Environmental determinants of bicycling to rail stations in Chicago

Transit agencies are increasingly incorporating cycling into their programs through bicycle to transit initiatives such as indoor bicycle parking at rail stations as well as bicycles on buses and trains. In spite of the popularity and success of these programs, little research exists on the influences on the behavior, and transit planners and decisions makers do not have a reliable way of gauging demand for bicycle facilities. This paper provides a brief overview of the literature on bicycling to transit, as well as cycling and transit behavior separately. We used annual counts of bicycles parked at Chicago Transit Authority rail stations and neighborhood GIS data to estimate longitudinal models of the environmental determinants of bicycling to rail stations. Results indicate that increased use of bicycle parking at rail stations is associated with higher station boardings, more bicycle parking facilities, lower residential density and crime, and fewer bus options, even while controlling for neighborhood demographics. Based on the findings, we recommend that practitioners use an assortment of policies and infrastructure improvements to expand the reach of the transit and cycling networks. In addition, planning professionals should take initiative to collect useful data to prove the success of cycling to transit programs.