Citation

Kokura M, Suga M, Lee B, Shiraka-Wa K, Suwa T, Ohmori N. J. Maps 2010; 6(1): 199-210.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010)

DOI

10.4113/jom.2010.1076

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper discusses two maps which display safety and enjoyability information for bicycle users in Utsunomiya and Chigasaki cities, respectively located in the north and south of the Kanto area of Japan. The Utsunomiya map covers 5 square kilometers and the Chigasaki map covers about 35 square kilometers. In Japan, bicycles are generally used for daily transportation needs, but the bicycle infrastructure is still insufficient. Therefore, in order to promote bicycle use as a healthy and environmentally-friendly transportation mode, bicycle maps which provide safety information for the existing road network of cities are required. The Utsunomiya and Chigasaki maps, which provide this type of information, were developed to further the discussion over road network evaluation methods, and also to confirm the possibility of simultaneously providing safety and enjoyability information designed to promote bicycle use. The Utsunomiya map (Map 1) was experimentally designed to promote bicycle use. It incorporates the evaluation results and provides additional information using an original layering system. The Chigasaki map (Map 2a, 2b) was widely distributed so that its evaluation methodology could be improved to realize greater objectivity; a questionnaire survey was also conducted to identify future areas for map improvement. These evaluation methodologies and map designs will be helpful in designing cycle maps in other cities.

Language: en