Bike lane views may depend on where in Waterloo region you live: study

How a person views the need for bike lanes may depend on where in Waterloo region they live.

That's according to a new study from researchers at the University of Waterloo, who found people in urban cores use bike lanes differently than people who live in the suburbs.

The researchers interviewed real estate agents and developers to get a sense of how cycling infrastructure is sold to people. 

Emma McDougall, one of the researchers, said in a news release about the study that in dense, urban cores, bike lanes can be used to help sell homes and condos to people looking for a "hip, urban lifestyle."

But in more suburban areas, people tend to view bike lanes as something that was nice to have, but not necessary. They'd use them for recreation rather than a mode of transportation, she said.

Brian Doucet, who co-led a larger research project that this research was part of, says the information is important for municipal planners to know when building cycling infrastructure in different parts of a city or town because it goes beyond statistics — the number of people who use their bikes — to give a better picture as to why people choose to hop on their bikes.

Bike lanes part of 'bundle of goods' in neighbourhood

The researchers said in some cities, there have been concerns bike lanes could lower property values or spur gentrification.

Of those interviewed for this study, though, most did not believe cycling infrastructure had a negative impact on residential property values and instead, buyers saw it as part of a "bundle of goods" that was part of their neighbourhood.

Megan Bell, a realtor and president of the Kitchener-Waterloo Association of Realtors, says while people she's sold homes to don't often bring up bike lanes, it could be because people know this region is "trending ahead of the curve" when it comes to implementing active transportation.

"We're putting in these bike lanes and offering people a different form of transportation, especially since we are seeing more one car households and the rising cost of gas," she said. 

Bell noted proximity to transit stops — particularly the LRT — is often seen as a bonus in a listing. As well, the "walkability" of a home's location is currently part of home listings on Realtor.ca, which people can use to research a new home.

"If more people are starting to use bikes or other means of transportation like that, I could see that becoming a part of the scoring," she said.

'Huge, latent demand' for cycling infrastructure

The study, which was published earlier this year in the Journal of Economic and Human Geography, was partially funded by Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and the Region of Waterloo.

Doucet said cycling shouldn't be viewed by urban planners as being either for people to get to and from work or for exercise-only.

"There's also lots of little journeys that people make within their communities, whether it be going to the park, taking kids to a soccer practice, doing some shopping, going out for a meal," he said.

He said there are universal must-haves planners need to keep in mind: bike lanes need to be safe, they need to be connected to other lanes or active transportation routes and they need to be accessible to everyone.

"There are differences in the ways in which cycling infrastructure needs to be considered in different parts of the city not only because of the different … environments, but also in terms of the different attitudes and the different approaches to cycling that exist," he said.

He said there's also a "huge, latent demand" for cycling infrastructure, which planners should keep in mind. This comes from people who want to cycle, but may feel hesitant about doing it, Doucet said.

"They haven't cycled since they were kids and so there's a huge segment of the population that would benefit from having ubiquitous cycling infrastructure in all parts of the city," he said.