USDOT Embraces Non-motorized Transportation

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood issued a new policy statement on March 16th that calls for full inclusion of pedestrians and bicyclists in transportation projects, with particular attention paid to transit riders and people of all ages and levels of mobility. Blogging, Secretary LaHood wrote: “This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.”

Key recommendations for state DOTs and communities include:

• Ray LahoodConsider walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes;
• Ensure convenient choices for people of all ages and abilities;
• Go beyond minimum design standards;
• Integrate bicycle and pedestrian accommodation on new, rehabilitated, and limited-access bridges;
• Collect data on walking and biking trips;
• Set a mode share target for walking and bicycling and track them over time;
• Maintain sidewalks and shared-use paths the same way roadways are maintained, and
• Improve non-motorized facilities during maintenance projects.

The new USDOT policy gives PEDS what we need to prompt pedestrian-friendly policy change in metro Atlanta. The new policies are especially relevant to our efforts to promote better sidewalk maintenance and safer street crossings at bus stops. The National Complete Streets Coalition calls the new federal policy a full embrace of Complete Streets principles.