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A comprehensive bicycle parking plan for the University of Arizona campus: Large scale planning and site-specific design solutions Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Ribes, Lisa J. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 26/09/2021 02:50:33 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/291411 A COMPREHENSIVE BICYCLE PARKING PLAN FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CAMPUS; LARGE SCALE PLANNING AND SITE-SPECIFIC DESIGN SOLUTIONS by Lisa Jane Ribes Copyright © Lisa Jane Ribes 2003 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the CAPLA SCHOOL OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE In partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2003 UMI Number: 1416936 Copyright 2003 by Ribes, Lisa Jane All rights reserved. UMI UMI Microform 1416936 Copyright 2004 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers imder rules of the Library. Brief quotations fi-om this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approv^Qn the date shown below: et Living^n 'Date 7/OS / Ron Stoltz Date rrant McCormick Date Keith Walzak Date 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank a variety of people. First of all, I am indebted to the School of Landscape Architecture for giving me the knowledge, inspiration, and excitement to expand the horizons of the profession of Landscape Architecture. Next, I would like to thank Dr. Margaret Livingston for making my graduate college experience enjoyable and rewarding and for guiding me in the process of creating this document. Subsequently, I would like to thank all of my classmates, friends, and relatives for emotionally supporting me during this past three years of graduate schooling. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my father, for without his suggestion, I would have never pursued this degree. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 6 LIST OF TABLES 7 ABSTRACT 8 CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 9 Significance of Study 10 Research Question, Objectives & Interpretation 11 Scope of Research 11 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW 13 Parking Assessments and Pohcies 14 Comparison of Automobile and Bicycle parking assessments 18 Bicycle Parking Terminology 18 Elements of Effective Bicycle Facilities 22 Bicycle parking classification 28 Spacing and Siting Standards 32 CHAPTER III: METHODS 37 Data format and Acquisition 37 Existing Parking and Building Conditions Model Used for Data Analysis 41 Data Ranking 41 Identification of Primary buildings and Parking Clusters 43 Proposed Bicycle Parking Facility Needs 44 Field Verification 44 CHAPTER IV: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 46 Summary of Existing Conditions 46 Recommendations for Bicycle Parking Facilities 51 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS 59 Summary of findings 59 Planning and design implications 60 Future research and Design Opportunities 61 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS - Continued APPENDIX A: Example of Bicycle Utilization Study Data 63 APPENDIX B: University of Arizona Employee Survey Summary 64 APPENDIX C: Summary of Building Data Collection 65 APPENDIX D: Primary Building Ranking Data Summary 66 REFERENCES 67 6 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURE 2-1. Examples of safe and unsafe bicycle racks 20 FIGURE 2-2. Sculptural bicycle racks 21 FIGURE 2-3. Bicycle Shelter examples 28 FIGURE 2-4. Spacing and siting for standard University of Arizona bicycle racks 34 FIGURE 3-1. Campus Planning boundary and study limits 38 FIGURE 3-2. Current Locations of Bicycle Parking Facilities 40 FIGURE 3-3. Bicycle Circulation Map 40 FIGURE 3-4. Data Analysis Flow Chart 42 FIGURE 4-1. Building Capac/rie^ Map 47 FIGURE 4-2. Building Use Map 48 FIGURE 4-3. Bicycle Parking Facility Capacities 49 FIGURE 4-4. Bicycle Parking Facilities Use Ranking 50 FIGURE 4-5. Identification of Primary Buildings 51 FIGURE 4-6. Locations of Parking Clusters 53 FIGURE 4-7. Locations of Class I Bicycle Parking Facilities 54 FIGURE 4-8. Stormwater Path 56 FIGURE 4-9. Science Concourse Masterplan 57 FIGURE 4-10. Proposed Bicycle Parking Facility Location 58 FIGURE 4-11. Decorative Fencing 60 FIGURE 4-12. Vegetated Swale 61 7 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 2-1, Summary of Bicycle Parking Requirements 17 TABLE 4-1, Parking Cluster Data and Requirements 52 TABLE 4-2, Comparison to Current Bicycle Parking Provisions 53 8 ABSTRACT As the University of Arizona Campus continues to grow, change and expand, automobile parking in and around Campus becomes increasingly scarce. As a result of this growth, bicycling to and around Campus may become the more convenient mode of transportation and can be expected to increase. This poses new problems of safety and efficiency relating to commuting to Campus on a daily basis by bicycle. Currently, Campus does not have a comprehensive plan for bicycle parking facilities. The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate existing data and site conditions and produce a comprehensive bicycle parking plan predominantly based on building capacity, building use, and circulation routes. From this plan, five parking clusters were identified and a prototype of a facility designed. Results from the study suggested that current bicycle parking allotments were not positively associated with high building use and capacity. 9 Chapter I: INTRODUCTION Why plan for bicycles? A bicycle is a simple piece of machinery, which everyone can imderstand, almost anyone can learn to ride, and most people can afford to buy and maintain. No other means of transport combines this type of simplicity and availability to the whole community. Most trips to school and work are within the range of the average cyclist, and for trips under four miles in urban areas, cycling is faster than walking or other means of travel (Transportation, 1974). Bicycles are a cost-effective way of "giving people freeways for the price of footpaths", make only small demands on valuable urban space, are a noiseless, pollution-free and rehable means of transport, and provide mobility to almost everyone (Transportation, 1974). The importance of pedestrian and bicycle travel has received increasing attention in recent years as planners and policymakers recognize these benefits to communities, public health, economic development, and the environment. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21®' Century (TEA-21), passed by Congress in 1998, requires the consideration of bicycle and pedestrian needs in transportation planning and increased funding opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian projects. TEA-21 also directs the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to develop data on bicycles and pedestrians (BTS, 2000). Up until this point in time, planning efforts have been solely focused on providing for automobile transportation and facilities. However, with the rising costs to use, park, and maintain an automobile and the increased awareness of the detrimental 10 effects of heavy reliance on automobiles for transport, commuting by bicycle is becoming increasingly popular and practical. Bicycle facilities are often minimally planned due to this greater focus on providing facilities for automobiles instead of bicycles. Proper accommodations made for cycUsts, such as bike lanes, shade, parking and other facilities can encourage bicycle commuting and make it a more viable option for the general public. Equally important, cyclists need a secure place to park their bicycles when they arrive, whether it is for five minutes or the entire day. Unfortunately, Uterature is rather minimal relating to methods for accurately assessing and implementing requirements of bicycle facilities for cycling commuters with a variety of needs at a site. Significance of Studv Due to a lack of methods for assessing requirements for bicycle parking facilities, this study utilized noted automobile parking assessments of building uses and capacities and current bicycle parking assessments as a way of determining bicycle parking needs for a particular site, the University of Arizona Campus. Currently, the Campus does not have a comprehensive plan for such facilities. In particular, this study focused on the development of methods for assessing proposed bicycle facilities based on user and site data. The assessment methods developed in this study were based on methods used currently by planning organizations to provide automobile parking and were also based on current efforts to provide bicycle parking in cities and on campuses. From these results, a comprehensive bicycle parking plan was developed. In addition, design 11 guidelines such as location and rack criteria for bicycle parking locations at a chosen specific

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