nevada. Dr. Paz has been working on developing methods and software tools to bridge the gap between the state-of-the-art and the state-of-the-practice, and well as the integration, expansion, and use of advanced applications for the management of highway infrastructure. Some of Dr. Paz’s work has been adopted by the industry, including data warehouses and software applications. Dr. Paz has authored more than 60 publications including books, journals, and conference papers. A multidisciplinary and systems perspective characterizes Dr. Paz’s research and teaching. His broad interests include the application of operations research, control theory, econometric methods, and computer science to the modeling, analysis, operations, and control of large-scale dynamic transportation and infrastructure systems.

COURTNEY COUGHENOUR, PH.D.

Courtney Coughenour, PhD, is an assistant professor in the UNLV School of Community Health Sciences. Her research area of interest relates to Health & Place, the notion that health is greatly influenced by our environment. Much of her work focuses on disparities in access to a health-promoting environment, such as equitable and safe access to transportation options, opportunities for physical activity, and risks for pedestrian injury. She has presented her work at local, national, and international conferences. Some current projects include an evaluation of rural Nevada communities on resident perceptions and available resources which prevent or promote obesity, assessment of the built environment on active transport to school rates, and driver yielding bias to pedestrians within marked crosswalks.

Published: 

March 2017

Keywords: 

Active transport
bicycling
walking
infrastructure
travel characteristics