Built Environment Bikeability as a Predictor of Cycling Frequency : Lessons from Barcelona

Many cities are putting cycling at the centre of their sustainable transportation policies after the COVID pandemic. Cycling is seen as a desirable mode of transport in dense and compact areas and needs to be promoted accordingly. However, to date, only a handful of cities have attempted to map biking conditions and the potential of the built environ-ment to promote biking as a modal choice on a city scale. In this article we use objective data and geographic information systems to map bikeability levels in the city of Barce-lona. By creating an index stemming from ten different indicators, we create a composite map that emphasizes low and high bikeability areas. This index is then tested by compar-ing it with the results of an official travel survey on the frequency of using a bicycle as the main means of transport. Results validate our approach to a bikeability index as a predictor of the frequency of cycling, providing a new methodology to be used in further biking studies in Barcelona and elsewhere and also a useful tool for policy and decision making.