Association of bike-sharing service with gentrification in a transit-rich city: A catalyst or an outcome?

Abstract

This research aims to clarify the relationships between bike infrastructure changes and the gentrification processes by considering the pre-existing mass rapid transit (MRT) system and using gentrifiable neighborhood data from 2011 to 2017 in Taipei, Taiwan. Empirical evidence suggests that gentrifying neighborhoods accorded further accessibility to bike-sharing service (BSS), and increasing MRT service accessibility raised gentrification and BSS accessibility. However, the evidence does not support the hypothesis that equipping bike infrastructure catalyzes gentrification. Instead, an MRT system has a more significant effect on gentrification than bike infrastructure in a city where BSS acts as a last-mile mode of public transport. The results of this research not only clarify relationships between bike infrastructure and gentrification but also offer policy directions to develop inclusive bike-friendly cities.

Keywords

• Bike-sharing service
• Gentrification
• Transit