Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 11, 2026
Fabrication of the Thermoplastic Microfluidic Channels
Published on: February 3, 2008
Bicycle Use and Cyclist Safety Following Boston's Bicycle Infrastructure Expansion, 2009-2012
Felipe E Pedroso1, Federico Angriman1, Alexandra L Bellows1
1All of the authors are with the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA. Felipe E. Pedroso is also with the Department of Surgery, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY.
Objectives:
To evaluate changes in bicycle use and cyclist safety in Boston, Massachusetts, following the rapid expansion of its bicycle infrastructure between 2007 and 2014.
Methods:
We measured bicycle lane mileage, a surrogate for bicycle infrastructure expansion, and quantified total estimated number of commuters. In addition, we calculated the number of reported bicycle accidents from 2009 to 2012. Bicycle accident and injury trends over time were assessed via generalized linear models. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with bicycle injuries.
Results:
Boston increased its total bicycle lane mileage from 0.034 miles in 2007 to 92.2 miles in 2014 (P < .001). The percentage of bicycle commuters increased from 0.9% in 2005 to 2.4% in 2014 (P = .002) and the total percentage of bicycle accidents involving injuries diminished significantly, from 82.7% in 2009 to 74.6% in 2012. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that for every 1-year increase in time from 2009 to 2012, there was a 14% reduction in the odds of being injured in an accident.
Conclusions:
The expansion of Boston's bicycle infrastructure was associated with increases in both bicycle use and cyclist safety.
