The computation of least-cost paths over a cost surface is a well-known and widely used capability of raster geographic information systems (GISs). It consists in finding the path with the lowest accumulated cost between two locations in a raster model of a cost surface, which results in a string-like, thin and long sequence of cells. In this article, a new extension of raster-based least-cost path modelling is proposed. The new modelling approach allows the computation of paths or corridors with a fixed width, larger than one cell. These swaths are called wide paths and may be useful in circumstances where the detail level of the raster cost surfaces is higher than the width of the desired path or corridor. The wide path model presented in the article is independent of the choice of least-cost algorithms, because the transformation from regular to wide paths is applied to the construction of nodes and edges of an induced graph. The article gives the foundations and discusses the particularities of such paths, regardless of the imposed width, and explores the difference from the usual least-cost path model. Test cases were included, one hypothetical and the other with real data. The results are coherent and indicative of the applicability of wide paths.

Designing or expanding a bicycle-sharing system (BSS) involves addressing the infrastructure’s location of the bicycle stations. Station location is an essential factor for designing and implementing a new system or for its operation. In a complex spatial optimization context, geographic information systems (GIS) can support this decision problem. There are also numerous ways of subdividing the broad spectrum of location-allocation models used in previous studies. However, a station location comprehensive review and systematization with the specific aim of characterizing the state of the art of BSS is missing. The present research aimed to provide a comprehensive systematization for station location problems, criteria, and techniques, seeking to identify the current state of practice. We searched scientific publication databases to collect relevant publications—the final list comprised 24 papers for the literature review. The systematization addresses the two major problems concerning bicycle station location: initial network design and operation improvement (where changes in operating a BSS are implemented). Based on the literature, we propose a set of four main criteria for choosing appropriate places for bike stations (or parking) in a city: “bike network”, “operator”, “user”, and “city infrastructure”. The sub-criteria mentioned in the literature are categorized based on the proposed classification and new sub-criteria are suggested. We also group location modeling techniques into three categories: “mathematical algorithms”, “multi-criteria decision making”, and “GIS”. Combining GIS and multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) has received more attention in recent years to locate bike stations, evaluate their operating performance, and have more accurate and practical results.