Standardising bicycling infrastructure terminology: A Delphi study of Australian experts

• There is considerable variation in bicycling infrastructure terminology. • Policy document review found 113 terms used to describe 38 infrastructure types. • Infrastructure terminology weighed and selected with a 3 round Delphi survey of experts. • Delphi survey results returned a single agreed upon term for 19 of 51 infrastructure types. • Delphi survey results consolidated around two terms for 20 of 51 infrastructure types. In Australia and farther afield, there is an absence of ontology and great variation in terminology for bicycling infrastructure. Ambiguity and imprecision in bicycling infrastructure terminology inhibits communication, raises analytical challenges, restricts opportunities for comparisons across cities, and is a critical barrier to infrastructure provision as terminology ultimately determines what is built. This project presents steps toward the development of standardised bicycling infrastructure terminology in two major stages: 1) term identification from policy documents and, 2) term selection and weighting via a three round Delphi survey of expert input. Term identification found 113 terms that were used to describe 38 types of bicycling infrastructure. Through the Delphi survey an additional 13 types of infrastructure were added. Final Delphi survey results returned a single agreed upon term for 19 of 51 infrastructure types (37%). In addition, 25 of 51 infrastructure examples (49%) resulted in a highly rated term. This study provides governments, advocacy groups, academics, and private industry with a best practice guide to terminology for diverse types of cycling infrastructure.