ASSESSING CYCLING EXPERIENCE AND DESIGN ATTRIBUTES OF THE PCN

Abstract

The Park Connector Network was first conceived in 1992, with the vision of connecting parks and creating more leisure spaces for Singapore. The Park Connector concept is an exercise in intensifying landuse, fully utilising road and drainage reserves and other ‘left over’ land to form its recreational facilities. The result although admirable, is a compromise of sorts, and these weaknesses do show. This paper would consider the Park Connector Network as cycling infrastructure in the local context and explore factors which constitute an enjoyable and memorable cycling experience. The paper would consult indexes pertaining to cycling and design guidelines for cycling infrastructure, to determine important design criteria and attributes of cycling infrastructure. Additionally, the writings of Kevin Lynch will be studied to visualise cycle infrastructure in the larger context of urban planning while considering experiential factors. The aim would be to develop a cycling index for rating the Park Connector Network. Such an index could serve as a self-assessment tool to assist local authorities in benchmarking PCN design. And help designers or planners realise gaps and dormant potential in the current infrastructure. The paper also realises that due to limited resources and time, several assumptions had to be made and the limits to such a study.