Goal #1: Motorists Will Share the Road

Goal #2: Bicyclists Will Ride Safely

Goal #3: Bicyclists Will Wear Helmets

Goal #4: The Legal System Will Support Safe Bicycling

Goal #5: Roads and Paths Will Safely Accommodate Bicyclists

During the 1990s, Federal spending on bicycle and pedestrian facilities (e.g., bicycle paths, lanes, and racks) increased dramatically -- from approximately $4 million per year to more than $200 million per year. Improvements for bicyclists have included striped bicycle lanes, off-road trails, bicycle parking racks and lockers, and a variety of planning, safety, and promotional activities. In addition, thousands of miles of paved shoulders have been built or rebuilt as a part of highway projects, providing bicyclists with a safer place to ride. Unfortunately, however, roadway design still often overlooks the needs of bicyclists. Traffic engineers and planners who design and operate the roadway transportation system don't always understand cyclists' rights, responsibilities, needs, and preferences.

Strategy #1 Document and evaluate the safety and effectiveness of facility design options.

Action Steps

1. Compile data on the design features and implementation of bicycle-safe facilities.
2. Evaluate the use and safety (including exposure) of existing facilities and disseminate findings to transportation professionals and bicycle advocates.
3. Encourage increased allocation of research dollars for bicycle safety research at the national level.
4. Promote implementation and evaluation of promising new bicycle facility designs.

Strategy #2 Improve 100,000 miles of roadways that serve everyday travel by providing striped bicycle lanes and other safe bicycling facilities.

Action Steps

1. Identify and track existing miles of bicycle lanes as well as plans for striping of additional miles.
2. Involve citizens, bicycle safety organizations, and advocates in community needs assessment and local planning efforts.
3. Establish bicycle lane mileage goals for states and metropolitan planning organizations.
4. Develop and issue implementation guidelines for use by transportation professionals.
5. Provide incentives to allocate funds for striping.
6. Disseminate information to help ensure that routine roadway design and operation safely accommodate bicyclists even where no special facilities are present.

Strategy #3 Train professionals responsible for the planning, design, and operation of the transportation system to better consider and accommodate bicycle travel.

Action Steps

1. Offer the pedestrian/bicycle graduate course, developed by the Federal Highway Administration, to at least one university in every state.
2. Deliver a continuing education course on accommodating bicycle travel to design professionals in every state.
3. Develop a new bicycle facilities course, offered by the Federal Highway Administration's National Highway Institute.
4. Encourage colleges and universities to incorporate bicycle transportation in the undergraduate civil engineering curriculum.
5. Disseminate information to help ensure that routine roadway design and operation safely accommodate bicyclists.