Extent of Changes in Pedestrian and Bicyclist Attitudes and Behaviors Directly After a Complete Streets Project in Florida

The Tampa Bay area is ranked nationally as one of the least walkable metro areas in the United States, and the Fletcher Avenue corridor was identified as having one of the highest pedestrian and bicyclist crash rates in this area. This research focuses on improving the understanding of attitudes and behaviors of pedestrians and bicyclists using Fletcher Avenue before and after the completion of a Complete Streets project along this corridor. Observations and on-the-spot surveys were conducted in August 2014 and February 2015. The behaviors of more than 2,000 individuals were observed, and 348 of these individuals completed surveys. Additionally, intercept interviews were conducted with 98 individuals who regularly travel this corridor by walking, bicycling, or wheelchair. This study found that dangerous behaviors continued to exist directly after the completion of a Complete Streets project. On-the-spot surveys showed a small decrease in the percentage of individuals who felt safe traveling on Fletcher Avenue after the completion of the Complete Streets project, and in-depth intercept interviews highlighted that nearly half of participants still did not feel safe walking and biking on Fletcher Avenue. Built environment improvements by themselves do not necessarily change pedestrian and bicyclist behaviors. The data collected from this research allows transportation professionals and others to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence pedestrian and bicyclist attitudes and behaviors after the completion of a Complete Streets project. Tailored educational strategies and messages can then be used to complement built environment investments to influence behavior change.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADB10 Standing Committee on Traveler Behavior and Values.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Lester, Amy
  • Bond, Julie
  • Benson, Stephen
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2016-1-10 to 2016-1-14
• Date: 2016

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: TRB 95th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Behavior; Built environment; Complete streets; Cyclists; Pedestrians; Safety
• Geographic Terms: Florida
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01588952
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 16-4197
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 29 2016 4:30PM