Austin Bike Map Legend

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Bicycling in traffic is stressful for most people and planner Roger Geller has created a way to classify the four types of transportation cyclists:

Strong and Fearless: 1%
Enthused and Confident: 7%
Interested but Concerned: 60%
No Way No How: 33%

While I'm happy to hear of the current Bicycles Count project initiated by MAG, it appears to be studying the habits of current bicyclists and should also consider the needs of the "interested but concerned" that are most likely not going to be included in the data since most are probably not out biking do to the lack of proper infrastructure. Also, current bike maps (while very helpful) show bike lanes, paths and routes, but there is no indication as to the comfort level of these routes. These things will become especially important if we want to have a successful bike share program.

The "Low Stress Bicycle Bicycling and Network Connectivity" study was developed as way to evaluate and guide bicycle network planning. It classifies road segments into four levels of traffic stress that can be used in planning and for keying maps:

LTS 1 is suitable for children

LTS 2, based on Dutch bikeway design criteria, represents the traffic stress that most adults will tolerate and includes the "interested but concerned".

LTS 3 and 4 represent greater levels of stress.

The researchers concluded:

“For a bicycling network to attract the widest possible segment of the population, its most fundamental attribute should be low-stress connectivity. That is, providing routes between people’s origins and destinations that do not require cyclists to use links that exceed their tolerance for traffic stress, and that do not involve an undue level of detour."