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Hsin-Wen Chang, 2008.07
Department of Transportation Technology and Management National Chiao Tung University
Climate change and energy consumption, together with the rise of environmentalism and increasing awareness of sustainable development practices, are permanent issues in all political agendas of the new century to both national and international levels. In this context bicycle usage has become a popular travel mode of transportation worldwide.
Taiwan has gained awareness in cycling and is experiencing increasing investment in, and popularity of, recreational cycling and bicycle tourism. Both central and local governments have been trying to stimulate the development of recreational cycling and bicycle tourism. National trends emerged recently to include green mode planning that regards bicycling as an environmentally desirable option for outdoor recreation and as a tourism transportation mode.
While recent development of bicycle lanes in Taiwan merely considers the civil engineering work or landscape design; very little interest has been shown in studying the preferences of cyclists’. Therefore, by applying Ridit and Rasch model, this research focuses on Hsinchu Technopolis to explore cyclists’ environmental preferences and to evaluate and analyze the development of recreational cycling and cycling to school in the Technopolis.
This research reflects, from the geographical point of view, the preference and satisfaction of cyclists in two compared levels: National (Taiwan) and local (Hsinchu Technopolis). By using surveys collected in these two levels Ridit analysis is applied to get conclusions about the differences between bicycle tourists in one of the national scenic bikeways and recreational cyclists in one of the local Hsinchu Technopolis’ bike lanes.
Regarding the same variable (the preference and satisfaction of cyclists) Ridit analysis is also applied by focusing specifically in the Hsinchu Technopolis area. In this case two different groups of users are compared: High-Tech workers of the Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park (HSIP) and Non-High Tech workers.
This study keeps on researching Hsinchu Technopolis area by adding further elements to the study: the obstacles suffered by students cycling to school and the Rasch analysis as measurement method to get conclusions.
This research conclusions including as follows: (1) investigated environmental preferences for, and satisfactions with, cycling facilities for cyclists in Hsinchu Technopolis (2) established a measurement model by appling Ridit and Rasch analysis. (3) examined the efficiency of government resource allocation and provided suggestions for a reasonable cycling policy for cycling facilities in general, and for technopolises in particular. (4) suggested planning and policy implications.
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