330 Pedaling forward: the evolution of bicycling infrastructure in 3 Canadian cities from 2010 to 2022

Background Canadian municipalities are intensifying efforts to promote bicycling as a means of sustainable mobility, with considerable investments on infrastructure made over the past decade. Despite these investments, people continue to die and be seriously injured while bicycling. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected changes in mode share patterns, which has further highlighted the need for increased safe cycling infrastructure. Objective This research aimed to evaluate cycling infrastructure trends in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto from 2009 to 2022. Methods Current on-street infrastructure installed or upgraded between 2009 and 2022 was documented using a combination of municipal data sources, grey literature, and historical street view imagery. The Canadian Bikeway Comfort and Safety (Can-BICS) Classification System (https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.9.04) was used to code bicycle infrastructure. Results From 2009 to 2022, there was a 64%, 1014% and 98% increase in total segment length of on-street bicycling infrastructure (cycle tracks and painted lanes) for Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, respectively. The segment length of painted lanes increased from 39.8 km to 41.6 km, 7.6 km to 60.5 km and 102.9 to 135.9 km, and of cycle tracks from 2.8 km to 26.3 km, 0 km to 24.5 km, and 0 to 67.6 km for each respective city. The highest yearly rate of implementation for Calgary and Toronto occurred since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. (1.0 km and 4.7 km of new infrastructure per 1000 segment-km of the roadway, respectively). Ongoing analysis will determine the changes in local street bikeway installations; most common in Vancouver. Conclusions Overall, there was cycling network growth in all three cities particularly notable since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with a marked shift towards separated cycling infrastructure. We used an innovative visual approach to identify infrastructure as well as a standardized criteria which facilitated comparisons between municipalities. Recognizing the increased safety afforded by separated cycle track infrastructure over painted lanes, future planning should prioritize the establishment of separated infrastructure. Investment in separated bicycling networks would align with the Vision Zero goal of zero fatalities and severe injuries and would foster sustainable mobility.