Bicycle Network Planning & Facility Design Approaches in Netherlands and the US, Equity in Bike/Ped Planning, Case Studies in Developing Safe & Comfortable Networks, and More

This page provides links to bicycle and pedestrian program related websites, data sources, and other resources including reports and speeches from USDOT.  This past January, Secretary Foxx challenged city leaders to raise the bar for bicyclist and pedestrian safety by joining a year-long “Mayors’ Challenge for Safer People and Safer Streets” effort. In March, the USDOT and cities from across the nation launched the Challenge during the Mayors’ Summit for Safer People, Safer Streets.  Mayors and other elected city officials participate by leading a call to action and forming a local action team to advance safety and accessibility goals by taking on one or more Challenge activitie. Over the course of the year, USDOT will invite Challenge Cities to participate in forums, webinars, and learn about available resources to help them accomplish their Challenge activity goals.The Challenge is based on the 2010 USDOT Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation. You can download an executive summary of the Mayors’ Challenge here.  See more at: https://www.transportation.gov/mayors-challenge#sthash.SnUhdmpT.dpuf,

Categories below include: Accessibility, Design / Planning, Educational, International/Hispanic, Safety, General, Publications, Federal Agency Links, Stakeholder Links.  Look for updates at:  www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/resources/.

Key Resources

• Bicycle and Pedestrian Funding, Design, and Environmental Review: Addressing Common Misconceptions
• Accommodating Bicycle and Pedestrian Travel: A Recommended Approach
  • FHWA Supplementary Guidance Memorandum
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Count Technology Pilot Project
• Memorandum: Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility Design Flexibility
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Funding Opportunities
• Current Research and Activities
• Delivering Safe, Comfortable, and Connected Pedestrian and Bicycle Networks: A Review of International Practices
• Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program
• Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations
  • Memorandum
• Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty Event Calendar

Accessibility

Federally funded transportation facilities for pedestrians must meet the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act.

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended
• FHWA Program Administration Policy on Pedestrians and Accessible Design
• Accessible Public Rights of Way Planning and Design For Alterations (2007)
• US Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines
• Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice
  • Guidelines for Accessible Pedestrian Signals: Final Report
• Announcement of USDOT Accessibility Regulations: 49 CFR Part 37–Transportation Services for Individuals with Disabilities: Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 209 / Monday, October 30, 2006 / Rules and Regulations / Page 63263. HTML / PDF
• FHWA/FTA Memorandum (September 25, 2000)
  The Americans with Disabilities Act Policy promotes universal design and the development of a fully accessible transportation system. This document calls for mainstreaming facilities for people with disabilities in our nation’s transportation system.
• FHWA Program Administration Policy on Pedestrians and Accessible Design
  The Office of Program Administration is concerned with the design of the pedestrian environment in the public right of way for disabled individuals.
• Detectable Warnings Memorandum (July 30, 2004)
  Detectable Warnings Memorandum (May 6, 2002)
  FHWA and the US Access Board encourage the use of the latest recommended design for truncated domes.
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended
  The ADA recognizes and protects the civil rights of people with disabilities and is modeled after earlier landmark laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race and gender.
• Public Rights-of-Way
  Recommends accessibility guidelines for sidewalks, street crossings, and intersections.
  • Special Report: Accessible Public Rights-of-Way Planning and Design for Alterations
  • Public Rights-of-Way Access Advisory, January 23, 2006
    Notice of availability of the Access Board’s November 2005 Draft Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines
• ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines
  Accessibility guidelines for buildings.
• Access Board Outdoor Developed Areas Guidelines
  Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Standards for Outdoor Developed Areas, including trails, picnic and camping areas, and beach access routes.
• US Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines
  The U.S. Forest Service has developed accessibility guidelines to provide guidance for the agency to maximize accessibility while at the same time recognizing and protecting the unique characteristics of the natural setting of outdoor recreation areas and hiker/pedestrian trails. These guidelines apply to new or reconstructed areas within the National Forest System.
  • Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guidelines (FSORAG) Pocket Version
    This pocket guide format of FSORAG provides detailed guidance for users who plan, design, construct, or maintain developed outdoor recreation areas, while maintaining the natural setting.
  • Forest Service Trails Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG) Pocket Version
    This pocket guide format of FSTAG provides detailed guidance for users who plan, design, construct, or maintain developed outdoor recreation areas, while maintaining the natural setting.
• Special Report: Accessible Public Rights of Way Planning and Designing for Alterations, and Reports and Guidelines About Outdoor Developed Areas.

