Community perceptions on the contribution of bicycle paths to street quality in cities new to cycling infrastructure

• Despite significant opposition during the planning phase, the bicycle path has gained widespread acceptance among residents, with 83.1% believing it positively contributes to their street. • The most important potential street improvements for local residents are more places to sit and socialize (68.9%), more cafes and shops (63.3%), more space allocated for tree planting and gardens (54.7%), fewer cars (30.2%), slower-moving cars (23.4%), and more playgrounds (22.8%). • It is essential to collect city- or council-wide data regarding the level of support among the broader community for developing a separated bicycle network before initiating individual streetscape projects. • Incorporating additional improvements that local resident’s favour alongside the bicycle path is likely to generate greater support for the initiative. • Meaningful community engagement—where residents have the agency to influence project delivery—is a critical component of project acceptance and success. It is well understood that increasing participation in cycling as a mode of urban transport yields positive environmental, health, social, and economic outcomes. Consequently, it has garnered significant interest in sustainable transport planning. A network of bicycle paths that are separated from motor traffic and pedestrians is deemed essential for increasing ridership. However, proposals to introduce such separated bicycle paths, which may be unfamiliar to local communities, can provoke opposition, leading to delays and, at times, the abandonment of projects. This indicates that the implementation of active transport policies is more significantly challenged by socio-political forces than by a lack of research evidence. What is not well understood is how communities adapt to projects over time and how they can be engaged with to increase acceptance of projects. Bicycle path evaluations are predominantly based on quantitative studies that measure changes in cycling participation and safety outcomes before and after the implementation of infrastructure. However, very few studies investigate residents’ sentiments toward bicycle infrastructure and its relationship with other streetscape elements, despite the necessity of community acceptance for the successful establishment of a cycling network. This study surveyed residents ten years after the installation of a separated cycleway in Sydney, Australia. The results indicate that, despite significant opposition during the planning phase, the cycleway has gained widespread acceptance among residents, with 83.1% believing it positively contributes to their street. The findings of this study may inform policy development and the implementation of separated bicycle facilities in traditionally car focused cities.