Writing in APA Style 291

15g  Sample Paper in APA Style

The following paper demonstrates the format and style of a paper written to the
standards of APA style. The paper requires a title page that establishes the running
head, an abstract, in-text citations to name and year of each source used, and a list
of references. Marginal notations explain specific requirements.

 Running Head: HIGHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS 1 Page

Header

Of Highways and Bikeways: Filling the Lane for the Future Title

Whitley Rentfro Byline

English 3550, The University of Tennessee Affiliation

HIGHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS 2

Abstract
The increase of commuter traffic and the need for environmentally The
abstract
compatible alternatives was investigated to examine the theoretical provides a
quick but
implications of implementing a system of bikeways in urban settings. The thorough
summary
goal was to determine the practical effect of bicycle lanes in urban areas. of the
context of
The social implications were determined by an examination of the literature, your
paper.
including comments from national authorities and leaders. These communal

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HIGHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS 3

influences and suggestions affect the physical lives of commuters, leisure
riders, and health-conscious cyclists who are each concerned less with
speed and more with their quality of life. Results are mixed, as the end result
of an increased emphasis on bikeways will continue to be a low priority
for municipalities whose singular goal remains to move citizens from one
location to another as quickly as possible.

From Highways to Bikeways

Establish Every Saturday morning, the parking lot at the Cross Hill Community Church
the topic
along with becomes a gathering point for devoted and zealous members. This collection
social
and/or of ardent participants does not break into song or partake in the sacraments
psycho-
logical of their faith. Rather, these individuals are more concerned with tire pressure,
issues
that will weather conditions, and the mapping out of their routes, for they are members
be
examined. of the Cross Hill Riders, a bicycle club that has just over thirty members. With
the opportunity to explore seldom-traveled highways, back roads, and country
lanes, this rural area provides a healthy and challenging joy for the cyclists.
Yet aside from the relaxing nature of this activity there is a lurking danger—the
automobile. Are most drivers cautious and observant of bicyclists? Yes. Are
most bicyclists leery of the possible carnage from contact with an automobile?
Yes. While it is true that a car is larger and has more force and power, the time
has come for highways to make room for the pedal power of bicyclists.
A theoreti- The invention of the automobile was one of the most groundbreaking
cal study
depends achievements in history. During the past one hundred years, the automobile
heavily on
the litera- industry has spent countless hours perfecting their products and striving
ture,
which to have the best product on the roadway. Automobiles quickly became
must be
cited cor- and still remain the lifeblood of the country. Over the past few decades,
rectly in
APA form. however, scientists have discovered that cars are sucking the life out of
our nation rather than stimulating it. Autos have become the cause of
major problems in urban areas. Congested streets, high levels of pollution,
wasted space, safety hazards, and tax money for road repairs have led
to a traffic jam of concerns. As a college student, I see the damaging
effects and inconvenience of driving cars through a large city, yet there is a
solution to the dilemma. Neighborhoods, small towns, busy cities, and other
metropolitan areas should incorporate bikeways onto the city streets and add

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HIGHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS 4

a generous supply of bicycle trails throughout the town. This would create a
safer, healthier, and more enjoyable urban center in which to live and work.
Without bike lanes on roads and thoroughfares, cyclists are left with few
Posing a
options. Some might argue that bicycles have no place on our roadways. question
in the
Should people simply not ride bikes? Some choose another mode of paper
helps to
transport, but many cyclists insist on riding, so they hop on the streets with reempha-
size the
the speeding cars or the sidewalks lined with pedestrians. Both of these thesis.

options are equally unsafe. In his article “Make Our Streets Safer,” New York
Times reporter Paul Steely White (2013) addressed the safety issues in New
York City, as he stated, “The greatest risk faced by New Yorkers as they walk,
drive, and increasingly bike around the city is unchecked reckless drivers.”
White goes on to say “What’s more, the city’s health department found that
traffic is the number one cause of preventable death for New York City kids.”
This profound statement justifies the risk found in most cities—every day
without bikeways is another day of impending tragedy. John Pucher (2001),
a professor in the Department of Urban Planning at Rutgers University, has
conducted research on a variety of topics regarding transportation economics,
such as walking, cycling, and how American city planners could learn from
European policy makers to improve the safety, convenience, and efficiency of
nonmotorized modes of transport in the United States. In his article “Cycling

