Evaluating Satisfaction in Shared Lanes as Part of Sustainable Transport Infrastructure by Using VR Technology – Evidence from Urban China

Abstract

The concept of sharing transport infrastructure has become increasingly prominent in the sustainable society due to limited resources in urban cities. Shared lanes where cars, electric motorcycles, and bicycles are permitted have been promoted in urban China to overcome the shortage of road space available to meet the increasing traffic demand. Based on VR video and questionnaire survey, this study has identified that the levels of satisfaction of drivers, e-motorcyclists, and cyclists are associated with the factors of traffic condition and lane characteristics among various shared lanes. Based on the analysis of data by a multinomial ordered logistic regression model, the major findings of this study are summarised as follows: (1) Satisfaction was mainly affected by lane width, lane number, lane type, and presence of parking space in the driver group. (2) Lane width, lane number, lane type, presence of parking space, speed, and lateral separation were the main factors in the e-motorcyclist group. (3) For the group of cyclists, lane width, lane number, presence of slope, presence of parking space, speed, and lateral separation were identified as the main factors. Our study will help local government officials to design more effective sustainable transport infrastructures.