In the summer of 2009, I embarked on a project to help alleviate the problem of inequitable distribution of bike racks across Chicago's 50 Wards. I first came across the problem when I created a spatial visualization application through which to view bike parking data. This paper describes the problem, the history of the problem, how I dealt with the problem, and how others can prevent or deal with the problem. I will also discuss the importance of equity.

In a nutshell, this project, “Bike Parking Equity,” is about how I identified inequity in bike parking distribution in Chicago, Illinois. That meant that, for whatever reasons, some areas in the City would get more bike racks than others. After describing how I came to identify this issue, I look into how it might have happened, and how other agencies can identify it, correct it, and prevent it.

The most important articles (sections) in this project.

• Problem History - How inequity was discovered.
• Underserved Wards - This article lists the Underserved Wards as identified in Screening Method 1.
• Bike Parking Demand Model - A new way to prioritize bike parking installation while still prioritizing equity.
• Equity - Equity discussion. This topic comprises Section Two of the project and describes the rationale behind selecting and paying extra attention to Underserved Wards.
• Land Use Analysis - A detailed look at the places where the CDOT Bicycle Parking Program installed bicycle parking.

The bulk of research in this project revolved around the CDOT Bicycle Parking Program's survey and installation data. The data is well-managed, expansive, spatial, and easily manipulated. These attributes made data analysis possible.

The second part of research was about equity, including how to define it, identify inequity, and discussing the equity components of this project.

Download the project proposal as submitted to UIC and approved by Vonu Thakuriah: Complete Project Proposal.

All photo credits belong to the author, except where otherwise noted. See my acknowledgements.

There is bike rack distribution inequity in Chicago. Bike rack installation is skewed heavily toward a handful of Wards. This is partially due to the Bike Parking Program's request-based system of operation: People make requests for a bike rack at a specific location; staff visit the location, survey it, and determine how many bike racks to install (sometimes rejecting a location because it doesn’t meet the Program's standards).

Read more in Background.

This project, henceforth known as the “Underserved Wards Project of Summer 2009,” will attempt to make more equitable the distribution of bike racks in Chicago by first identifying underserved areas using available data, and then by targeting these areas for new bicycle parking installations, selecting individual bicycle parking locations by a variety of means. Secondly, the project will develop a “bike parking demand model” as a tool for predicting the demand for a location as well as prioritizing bicycle parking installations..

See main article, The Project

There are two purposes of reading this project: you've noticed that you have skewed, disproportionate, or inequitable distribution, or you want recommendations and a framework to prioritize installing bicycle parking.

Either through an analysis of your data, real world observations, or someone suggested it to you, you have become aware that bike parking distribution is not equal in the area you or your organization serves. Distribution issues are equity issues. Read more about equity in Section Two.

Based on the findings and experiences outlined in this project, I developed an early version of a ”bike parking demand model,” a tool for predicting the demand for a location as well as prioritizing bicycle parking installations.

• Problem history - Read this primer on how the problem was identified.
• Explaining low levels of service to the Underserved Wards
• Website - A description and history of the two Bike Parking Program websites.
• Press - The project, website, and data have gathered a some press.
• The Project - The actual project begins here. Includes project goals.
• Underserved Wards - A list and analysis of the Underserved Wards, the crux of The Project.

Move beyond the Introduction:

• Equity (Section Two)
• Screening Methods, Predictions, and Modeling (Section Three)
• Conclusions (Section Four)