Investigating the impact of the x-minute city approach on the choice of bicycle mode (Case Study: Kerman City)

Encouraging people to choose and use bicycles instead of other modes of transportation to reach their destinations in cities has benefits such as reducing traffic, and fostering social connections within the community. The x-minute city is an urban planning concept that aims to create cities where all residents can meet most of their daily needs within a 5- to 20-minute walk or bike ride from their homes. This study examines the impact of this approach on people’s willingness to use bicycles to get to their destinations. To achieve this goal, two stated preference experiments were designed to assess people’s preferences for changing their travel mode or travel destination. In this regard, 390 questionnaires were collected in Kerman city, considering people who go to the city center. Finally, mixed logit models were estimated to identify individuals’ preferences in choosing their travel mode and destination. The results showed that access to various uses within a 10-minute cycling distance from respondents’ homes can encourage them to use bicycles to access their destination. However, this willingness can be increased by providing dedicated bicycle lanes and parking to encourage people to change their travel mode to bicycles, and for private car users, policies such as congestion pricing can encourage them to change their travel destination along with their mode to bicycle. The findings of this study can be of interest to urban and transportation planners with the aim of applying the X-minute city concept in order to increase the share of active transportation.