What barriers do women in Hamilton face to cycling, and what can be done to increase the rates?
Project Description:
This is a continuation of the project started in Fall 2023 with the following description:
Despite the growing popularity of cycling in Hamilton, there remains a gender gap in participation. While the number of local trips made by bike more than doubled from 2011 to 2016, women are cycling at lower rates and account for one-third of trips. Several factors have been attributed to this imbalance, including safety concerns, lack of appropriate infrastructure, and cultural attitudes toward cycling. Women often report feeling unsafe cycling on busy roads, and the lack of separated bike lanes and bike parking facilities exacerbates this issue. Additionally, cycling is often seen as a male-dominated activity, which can discourage women from participating. Addressing these issues and promoting cycling as a safe, accessible, and inclusive mode of transportation is critical to closing the gender gap in cycling and promoting more sustainable and equitable urban transportation systems. The City's Sustainable Mobility Team leads the delivery of cycling facilities, programs, and services that help expand mobility options. We will start an update to the Cycling Master Plan and Pedestrian Mobility Plan, and tackling the gender gap will be a priority.
Intended Outcomes:
Outputs be used to inform future policies and programs on equitable cycling
In Scope:
Students will be given the option to work on this project as part of their final assignment. Possible deliverables include:
Design a travel survey that aims to bring to light the gendered barriers to cycling.
Design a qualitative research project that aims to bring to light the gendered barriers to cycling.
Conduct a secondary data analysis focused on Hamilton on a gender and cycling research question.
Develop a policy brief outlining evidence-based actions the city could take to address this issue (new research, what other cities are doing, etc.)
City Staff: Rachel Johnson, Project Manager, Transportation Planning and Parking
Instructor: Léa Ravensbergen, PhD , Assistant Professor, School of Earth, Environment & Society
Course: ENVSOCTY 4US3: Sustainable Cities