Rotta Rota is a project by Rota to map and score cycling routes currently used by cyclists in Malta. Frequent requests are seen on social media for guidance on cycling routes from one locality to another. People new to cycling are often not familiar with the safest and shortest routes to reach their destination. Usually, other cyclists and Rota members are keen to share what is the best route from their experience. Rotta Rota is an effort to collect these recommended routes and to score the route segments on the basis of a number of attributes: hilliness, safety, pleasantness, accessibility and directness. 

The aims of the Rotta Rota project are:

  1. To aid cyclists to plan the best route for them by collecting cycling route information in a central location
  2. To identify present barriers and missing connections, to communicate to the relevant government authorities and campaign for a better cycling network. 

Any feedback or questions can be addressed to [email protected] 

Bikeability Cycling Routes

The currently mapped routes and segments are based on maps contributed by several members of Rota, including the Cycling Routes map prepared by Paolo Cassar Manghi for Rota, as well as maps prepared by the KSU Transport & Sustainability committee (2019-20) and the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Development (University of Malta). You can view the map below, or else access it on Google My Maps – Rotta Rota.

The identified routes are split up into smaller segments to make them easier to score. The routes are split up based on where routes meet or diverge, where there is a change in character (for example, from urban roads to rural roads) or where there is a change in elevation profile (for example, from predominantly flat to an up- or downhill segment). When you zoom in on the map, you can click on individual segments. The segments are numbered, so that they can be identified. This number is used in the Bikeability scoring sheet to identify the segment to be scored. On one-way streets, the segments always follow the permitted direction of travel. On two-way streets, there are two segments, one for each direction. The direction of the segment is indicated when you click on it, to make it easier to identify the route direction. 

The map with cycling routes is a work in progress, with new routes being added as the project develops. You can contribute your own routes by following the steps below under ‘Adding your own route‘.

Bikeability Route Rating

You can contribute to this project by scoring the mapped segments, selecting the number of the segment and scoring the segment using predefined attributes: hilliness, safety, pleasantness, accessibility and directness. For every segment a separate form is filled in. You can score as many segments as you like. 

 

 

The contributions received through the Bikeability scoring sheet will be analysed and aggregated by the Rotta Rota team. This information will be added to the segment information on the map as the project develops. 

Adding your own route

The Rotta Rota map is a work in progress. If you want to contribute a new route (anywhere in Malta and Gozo), follow the steps below. If you need further assistance, you can contact the Rotta Rota team on [email protected] 

Google MyMaps

  • Go to http://mymaps.google.com 
  • Click on the red button ‘+ Create a new map’
  • In the menu on the left hand you see two layers: the basemap and the ‘untitled’ layer. Your route will be recorded in the ‘untitled’ layer. 
  • From the toolbar (centre top), select the tool ‘Draw a line’ and select ‘Add line or shape’. Using the basemap as your guidance, use the line tool to draw your route. You can click to create nodes so that you can create curves and corners. When your route is finished, double-click and give the route a title (or keep the default ‘Line 1’). If you need to make any changes, you can select any node and drag to adjust it. 
  • Once your route is finished, you can export it to .kml. To do this, click on the symbol with the three stacked dots at the top of the left hand menu and select ‘Export to KML/KMZ’. From the drop-down menu select ‘Untitled layer’ and tick the box ‘Export as KML instead of KMZ. Does not support all icons’.
  • Send the saved .kml file to [email protected]

Strava

  • Go to http://strava.com/login and login with your username and password
  • In the top menu, go to the Dashboard and then to ‘Activity feed’ 
  • Click on the activity (click on the name) you want to export 
  • Click on the button ‘Create route’ on the map interface and ‘Save route’
  • The route is then included in your routes (‘My routes’ or ‘My cycling routes’). On this page you find a button ‘Export GPX’
  • Send the saved .gpx file to [email protected]

Komoot

  • Go to https://account.komoot.com/signin and login with your username and password
  • In the top menu, click on your username on the right hand side to open the menu.
  • Under Tours (Planned / Completed) select and click on the Tour you want to export
  • Click on the button ‘Export to GPS device’
  • Send the saved .gpx file to [email protected]