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Safety on Bikeways vs. Roads,” Pucher addressed the need for bikeways
by declaring, “The overwhelming evidence is that cycling is much safer and
more popular precisely in those countries where bikeways, bike lanes, special
intersection modifications, and priority traffic signals are the key to their
Use
present- bicycling policies.” Pucher added that Davis, California, is famous for having
tense
verbs the most elaborate cycling network of any American city, and it also happens
(take,
proves) for to have the highest bicycling modal split share (22%), as well as the lowest
what hap-
pens or fatality and accident rates in California. This is not so much a coincidence but
can hap-
pen now. proof that bike lanes are crucial to the safety of citizens in urban areas.
Even with the widening of roadways in urban areas, automobiles continue
to cause gridlock as they congest city streets. Anthony Downs (2004)
addressed the problem with roadway overcrowding and urban sprawl in Still
Stuck in Traffic: Coping with Peak-Hour Traffic Congestion by commenting
“millions of U.S. metropolitan area residents have come to regard traffic
congestion as their most serious local, and even regional problem.” Even
with logical planning for future development, most municipalities lag far
behind in preparing for future growth. Far too many community leaders have
narrow vision with roadway planning, for they want to cure the problems for
the “here and now,” rather than arrange for the development that the future
will bring. Sadly, whether short-term or long-term, roadway plans typically
do not include bike lanes and bikeways. The Texas Transportation Institute
estimated that “traffic congestion wasted $67.5 billion dollars in seventy-five
metropolitan areas during 2000 because of time lost and fuel consumed”
(Downs, 2004). If safe and practical cycling lanes were available throughout
these urban areas, a number of the irritated drivers who become tired and
irritated with sitting in traffic, would gladly pump up their tires, put on a
helmet, and fill the bikeways. This is an ideal situation, for there will always
be drivers who will resist any change and refuse to give up their gas-guzzling
urban assault vehicles. Yet it seems that we must begin sometime and with
some planned design to modify the antiquated views that have continually
jammed our city streets.
In order to minimize traffic and safety hazards, a somewhat balanced
ratio of drivers to cyclists is required. Nicole Gelinas (2013) addressed the
congestion issue in her article “More Bikes, Less Congestion,” by stating,

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HIGHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS 6

“The streets are finite space. The goal is to get as many people as possible
using them efficiently and safely. The goal is not to clog them with passenger
cars that go nowhere fast. It’s to make more room for safe, gridlock-free
walking and bicycling to ease the growing demand for mass transit.” Having
more commuters taking alternate forms of transportation, specifically bicycles,
would also alleviate overcrowding in subway cars and on buses. Of course, as
Gelinas points out, this step forward will involve angering a powerful group of
citizens—those who drive and those who are driven around the city.
Reducing the number of automobiles on our roadways is really nothing Use the
present
more than common sense, and parking is no different. If city planners want perfect
tense
to make the most efficient use of urban areas, then huge parking garages (could be
going) for
located on every other block is not the answer. E. Gregory McPherson actions
completed
(2001), director of the U.S. Forest Service’s Center for Urban Forest Research and for
actions
located in Davis, California, has led the push for a proper balance between continued
into the
urban planning and green space in city centers. He noted in his article present
time.
regarding the need for sustainable urban forest ecosystems that, “Parking
lots occupy about 10% of the land in our cities and as cities build outward
parking is expected to cover relatively more area” (McPherson, 2001). That
means cities use one-tenth of their space just to have a spot for commuter
vehicles. With the implementation of the biking network, people would not
need as much space for parking lots because bikes take up only a small
fraction of the space of a car. Not only are parking lots and garages a waste
of space, they are also a huge waste of money. The citizens’ tax dollars are
being spent on superfluous parking areas, but they could be going toward
more crucial matters if the city were more bicycle-oriented.
Automobiles cause yet another problem in cities, or in this case, all
places, and that is the poisonous carbon dioxide emissions that they
constantly release. While it is true that these emissions have been more
stringently regulated in the past fifteen years, putting more and more cars on
our roadways only serves to increase the release of toxic fumes. In his book
Eaarth: Making Life on a Tough New Planet, Bill McKibben (2011) reported
that the planet will never be the same as it was before this poison was out of
control. According to McKibben, “The planet has nearly 390 parts per million
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.” If this automobile-related pollution has

