2025-09-11 –, De Brug Area 1
The development and expansion of active mobility is of central interest to cities, districts, and municipalities in Germany. In particular, an attractive travel time and a comfortable travel experience—compared to other modes of transport—are essential. Especially for cycling, waiting times at intersections, along with the associated braking and acceleration processes, are not only physically demanding but also time-consuming. Therefore, minimizing these delays is crucial for ensuring a smooth and pleasant ride. At the same time, adjusted waiting times at traffic signals can help reduce the number of red-light violations.
The poster presentation will illustrate the impact of city level-factors on cyclists' waiting times. To achieve this, trajectory data—particularly waiting times—collected through the annual STADTRADELN climate protection campaign, which takes place in over 3,000 municipalities, will be analysed. First, a precise definition of waiting and lost time at signalised intersections and priority-controlled junctions will be established. Subsequently, waiting clusters within street networks will be identified and examined.
Using data from more than 90 municipalities, the presentation will identify differences in lost time at the municipal level and explore their underlying causes. The municipalities were selected based on various variables, including different municipality sizes (classified by REGIOSTAR), three topographic categories (flat, hilly, mountainous), and the share of cycling in the local transportation mix. Initial descriptive analyses have already revealed significant differences in the average waiting and lost time at intersections and traffic signals.
The analyses presented in the poster will be conducted at the user level and aggregated within municipal boundaries. Using regression models, significant influences on the average waiting time in individual municipalities will be analysed and presented. Independent variables include the presence of cycling infrastructure, the density of traffic signals, subjective perceptions of cycling (from the Bicycle Climate Test), sociodemographic and topographic characteristics, public transportation availability, and other relevant factors.
Dr. Sven Lißner is a German mobility scientist and Senior Research Associate at the Technical University of Dresden, where he teaches and conducts research at the Chair of Traffic Ecology. His research focuses on the use of GPS data for planning and analyzing cycling traffic, as well as modeling the environmental impacts of transportation. One of the key projects he is involved in is MoveOn – Cycling Data for Germany, which deals with app-based collection and analysis of cycling traffic data in Germany.