Effect of protected bike lanes on bike-sharing ridership: A New York City case study

Abstract

Bike-sharing is an emerging transportation service that has been found to offer a sustainable and convenient option for transportation, especially in urban areas. It also complements transportation for public services such as buses, trains, or subways. Nevertheless, bike-sharing adoption remains low in comparison to car usage, potentially due to cyclists' concerns about their safety on the road. In this regard, this research aims to investigate the impact of the implementation of protected bike lanes on bike-sharing ridership, given that such measures have been found to improve cyclists' road safety perceptions. The study uses ridership data from 2014 to 2019, obtained from the Citi Bike System Data in New York City. A difference-in-differences analysis with multiple time periods and groups was conducted to understand the impact of introducing multiple protected bike lanes in the city. The analysis provided evidence of a significant uptick in ridership after the installation of protected bike lanes, with the most pronounced increases observed in areas directly served by these new lanes. The study did not find apparent trends related to bike lane placement or seasonal variations in introduction dates. Our findings provide specific insights that enhance bike lane placement strategies and improve coordination between operators and stakeholders in this regard.