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the ability to abolish the planet and cut holes in the atmosphere, imagine
what it does to people’s lungs. Driving cars is completely unhealthy for the
environment as well as the inhabitants. On the other hand, cycling is a 100%
green mode of transportation and is exercise, which in turn, actually provides
health benefits.
One of the most prominent entities for the development of bikeways in
urban settings is the National Association of City Transportation Officials
(NACTO). Through their guidance and insight, many cities have developed
practical and useful lanes for bicycle riders and commuters. In the Urban
Parkway Design Guide (2016), NACTO outlined the four most common and
most practical bikeway lanes for urban areas:
Conventional Bike Lanes designate an exclusive space for
bicyclists through the use of pavement markings and signage. The bike
Indent
block quo- lane is located adjacent to motor vehicle travel lanes and flows in the
tations
and lists in same direction as motor vehicle traffic. Bike lanes are typically on the
your paper
one full right side of the street, between the adjacent travel lane and curb, road
tab.
edge, or parking lane.
Buffered Bike Lanes are conventional bicycle lanes paired with a
designated buffer space separating the bicycle lane from the adjacent
motor vehicle travel lane or parking lane.
Contra-flow Bicycle Lanes are bicycle lanes designed to allow

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HIGHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS 8

bicyclists to ride in the opposite direction of motor vehicle traffic. They

convert a one-way traffic street into a two-way street: one direction for
motor vehicles, and the other direction for bikes only.
Left-side Bike Lanes offer advantages along streets with heavy
delivery or transit use, frequent parking turnover on the right side, or
other potential conflicts that could be associated with right-side bicycle
lanes. The reduced frequency of right-side door openings lowers the
risk of injury for cyclists.
The move from highways to bikeways will not happen overnight, yet it
must begin somewhere. College students at large, urban campuses, such as The con-
clusion
The University of Tennessee, ride their bicycles all over campus, both to and can
include a
from class every day. With a short bike ride, the student can leave a dorm statement
on the
room and arrive at a building across campus in five minutes. If the city of state of
research
Knoxville would extend the bike lanes and bring this mode of transportation in the area
of the
to major roadways throughout the downtown area, it would help prevent study as
well as
biking accidents, ease traffic, and minimize carbon emissions, making the questions
and con-
city a safe, peaceful environment for all inhabitants. In order to encourage sidera-
tions for
city planners to implement this plan of action, students, concerned citizens, further
research.
and city leaders must join forces to make bikeways a viable option.

HIGHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS 9

References
Downs, A. (2004). Still stuck in traffic: Coping with peak-hour traffic References
begin on a
congestion. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institution. new page.

Gelinas, N. (2013, August 29). More bikes, less congestion. New Citation
for an
York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com online
newspa-
/roomfordebate/2013/08/18/new-york-citys-transportation per article.

-challenges/the-next-mayor-of-new-york-needs-to-create-more
-bike-lanes
McKibben, B. (2011). Eaarth: Making a life on a tough new planet. Citation
for a book.
New York: St. Martin’s.

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HIGHWAYS AND BIKEWAYS 10

Internet McPherson, E. G. (2001, November). Sacramento’s parking lot

sources
require the shading ordinance: Environmental and economic costs of
word
“Retrieved” ­c ompliance. [Abstract]. Landscape and Urban Planning, 25(2),
preceding
the URL. 105–123. Retrieved from http://www.researchgate.net/publication
/222679480_Sacramento%27s_parking_lot_shading_ordinance
_Environmental_and_economic_costs_of_compliance
Citation of Pucher, J. (2001, August). Cycling safety on bikeways vs. roads.
an article
from a Transportation Quarterly, 55(4), 9–11. Retrieved from Gale
library
database. Database.
Citation Urban bikeway design guide. (2016). National Association of City
for an
online arti- Transportation Officials. Retrieved from http://nacto.org
cle from a
research /publication/urban-bikeway-design-guide/
center or
institution. White, P. S. (2014, February 19). The next mayor of New York needs
to make our streets safer. New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/08/18/new-york
-citys-transportation-challenges/the-next-mayor-of-new-york-needs
-to-make-our-streets-safer

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