Interactive bike map tags worst areas for accidents, near-misses
Posted May 27, 2015 7:33 am.
Last Updated May 27, 2015 7:36 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Have you noticed any crashes or near-misses on your way too and from work over the last few days?
Thousands of two-wheeled commuters are pedalling into traffic during Bike to Work Week, many of them for the first time ever, and an interactive map meant to improve safety on our streets is highlighting all the hotspots for incidents between bikes and cars.
BikeMaps.org was launched last fall and has been compiling cycling crash data — much of which isn’t captured through traditional sources — from around the world and then creating maps showing the worst routes and intersections.
“We started in the fall of 2014, collecting data on crashes and near misses as well as hazards and thefts,” says program director Trisalyn Nelson, a professor of geography at the University of Victoria.
“When citizens are out riding around, they often know where the issues are for cyclists. This is an opportunity for riders to let us know what their experiences are and then we make maps of safety and risk,” Nelson tells News1130.
BikeMaps.org is based at UVic but the project is collecting information from at least 15 different countries and the team is translating it into Spanish, German, French and Dutch. Most of the data is coming from Victoria and Vancouver.
“We are starting to see enough data in those regions that we can provide cyclists some guidance on what areas they might want to be cautious when they ride through.”
Hotspots include the area around Broadway and Cambie in Vancouver along with Burrard and Pacific at the north end of the Burrard bridge.
BikeMaps.org also allows you to select the area you commute through and get periodic updates on crashes or hazards on your route.
Nelson says they are launching an app at the end of the month that will provide that will give real-time alerts and there has also been some interest from municipalities, which can use BikeMaps.org to track data in a riding or management region.
“In Victoria, I have gotten a huge amount of interest and positive support from local governments. I’m heading to Vancouver next week to talk to TransLink and we have had preliminary discussions with the City of Vancouver,” says Nelson.
“We’ll be building those relationships as we see more data coming together for Vancouver.”
Sponsorship for BikeMaps.org is provided by groups like SPARLab, CAA and NSERC.
