1. Here Be Dragons: Cycling the Rural-Urban Mobility Interface Jean Gelwicks, Brenda Guild, John Rowlandson, Island Pathways Broadening Cycling Markets National Mobility Summit Tuesday 1 Nov 2011 Velovillage2012@gmail.com http://www.velo-village2012.blogspot.com

2. In-a-Nutshell Salt Spring Island Island Pathways - its focus & work effort The 2010 Cycling Survey Next Steps

3. Salt Spring Island 175 km 2 ; ~ 9,500 (54.3/km 2 ) 1 of more than 400 islands held in provincial trust for the people of BC Temperate Doug Fir forest Access via 3 ferry terminals Rural roads, hills, blind corners

4. Island Pathways

6. Knowledge Transfer Bike Rodeos Helmets for Life

7. Knowledge Translation

8. Bicycle Acceptance & Adoption Promoting Cycling CultureCommunity Engagement

9. AdvocacyResearch Bicycle Working Group http://www.ssi-bicycleworkinggroup.blogspot.com/ +

10. Why bother? Ferry costs Carbon footprint Traffic congestion Fossil fuel dependency Population health & fitness Cycle Tourism opportunities Translate the success of Québec’s La Route Verte to the Salish Sea Regional Trail Network (SSRTN)

11. Island Pathways Cycling Survey Supported by a partnerships with the Salt Spring Island Transportation Commission 1 Aug to 30 Sept 2010 Sample = 432 (on & off-island cohorts) Island CyclistsVisiting Cyclists

12. Key Findings Island Cyclists –12.6% ranked bicycles as their most frequent mode of transport –35% ride all seasons and in all weather conditions (49% all seasons/fair weather) –53% ride between 1-4 days/wk –14% ride 5 or more days per week –6.4% ride electric bikes –76% of respondents said they would ride more if they felt “safer on the road” –67% recommended enhanced shoulders or bike lanes to improve cycling safety

13. Key Findings Visiting Cyclists –56% arrive from Vancouver or Victoria; 12% (VI); 11% (USA) –65% said they cycled in all seasons & all weather –49% said they rode 5 or more days/week –61% said they had cycled on SSI 4 or more times in the past –31% said they heard about SSI by word of mouth –60% said that bike lanes or bike paths would improve the cycling experience on Salt Spring Island

14. Key Findings (3) Associations –Women less likely to ride all seasons/all weather (35% vs 64%) –Women were more likely to be very dissatisfied with cycling safety (55% vs 45%) –Women were more likely to be very dissatisfied with cycling security (61% vs 40%) –Men were more likely to be unsatisfied with BC Ferries signage (59% vs. 41%) –On average women say they spend about $75.00 more than men ($192.88 vs. $118.56)

15. Alignment What the brain trust says: –Factors contributing to Pedestrian & Bicycle Crashes on Rural Highways - (3,000 bike crashes in 5 states). Rural two-lane roads least safe for cyclists (US FHA, 2010) –Amoros et al: French trauma registry (n=13,684; 1996-2008) - country cyclists most likely to be severely injured (BMC Public Health, Aug 2011) –“Women are an indicator species for the vitality of cycling as an activity” (Dill, 2011)

16. Primary Takeaways Cycling safety and security are key barriers to resident and visiting cyclists Improvements to cycling infrastructure will stimulate growth in the volume of local & itinerant cyclists

17. Next Steps (1) Keep Learning –2011 follow-up with young people

18. Next Steps (2) Advocate for cycling infrastructure –Accelerate partnerships with Island transportation management planning principals Mobilize MOTI/Islands Trust LOA Increase public awareness of bike lane development Identify bike lane hotspots & opportunities

19. Next Steps (3) Positive Leverage –Invite the world to cycle on Salt Spring Island –Demonstrate the rural cycling value proposition to decision-makers –Mobilize the community to make Salt Spring the most welcoming place for cyclists on the planet, if only for 3 days

20. Timing June 2012 15242926 2321

21. Cyclo-tour Value Proposition Focus on Rural Mobility 3 days of Bicycle Heaven-on-Earth! 1000 - 1500 Cyclists On SSI