Design / Planning

Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access
FHWA’s two-part report on pedestrian and trail accessibility, produced for FHWA by Beneficial Designs Inc.
Note: these two reports were published in 1999 and 2001, respectively. Accessibility guidelines and practices, and construction and maintenance techniques have evolved, and more current information is available in other reports and guidance. For example, see the US Access Board’s reports and guidelines about public rights-of-way at www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/streets-sidewalks/public-rights-of-way, such as theSpecial Report: Accessible Public Rights of Way Planning and Designing for Alterations, and reports and guidelines about outdoor developed areas at www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/recreation-facilities/outdoor-developed-areas.

• Part 1, Review of Existing Guidelines and Practices (1999), lays out the history and the practices of applying accessibility concepts to sidewalks and pedestrian trails. (Out of print, available online only)
• Part 2, Best Practices Design Guide (2001), provides recommendations on how to design sidewalks, street crossings, intersections, shared use paths, and recreational pedestrian trails. (Out of print, available online only)
  See also Transmittal Memorandum and Errata Sheet.

Note: these two reports were published in 1999 and 2001, respectively. Accessibility guidelines and practices, and construction and maintenance techniques have evolved, and more current information is available in other reports and guidance.

• Snow Removal on Sidewalks Constructed with Federal Funding
  The memorandum address questions about maintaining pedestrian facilities, particularly during the winter season.
• Rails with Trails: Lessons Learned, Literature Review, Current Practices, Conclusions
• Presentation: Designing for Nonmotorists. Presented at the FHWA Field Engineers Learning & Development Seminar, April 20, 2010, Dallas TX.
  • Part 1: Policy, Planning, Programs, and Provisions for Pedal-Power, Pedestrians, and Paths
  • Part 2: Highway and Street Facilities
  • Part 3: Shared Use Paths
  • Part 4: Recreational Trails
  • Part 5: Resources

Bollards

• Bollards, Gates, and Other Barriers describes problems that may result from installing bollards, gates, and other barriers.
• What Kind of Barrier Will Keep Cars Off a Bike Path?
• Presentation: Bicycle Path Entry Control. (Ed Cox, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator, City of Sacramento, CA and Maggie O’Mara, Senior Transportation Engineer, California Department of Transportation)
  This presentation discusses methods to control entry to shared use paths. It considers issues related to bollards, gates, and other barriers. It looks at examples and discusses what works well and what doesn’t.
  Disclaimer: This presentation is provided in the interest of information exchange, and reflects the views of the authors. Providing this resource does not necessarily represent endorsement by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Educational

Courses

• NHI Pedestrian Facility Design Course
• NHI Bicycle Facility Design Course
• A University Course on Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation

Guides

• A Resident’s Guide for Creating Walkable Communities
• Transportation Research Board Bicycle Transportation Committee
  • Synthesis and Guide to Best Practices Website
  • Synthesis and Guide to Best Practices Article (2003)
• Guidebook on Methods to Estimate Nonmotorized Travel: Overview of Methods (1999)
• Guidebook on Methods to Estimate Nonmotorized Travel: Supporting Documentation (1999)

 

International/Hispanic

International Research

• International Scan Summary Report on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Mobility (2009)
• A Review of Pedestrian Safety Research in the United States and Abroad (2003)
• Canadian Research on Pedestrian Safety (1999)
• Dutch Pedestrian Safety Research Review (1999)
• Pedestrian Safety in Australia (1999)
• Pedestrian Safety in Sweden (1999)
• Research, Development, and Implementation of Pedestrian Safety Facilities in the United Kingdom (1999)
• FHWA Study Tour for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety in England, Germany, and The Netherlands (1994)
• Geometric Design Practices for European Roads

Materials for Hispanic Populations

• Final Detailed Findings Report for Marketing Plan and Outreach Materials that Promote Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety to Different Hispanic Populations in the United States (2005)
• The Pedestrian and Bicyclist Highway Safety Problem As It Relates to the Hispanic Population in the United States (2004)
• Promoting Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety to Hispanic Audiences
• Materials for Hispanic Pedestrians and Bicyclists

