An analysis of the relationship between bicycle accessibility and cyclist behavior within an urban policy context: Case study of Ankara

Sustainable mobility and transportation is one of the concepts that comes to the forefront in urban planning both for human health and for not getting beyond the consumption limits of the globe. By this point, providing urban transportation by non-motorized vehicles with high mobility has become highly significant; moreover, it is very important to establish a citywide service and transportation infrastructure. This study aims to present bicycle user behavior and satisfaction within the scope of the sustainable mobility. Thus, the essential urban infrastructure enhancing use of bicycle users will be provided by the user-centered and target-specific analyses. In this direction, Ankara is selected as the local government is in the process of setting up bicycle infrastructure and encouraging bicycle use. Within the scope of the study, determining the bicycle user profile, preferences for transportation purposes other than recreation (work-school), reasons for using or not using the bicycle outside recreational areas and bicycle infrastructure problems (bicycle path, bicycle park, other transport modes and bicycle transfer, etc.) and in order to reveal the trust problems (driving safety, physical security, etc.) and comfort expectations, the data was collected through a questionnaire to form the sample group of bicycle users in Ankara. In the light of the findings obtained, the transportation behavior of the bicycle users in Ankara, their satisfaction level, their expectations from the urban infrastructure and facilities, and their suggestions as a user are evaluated. Later, the findings of this study were associated with bicycle infrastructure suggestions within the scope of sustainable mobility principles in the city of Ankara in order to adapt the bicycle as one of the non-motorized transportation modes to the current transportation model, to analyze the existing mobility patterns and activities, to identify barriers that prevent adaptation, and to develop suggestions in line with user expectations. With the research findings, the profile and tendencies of bicycle users are determined and the the question that how urban infrastructure affects cycling behavior is explained through the Ankara study area. Thus, the principles of a sustainable mobility approach integrated with the infrastructure and planning studies specific to Ankara will be discussed by discussing how urban strategies and policies can be created, in which the urban infrastructure is effective in increasing the use of motorless vehicles.