A bicycle route planning model based on analytic hiyerarchy process

The bicycle is one of the most attractive ways to travel in a city as it is inexpensive, does not pollute, and consumes little energy; moreover, under certain traffic conditions, it may be faster than other means of transport. At a policy level, the bicycle is currently recognised as one of the important pillars in the strategy for sustainable mobility in Europe and the US. Many studies have shown that cycle infrastructure is, indeed, a necessary prerequisite for the expansion of bicycle use. Recently confirmed that cities in the United States with a greater supply of bicycle paths and lanes have significantly higher bicycle commute rates, even when controlling for land use, climate, socioeconomic factors, gasoline prices, the availability of public transport, and cycling safety. Although the development of cycling facilities is associated with increased levels of cycle use, few studies have developed comprehensive methodologies for cycle network planning and the prioritisation of cycling infrastructure investments in particular. As cycling demand grows, it becomes increasingly necessary to develop comprehensive methodologies to optimally determine areas for the development of future cycle infrastructure. This infrastructure translates into cycle facilities that offer a return on investment cost by attracting the largest possible number of cyclists. In order to achieve this objective, it is supposed that the views and experiences of cyclists should be a structural component of the design process. Route planning is a critical step in the process of design and construction and has a potential significantly impacting the construction and environmental of the area. Effective route selection process is very important for minimizing economical cost. In planning a suitable road network, planners put into consideration factors like gradients or slope of the area, available land-use and soil type, community or national landmarks and governmental interest. These different considerations and interest make the planning process complex and as such there might be confusion of interest in the decision making. The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Multi-criteria analysis has helped planners to achieve desired and more accurate results and as such reducing the complex nature in the planning process allowing different stakeholders to reach a general conclusion. The combination of multiple parameters, methods and decision making techniques, creates the foundation for a Multi-Criteria Spatial Decision Support System. Spatial multi criteria decision problems typically involve a set of geographically-defined alternatives from which a choice of one or more alternatives is made with respect to a given set of evaluation criteria. Many spatial decision problems as site selection, disaster risk assessments, making planning decisions, natural resource management, etc. are depend on multi-criteria. Multi criteria decision making can be explainedgenerally as a tool for assisting the decision maker in deciding on the best alternative from all of the possible alternatives under the presence of multiple choice criteria and diversecriterion priorities. Much of the use of GIS in planning assumes use of a rational mode of decision-making, which entails a linear process initiated with the identification of a problem, followed by a comprehensive search for alternatives and concluded with the selection of the optimal alternative as indicated by the gathered information. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is one of Multi Criteria decision making method that was originally developed by Prof. Thomas L. Saaty (1980), allows decision makers to model a complex problem in a hierarchical structure showing the relationships of the goal, objectives (criteria), sub-objectives, and alternatives. AHP has been applied to planning for at least 30 years beginning with the Sudan Transport Study is a general theory of measurement. AHP is a method for ranking decision alternatives and selecting the best one when the decision maker has multiple criteria. In short, it is a method to derive ratio scales from paired comparisons. The input can be obtained from actual measurement such as price, weight etc., or from subjective opinion such as satisfaction feelings and preference. The AHP can be implemented in three simple consecutive steps: computing the vector of criteria weights, computing the matrix of option scores, ranking the options. Each step will be described in detail in the following. It is assumed that m evaluation criteria are considered, and n options are to be evaluated. A useful technique for checking the reliability of the results will be also introduced. Most of the estimating methods proposed and studied are with the paradigm of the analytic hierarchy process that presumes ratio-scaled preference values. The aim of this research is to generate a user-oriented bicycle route planning model based on analytic hierarchy process. For this demand, first, bycle road planning criteria are identified. Then, determined cretia are grouped and divided into sub-criteria. This groups are, physical, environmental and visual critera. The second step of the model is establishing the hierarchy according to analytical hierarchy process. The steps of the process are; computing the vector of criteria weights, computing the matrix of option scores, ranking the options. The weights of the criteria are used as an input in GIS field. As a third step, vector data of the study area are exported from CAD to GIS. In GIS, this data are revised and added missing data.Then this data converted to raster data and their attributes are normalized. The weights defined by AHP are used as an input in raster calculator process. Then, all cells values are calculated according to the weights produced in AHP. For a specified origin and destination points in study area, the model has produced a route using least-cost path analysis tool. Two scenerios are comprised from different weights of criteria. New wieghts for different scenerios are included to the model in raster calculator process, then, the model has generated two different routes in north-south and east-west direciton of the study area. The model is developed using ArcGIS 10.2; spatial snalysis tool, data management tool, 3D analyst tool and model builder. Model builder tool helps to automize the design process in terms of regenerating the whole process by revizing output through the diffrent input. The model produces a graphical output for visiualization. In the first chapter, the purpose and scope of the thesis is explained. In the second chapter, through the literature survey, bicycle route planning considerations and requirements are identified. In the third chapter, multi creteria decision making methods and analytical hierarchy process are defined. Also, the use of GIS and multi criteria method rewieved by case studies. In the last chapter, the user-orientedbıcycle route planning model based on multi-criteria decision making method, is introduced. The model impelemented for specified area within Nilüfer district in Bursa. In conclusion part, all results are evaluated and suggestions for future works are considered for future development of the model.