Qualiciclos - índice de qualidade cicloviária: uma proposta metodológica multidimensional para avaliação e planejamento de vias cicláveis

Abstract

Cycle mobility provides several social, economic and environmental benefits for society and the environment. Therefore, the assessment of road performance, with an emphasis on safety and comfort, is a crucial element for bicycle transportation planning. Furthermore, it is essential to consider users’ perception and the different types of spatial configurations. The aim of this thesis is to develop a methodological proposal for evaluating the bicycle level of service applicable to intersections, cycle structures and road segments (bikeway), considering cycle suitability indicators and the perception of cyclists and experts in cycle mobility. The methodological procedures were divided into: (I) synthesis of indicators, through a systematic literature review; (II) perception of cyclists and experts, through online questionnaires and interviews to define the importance of indicators, using the Successive Interval Method and video simulations; (III) case study in João Pessoa-PB, through data collection, modeling and application of the model index, in addition to correlation analysis. The main results of stage (I) presented a synthesis of 30 bicycle assessment models, with more than 40 types of indicators for analyzing their effects and applicability. In stage (II), the result was a classification of key indicators, including the Presence of a cycle structure, Volume and Speed of motorized vehicles. In stage (III), the QualiCiclos - Bicycle Suitability Index - was presented, which has 4 categories (infrastructure, signage, traffic and environment), 16 types of indicators listed for 3 sub-index according to the analysis units (intersections, cycle structures and shared segments). The application of QualiCiclos was carried out based on road representative configurations of the cycling network and around a a trip generator (UFPB) and its connection routes between neighborhoods. The results presented an analysis across various scoring levels, from the spatial unit to the set of evaluated spaces, revealing, mainly, insufficient or sufficient (at the limit) levels of bicycle suitability. Finally, a strong correlation was observed between the index metrics and users' perception. In this context, we seek to contribute by advancing conceptually and methodologically about the subject, providing a robust instrument to aid cycling diagnosis and planning. In addition, the study addresses several pertinent issues about the conjecture of bicycle suitability factors for the Brazilian context and the conditions of intersections, cycle structures and road segments. This work aims to promote the use of bicycles and their benefits for a more sustainable urban mobility.