Safety

• FHWA Safety Office
• PEDSAFE
• Pedestrian and Bicyclist Road Safety Assessments – Summary Report
  An overview of the approaches taken and the outcomes of walk/bike safety assessment in every State.
• Traffic Safety Fact Sheets
  Annual Traffic Safety Fact Sheets on walking, bicycling, and other travel modes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• Bicycle Safer Journey (2013)
  • Safer Journey: Interactive Pedestrian Safety Awareness
• Characteristics of Emerging Road and Trail Users and their Safety (2004)
• National Strategies for Advancing Bicycle Safety (2001)
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Types of the Early 1990s (1995)
• Pedestrian Safety Campaign
• Safety Effects of Marked vs Unmarked Crosswalks at Uncontrolled Locations
• A Comparative Analysis of Bicycle Lanes Versus Wide Curb Lanes. Final Report (1999)
• Capacity Analysis of Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities (1998)
  • FHWA-RD-98-108
• Capacity Analysis of Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities (1998)
  • FHWA-RD-98-107
• Capacity Analysis of Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities (1998)
  • FHWA-RD-98-106
• The Bicycle Compatibility Index: A Level of Service Concept, Final Report (1998)

General

Surveys, Reports, and Studies

• National Bicycling and Walking Study (1994)
  • Five Year Status Report (1999)
  • Ten Year Status Report (2004)
  • Fifteen Year Status Report (2010)
• 2012 National Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclists Attitudes and Behaviors
  • 2002 National Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Attitudes and Behaviors
    This national survey examined the scope and magnitude of bicycle and pedestrian activity and the public’s behavior and attitudes regarding bicycling and walking.
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Provisions of the Federal-Aid Program
  • Funding Sources for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects
  • Federal/State Matching Requirements
  • Planning for Bicycling and Walking
  • Policy and Program Provisions
  • Facility Design Guidance
  • Research, Special Studies, and Reports
• National Household Travel Survey
  Users can conduct their own data queries about walking and bicycling trips at this site. The National Household Travel Survey is conducted about every seven years.
  • Why care about walking?
    A presentation based on National Household Travel Survey data available at: http://nhts.ornl.gov/publications.shtml.
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Data: Sources, Needs, and Gaps
• Geographic Information Systems Applications For Bicycle And Pedestrian Decision-Making Peer Exchange Summary Report (2009)
• Report of Focus Group Discussions in Washington, New York, Miami, and Los Angeles (2004)
• Building a True Community: Final Report, Public Rights-of-Way Access Advisory Committee
• Informational Report on Lighting Design for Midblock Crosswalks

Councils and Committees

• Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian and Bicycle Council
• Transportation Research Board Bicycle Transportation Committee
• Transportation Research Board Pedestrian Committee
• Institute for Transportation Engineers
• Bicycle Crash Types – A 1990s Informational Guide (1996)

Transportation Research Board (TRB) Meeting Summaries

• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2015 Annual Transportation Research Board (TRB) Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2014 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2013 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2012 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2011 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2010 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2009 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2008 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2007 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2006 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2005 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities
  Prepared for the 2004 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian & Bicyclist Activities
  Prepared for the 2003 Annual TRB Meeting
• Summary of FHWA Pedestrian & Bicyclist Activities
  Prepared for the 2002 Annual TRB Meeting

Speeches

• Bike to Work Day, May 3, 2002
• National Bike Summit, March 6, 2002
• National Bike Summit Participants Letter

Other Links

• Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities – Traveler Response to Transportation System Changes
  This Transportation Cooperative Research Program report examines pedestrian and bicyclist behavior and travel demand outcomes. The report will be of interest to transit, transportation, and land use planning practitioners; public health professionals and transportation engineers; land developers, employers, and school administrators; researchers and educators; and professionals across a broad spectrum of transportation, planning, and public health agencies; MPOs; and local, state, and federal government agencies.
• Costs for Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure Improvements: A Resource for Researchers, Engineers, Planners, and the General Public
  The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center has completed a new study identifying the costs for pedestrian and bicycle safety infrastructure. The report provides estimates and cost ranges on 77 pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure projects.
• U.S. DOT Fastlane Blog
• Pedestrian Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool (2003)
• Bicycle Lanes Versus Wide Curb Lanes (1999)
• Pedestrian Forum Newsletter
• Health and Environmental Benefits of Walking and Bicycling
  Over the years researchers have tried to determine the benefits of walking and bicycling on environmental (e.g., vehicle emissions and fuel use reductions) and health (e.g., physical activity and body-mass-index). On this page you will find examples of these research studies and what they attempt to quantify.
• National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project
  Alta Planning and Design and ITE seek to establish a consistent national bicycle and pedestrian count and survey methodology, building on the ‘best practices’ from around the country, and publicize the availability of this free material for use by agencies and organizations on-line.
• Federal-aid Essentials for Local Public Agencies
• Flexibility in Highway Design (FHWA-PD-97-062)
  Presents methods of designing facilities that are sensitive to the surrounding environment that still meet accepted design guidelines.
• Selecting Roadway Design Treatments to Accommodate Bicycles
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Provisions of the Federal-Aid Program