This report presents recommendations for bicycle lane widths for various roadway and traffic characteristics, including traffic volume, vehicle mix (i.e., percent trucks), lane width and/or total roadway width, and presence/absence of on-street parking. It examines narrow and wide un-protected bike lanes as well as lanes protected with barriers. The report provides guidance on the safety of each lane option for bicyclists.
Health
Lessons from the Green Lanes: Evaluating Protected Bike Lanes in the U.S. (National Institute for Transportation and Communities, 2014)
This report presents finding from research evaluating U.S. protected bicycle lanes (cycle tracks) in terms of their use, perception, benefits, and impacts. It finds that separated bike lanes both encourage new cyclists to ride and make motorists feel that cyclists were safer and more predictable.
Foot Traffic Ahead: Ranking Walkable Urbanism in America’s Largest Metros (George Washington School of Business, 2014)
This report, issued by the George Washington University Business School, examines the growing preference for walkable urbanism and what that means for infrastructure, economic development, housing, etc. The authors rank the 30 largest metros on walkable urbanism, identifying a future demand for tens of millions of square feet of walkable urban development. This demand would provide an economic foundation for the U.S. economy, similar to the building of drivable suburbs in the mid to late 20th century.
Lessons from the Green Lanes: Evaluating Protected Bike Lanes in the U.S. (National Institute for Transportation and Communities, 2014)
This report presents finding from research evaluating U.S. protected bicycle lanes (cycle tracks) in terms of their use, perception, benefits, and impacts. Behavior of bicyclists, motorists, and pedestrians was assessed to determine how well each users understands the facility and to identify potential conflicts. Residents and bicyclists indicated that any type of buffer shows a considerable increase in self-reported comfort levels over a striped bike lane, and support for protected bike lanes was high among all users.
Statewide Transportation Planning for Healthy Communities (Volpe Center, 2014)
This report, the second in a series from FHWA, presents insights and a flexible model for state DOTs that choose to integrate public health considerations into their transportation planning and decision-making. It draws from five case studies of innovative DOTs and their partners, and builds on the project team’s previous white paper.
Advancing Transportation and Health (National Center for Safe Routes to School, 2013)
Safe transportation and the health benefits of active travel are at the core of the Federal Safe Routes to School Program. This report reflects the approaches that the SRTS Program has used to advance transportation and …
Lifting the Veil on Bicycle & Pedestrian Spending (Advocacy Advance, 2014)
This report benchmarked planned bicycling and walking project spending in the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program and breaks down how state Departments of Transportation can become more transparent and responsive to community needs. Both stand-alone bicycle-pedestrian projects and also road projects that have a bicycle-pedestrian accommodation or component were included.
Effectiveness of a Safe Routes to School Program in Preventing School-Aged Pedestrian Injury (DiMaggio and Li, PEDIATRICS, 2014)
This study provides important evidence to support the effectiveness of Safe Routes to School programs in New York City. The program is intended to “improve safety on walking and bicycling routes to school and to encourage children and families to travel between home and school using these modes.” While studies have looked at behaviors and attitudes toward journey to school transportation, few have examined whether SRTS programs are effective in reducing pedestrian injury.
Civil rights guidance and equity analysis methods for regional transportation plans: a critical review of literature and practice (Journal of Transportation Geography, 2013)
In this critical review, the authors examine the law, regulatory guidance, academic research, and agency practice pertinent to equity analysis of MPO regional transportation plans. They find that equity recommendations are extensive but generally lack specificity and are rarely enforceable. The current methodology is not appropriate for the analysis of transportation investment benefits. Newer travel demand modeling paradigms are capable of sidestepping methodological problems, and legacy models can be adapted and improved.
Philadelphia Complete Streets Design Handbook (Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, 2013)
The Philadelphia Complete Streets Design Handbook has ideas to make local streets accommodate all users. It includes checklists at the end for different components of the street. The city intends to update it as comments come in and the document is used by planners and city staff.