Pathways to Prosperity
Economic Impact of Investing in Bicycle Facilities: A Case Study

In the summer of 2003, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation (DBPT) commissioned a study to assess the value of their investment in bicycle facilities. The Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) at North Carolina State University conducted the study in the northern Outer Banks region because of its existing high levels of bicycling activity and presence of an extensive system of special bicycle facilities. Researchers surveyed bicyclists riding on the bicycle facilities — paths and wide paved shoulders — and also obtained data from self-administered surveys of tourists at three visitors’ centers in the region.

Over the past ten years, an estimated $6.7 million of public funds was spent to construct off-road paths and add wide paved shoulders to roads in the region, from Corolla south to Nags Head and west to Manteo. Click here (304 Kb, PDF) for a map of the study area.

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY CONCLUDES THAT:

• Bicycling activity in the northern Outer Banks provides substantial economic benefits to the area — an estimated $60 million annually.
  
  
• The bicycle facilities in the area are an important factor for many tourists in deciding to visit the region.
  
  
• Three-fourths of study respondents indicated that more bicycle facilities should be built, and nine out of 10 surveyed believe state and federal tax dollars should be used to do it.
  

The study findings are presented in three documents listed below (Files below are in PDF):

PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY BROCHURE – a visually organized presentation of findings from the study. (1.5 Mb, best viewed with Acrobat 5.0 or above)

STUDY OVERVIEW - an in-depth synopsis of the study. (860 Kb)

FULL TECHNICAL REPORT - a detailed account of literature review, methodology, results, and conclusions. (3.358 Mb)

To download the Full Technical Report, you may select individual sections or the full document. The full document is large, so we recommend looking at each section individually. If you choose to print the Full Technical Report, we recommend using your printer’s double-sided option, if possible, because the document has been laid out especially for “booklet” printing due to its length (95 pages).

SECTIONS

Cover, Acknowledgements, Table of Contents (508 Kb) Report Summary (803 Kb)

I.	Introduction p. 1 (91 Kb)	VII.	Appendix A: Map Details of Study Area pp. 45-47 (961 Kb)
II.	Literature Review pp. 3-12 (539 Kb)	VIII.	Appendix B: Methodology pp. 49-52 (205 Kb)
III.	Bicycling in the Northern Outer Banks pp. 13-16 (387 Kb)	IX.	Appendix C: Intercepted Visitor Cyclists: Demographics by Skill Level pp. 53-58 (207 Kb)
IV.	Study Results – Survey Outcomes pp. 17-35 (512 Kb)	X. XI.	Appendix D: Intercept Survey of Local Residents & Appendix E. Survey of B&B’s and Campground Establishments pp. 59-61 (192 Kb)
V.	Study Results – Economic Impact Analysis pp. 37-39 (265 Kb)	XII.	Appendix F: Priorities for Bicycle Facility Improvements pp. 63-66 (642 Kb)
VI.	Conclusions and Recommendations pp.41-44 (267 Kb)	XIII.	Appendix G: Survey Questionnaires pp. 67-77 (609 Kb)

09/23/08