Bike Route Preferences
While the only route option Google Maps offers cyclists prioritizes shorter trip time, 4 out of the 5 cyclists I interviewed weren’t interested in finding the quickest route. They wanted to set other route preferences based on their unique circumstances that would affect the specific bike routes suggested.
In my survey study, cyclists were asked to rate the level of importance (10 being most important) of the route characteristics:
"Route consists of a higher percentage of bike lanes"
–‍ 80.1% rated 7 or higher
"Route likely to have fewer # of stops (for traffic lights, etc.)"
–‍ 60.1% rated 7 or higher
"Rated very well by other cyclists for having 'nice views' along route"
– 53.3% rated 7 or higher
In addition to offering route preferences that prioritize characteristics rated a 7 or higher in importance by a majority of survey respondents, each preference has a corresponding route metric. I made the route data most important to cyclists explicit and organized in such a way that it can be easily compared with other suggested route options.
The route preferences give cyclists flexibility to quickly customize their routes based on their circumstances and the type of ride they're embarking on, while metrics show cyclists exactly the info they need to make their selection of a route as informed of a decision as possible.
Would love your feedback!
Full case is study here.
