Citation

Wigan M, Richardson A, Brunton P. Transp. Res. Rec. 1998; 1636: 47-55.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.3141/1636-08

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Estimating off-road trail usage by nonmotorized modes is of increasing interest to the transportation community due to the rising importance of both recreational and nonmotorized travel. Demand patterns for two substantial off-road trails in Melbourne, Australia, were examined using survey and modeling methods to establish the potential for higher levels of demand. The two trails were different in two major respects: one was well promoted, well connected, and a destination in its own right; the other had similar potential, but the linkages and promotional activity to market its assets had not yet been undertaken. The characteristics of these two markets were examined using geographic information systems (GIS) methods and demand estimated on a differential basis using GIS tools. The simple method adopted highlighted the critical nature of marketing a connected series of off-road trails as a single unified route and an easily recognized destination area. The study had to be done using existing data, and it provides a means of combining transportation, GIS, and special-purpose off-road trail usage information to estimate potential demand.

Language: en