Biking and pedestrian (bike/ped) issues vary significantly between urbans areas and smaller communities. Some common barriers include education and awareness, policy and advocacy, and technology integration. The challenges for smaller communities include limited financial resources to develop and maintain extensive biking and walking infrastructure; lack of connectivity between residential areas and key destinations like schools, shops, and workplaces; perception of safety, especially in areas with less traffic but higher speeds; limited resources for regular maintenance; and more dispersed land use patterns that make biking and walking less practical.
Addressing biking and pedestrian issues requires tailored approaches that consider the unique challenges and opportunities in smaller communities. Effective planning, community involvement, and policy support are essential for creating safe, accessible, and appealing environments for biking and walking.
Through a grant project supported by American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Center for Environmental Excellence (CEE), the NADO Research Foundation developed an issue brief on bicycle and pedestrian projects in smaller communities.
This issue brief discusses benefits of bicycle and pedestrian projects in smaller communities, impact of data collection and community engagement processes and case study examples on coordination between States DOTs and RTPOs/RPOs.
