Bicycle Transportation in Shanghai: Status and Prospects

Abstract

Shanghai is China's largest city and has a dense concentration of population served by limited transportation infrastructure. Traditionally, bicycles and public transportation have been the dominant modes used by residents, but recent social and economic changes have resulted in a dramatic growth in motor vehicle use and overall traffic volumes. The use of bicycles as a mode of transportation in China and in Shanghai will continue for a long time to come. However, the role of bicycles within Shanghai is changing and will continue to evolve in the future as efforts to enhance basic transportation infrastructure are undertaken and economic and social conditions improve. The complexity of transportation patterns generated by high population densities, coupled with a shortage in basic infrastructure for an urban region of its nature, size, and importance, has created increasingly serious conflicts between motorized and nonmotorized vehicles throughout central Shanghai. These conflicts decrease overall safety and the functional capability of the existing transportation system to meet rapidly increasing travel demands in the municipality. Major improvements are being implemented that will upgrade Shanghai's urban transportation system significantly. They will, however, require a substantial commitment of time and financial resources to complete. In the interim, a comprehensive traffic management effort will be followed that recognizes the importance of bicycles and supports their continued use within the municipality in an appropriate balance with public transportation and other modes consistent with actual conditions and changing demands.