Bike Lanes and Bike-Sharing Demand in Washington DC
Bicycle travel has always been considered a low-carbon and healthy way of travel. In recent years, the development of the bike-sharing system has given more people (especially those without cars) more options for commuting and recreational trips. More affordable bicycles for short trips in urban areas can be a useful way to help people get around. With rising fuel prices, traffic congestion, and deteriorating environmental quality, the emergence of bike-sharing certainly offers a sustainable mode of transportation. Both shared bikes and e-scooters are examples of micro-transportation, which incorporates very small, low-occupancy vehicles (Bikeshare and E-Scooters in the U.S., 2022). According to a study in DC, the advent of bike-sharing has reduced traffic congestion in communities and neighborhoods by more than 4% (Hamilton & Wichman, 2018). Compared to personal bicycles, bike sharing makes people feel safer in terms of psychological perception as less risk of theft is avoided. Because they're more environmentally friendly and less expensive, bike-sharing systems have become an essential component of transportation services in major cities all over the world (Abdellaoui Alaoui & Koumetio Tekouabou, 2021). Thus, the bike-sharing project is not a new topic but something that has been booming for the past few years.As more cities and regions adopt bike-share systems, a better understanding of the factors that influence bike-share use can make it easier to promote low-carbon travel choices.
