Making Cycling Spaces in Hilly Cities

Traffic congestion and environmental pollution in cities have stimulated the rise of policies to encourage practices of less polluting, and more economic and healthier modes of transportation, such as cycling. Several factors influence bicycle use, including the steep gradients which can limit it use, but do not completely prevent it. In this context, urban planning and transport engineering play a key role in promoting cycling, with particular emphasis on the definition and design of cycling networks at hilly cities, according to the citizens’ needs on their daily commutes. To address this challenge, this paper describes the starting developments and the methodological approach of a doctoral research having the following goals: to define the data to be considered in feasibility studies of designing cycling mode in hilly cities; to develop a bicycle suitability model based on demographic, travel-generating poles, type of bicycles (regular vs. electric) and road network criteria; to develop a model to support the definition of cycling network based on connectivity, network intersections, integration with other modes of transportation, parking and safety; and to define a procedure for assessing solutions and define cycling routes hierarchy, having as case study the hilly city of Covilha, at Serra da Estrela mountain.