(Photo: John Pucher)
Acclaimed transportation researcher and Rutgers University professor John Pucher (deemed “the Bicycle Scholar” by Momentum Magazine), has received funding for an ambitious research project.
Pucher’s upcoming study, Analysis of Bicycling Trends and Policies in Large American Cities: Lessons for New York has been awarded $50,000 (with 100% guaranteed federal matching funds) by the University Transportation Research Center based at the City College of New York.
The 15-month project will focus on a detailed analysis of cycling in six large American cities; New York City, Chicago, Washington (DC), San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Portland (OR).
Pucher and co-principal investigator on the study Ralph Buehler, will place special emphasis on separated bicycle facilities (like bike lanes, paths, and “intersection modifications for cyclists”) with an eye toward using the information to help New York City bike planners make more informed decisions about the future of their bikeway network.
In the study description, Pucher writes that New York (with 75% increase in cycling levels since 2000), “appears to be on the right path but has a long way to go, and could benefit from the experiences of more successful cities”.
Asked about the study in a recent email, Pucher told me that he, “feels certain that Portland will have a lot of wonderful lessons to share with other cities, and that other cities might also have some really good examples of cycling provisions and policies that Portland could learn from.”
Pucher plans to visit Portland next summer where he’ll gather information for the study from local bike planners, advocacy groups, and experts.
For more on John Pucher, see his “Cycling for Everyone” presentation and check out his popular approach on how to make cycling “irresistible”.