ITS for Vulnerable Road Users: The Use of Digital Maps for the Evaluation and Improvement of a Bicycle-Network and Infrastructure

ITS management aims to increase safety of the road network, including the safety of the vulnerable users on the road. One way to improve the safety of vulnerable users is to optimize the quality of the cycle infrastructure along a cycle route network. A critical component is to determine the locations with the highest need for infrastructure improvements. This paper presents a methodology to evaluate the cycle path infrastructure and to detect the severity of the bottlenecks along a route network. A methodology has been developed to calculate the bottlenecks along a network with the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS). The bottlenecks are determined by calculating the deviations from the existing cycling infrastructure with a required, thus safe infrastructure. A handbook provided by the Flemish government is used as a guideline for the required infrastructure. A first step is to determine all relevant criteria, followed by an inventory of all the attributes along the road network. Each attribute is evaluated and contributes entirely or partially to the severity of a bottleneck. Using multi-criteria analysis, the bottleneck-score will be calculated for each cycle path along the network. The results are visualised on a map. This research lies within the scope of the mobility policy of the City of Ghent, and is part of a priority map that indicates which cycle paths should be (re)constructed first. Beyond this policy, the research can be extended to applications for other road users.