Research on the evaluation model of non-motorized travel environment in historical districts considering riding speed

Encouraging the use of non-motorized transportation is an effective strategy for alleviating traffic congestion in historic districts. This study utilizes data from a survey on 48 representative roads in Xi'an's historic districts. By considering the cycling environment, the non-motorized roadways in these districts are classified into three categories. The recommended average cycling speed that meets the psychological needs of cyclists at each category is chosen as the evaluation indicators. Based on OLS model, Poisson regression model and negative binomial regression model, an evaluation model for the non-motorized traffic environment in historic districts is established. By comparing the fitting performance of regression models, suitable evaluation models for the non-motorized traffic environment are determined. The results indicate that the Negative Binomial model performs well in fitting the results for class I and class III roads, with fitting coefficients of 0.8070 and 0.9199, respectively. On the other hand, the OLS regression model demonstrates a better fit for class II roads, with a fitting coefficient of 0.7003. The non-motorized travel environment on class III auxiliary roads in Xi'an's historic districts is poor, as most roads fail to meet the speed requirements of cyclists. Class I roads exhibit a favorable non-motorized travel environment, indicating the potential for further encouraging non-motorized travel. Most class II roads in the districts generally meet the requirements for non-motorized travel, but there is limited room for increased non-motorized traffic volumes in the future. The research findings provide a theoretical basis for enhancing the quality of cycling environment in historic districts.