Assessing the Effects of Roadway Factors and Infrastructure on Bicycle Safety at Intersections in Baltimore City

Bicycling is an important mode of sustainable and active transportation, but bicycle safety remains a major concern in urban areas, especially at intersections where cyclists interact with turning vehicles, crossing traffic, and complex roadway conditions. This study assesses the effect of roadway, environmental, and infrastructure-related factors on bicycle safety at intersections in Baltimore City. Crash data from 2022 to 2024 were obtained from the Maryland crash data records and analyzed for bicycle-involved crashes at intersections. The study used descriptive statistics, GIS-based spatial analysis, visualizations, and exploratory regression models, including linear regression, binary logistic regression, and multinomial logistic regression. The results showed that Baltimore City had 180 bicycle-involved crashes at intersections during the study period, most of which resulted in injury. Spatial analysis indicated that crashes were concentrated mainly in downtown Baltimore. Descriptive results showed that many crashes occurred during daylight, clear weather, and dry surface conditions, which may reflect higher bicycle activity during these periods. The Sankey diagram suggested that severe crash outcomes were more common in locations without bike lanes. However, the regression models did not identify statistically significant relationships between the selected variables and crash severity. The findings highlight the need for better bicycle exposure data, more complete infrastructure variables, and improved intersection-level safety planning in Baltimore City.