Where cyclists experience stress: differentiating location-specific factors associated with high-stress bicycling

Introduction Traffic stress is a major barrier to bicycling, particularly for riders who are unwilling or unable to tolerate high-speed, high-volume, or poorly separated traffic conditions. Bicyclist Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) provides a roadway-based classification of these conditions and can help cities identify where low-stress cycling networks are available or missing. Methods Using spatial autoregressive modeling in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this study investigates which of the five dimensions of the built environment (5Ds) and which demographic characteristics are associated with high concentrations of high-stress roadways. It also investigates whether low-stress cycling conditions are equitably distributed using permutation-based quintile comparisons and bivariate spatial permutation tests and whether observed cycling is consistent with LTS classifications using Strava data. Results Findings reveal that employment density and mixed-use entropy are positively associated with high-stress roadways, whereas transit service frequency and the share of bicycle commuters are negatively associated. Census block groups in the highest renter-occupancy quintile had more high-stress roads than those in the lowest quintile, with a smaller gap for the African American population share. High-renter block groups were the most job-dense, mixed-use, and central in the city. Block groups with more high-stress roadways also had less Strava-recorded cycling, consistent with LTS as a behavioral indicator. These results demonstrate that high-stress cycling infrastructure is concentrated in specific neighborhood types and is more prevalent in neighborhoods where renters and African American residents live. Discussion Evidence from this paper supports targeted, equitable investments in protected cycling infrastructure within high-density employment and mixed-use areas to improve comfort and accessibility.