This is logical - if cycling feels safe and you're separated from car traffic, this could truly be a game-changer for bike commuters, increasing the number of cyclists. Another important finding - more mass transit riders are converting to cycling because it's a time-saver.

"New Evidence That Protected Bike Lanes Get People Cycling More"

Ziemba found that “[t]here was a strong association between travel route change and mode substitution, where the likelihood of switching to cycling was 11 times higher for those who did not use the street before 2012.” That is, the transformation of Sherbourne Street cycling facilities from painted bike lanes to physically separated bike lanes with curbs on the north end and raised to near sidewalk level on the south end. This is not surprising given the almost 300% increase in cyclists on Sherbourne.

There were some interesting findings of the survey that point to how important physical separation is to growing the mode share of cycling. Ziemba surveyed 214 cyclists on Sherbourne St in 2014. As [Ziemba’s former professor] Dr. [Ratkim] Mitra summarized in his email to me:

• 38% current cyclists on Sherbourne did not cycle before 2012 for the same or similar trip.
• Most (55%) new cyclists would use transit before, while fewer (24%) potentially switched from driving. Might be good in a downtown context where transit congestion is a big issue.
• Most mentioned safety as the reason why they shifted.
• Savings in travel time scored almost as high as improved safety as a reason for cycling. That is, under favourable conditions, cycling can actually save time for many.

Full article on Streetsblog.