As part of the “Safe Routes to School Coaching Action Network Webinar Series,” developed by America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School (NCSRTS), a webinar entitled “Pump Down the Volume: SRTS and Traffic Reduction” will be presented on January 31, 2012, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. CT.  The webinar will look at the problem of traffic congestion as it relates to SRTS.  It will also focus on two SRTS programs that have had success in reducing congestion and measuring traffic reductions.  The first program, developed by an elementary school in Longmont, CO, surveyed families in order to understand travel patterns to school.  After learning that 75 percent of students arrived by car, the program focused on increasing walking and bicycling rates through education and encouragement. After just one year, the school saw a 40 percent reduction in motor vehicle traffic.  The second program, from Pinehurst, NC, focused on encouraging the school's 650 students to become engaged as leaders in the effort to get more students walking to school. The Student Council presented neighborhood walkability recommendations to the Mayor and Village Council, resulting in a $150,000 allocation for a greenway to connect the elementary school to other areas of the Village.  Their efforts resulted in a 22 percent reduction in traffic volume on walking school bus days.

The webinar is free but requires advance registration.  For more information please contact Michelle Gulley at mgulley@americawalks.org.

The U.K.’s Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) released a report highlighting existing research on the role of infrastructure in relation to the safety of cyclists and their interaction with other road users.  The report consists of an international literature review of this subject and was undertaken as part of the wider research program, Road User Safety and Cycling, being led by TRL.  The paper identifies the influence of infrastructure on intermediate, behavioral outcomes which, in turn, may influence accident risk, such as the speed of motorized traffic and cyclist route choice and maneuvers, etc.

The study finds that, of all interventions to increase bicyclist safety, the greatest benefits result from reduction in the general speed of motorized traffic. According to the report, speed reduction may be achieved through a variety of methods including physical traffic calming; urban design that changes the appearance and the (pedestrian) use of a street; and, possibly, the wider use of 20 mph speed limits, which are common in some cities.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released an update of a study on the incidence rates of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes by hybrid electric (HE) vehicles.  The study compares the rate of bicycle and pedestrian crashes involving HE vehicles is compared to the rate involving internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE).  Overall, the odds ratios indicate that there is a greater likelihood of an HE vehicle being in either a pedestrian or bicycle crash -- 35 percent and 57 percent respectively -- than an ICE vehicle being in a similar crash.  For pedestrian crashes, the study found that the largest difference occurs on roadways where the speed limit is 35 mph and lower and during low-speed maneuvers.

A Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) report presents the results of a one-day workshop to explore technological innovations in accessible transportation and to better understand the requirements of pedestrians and travelers with visual impairment or other mobility disabilities.  The workshop brought together a panel of speakers made up of disability experts, academic professionals, transportation industry experts, and other professionals to discuss applications of technology for accessible transportation, identify knowledge gaps and opportunities, and highlight barriers to implementation.

In the third round of TIGER funding, the awardees for which were announced last month, the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) continued a commitment to bicyclist and pedestrian projects.  Of 46 projects chosen for funding, 22 incorporate some aspect of bicycle and pedestrian accessibility, and nine make cyclists or pedestrians the primary beneficiary, according to staff at the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.  Of the $511 million available, more than $64 million went to “Complete Streets” projects.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) received $20 million to repair and improve parts of the Blue Line between downtown and O’Hare Airport and to include Blue Line station areas in the City’s bikeshare program.  The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) received $10,438 to reconstruct two miles of Illinois Route 83 (147th Street) between Kedzie Avenue and Western Avenue/Dixie Highway with a center median, accessible intersections, on-street bicycle facilities, new sidewalks, and bus shelters. The project is designed to improve safety and convenience for automobiles, transit users, pedestrians, and cyclists.

A number of educational videos addressing bicycling and bicycling safety in Chicago have recently been added to the City of Chicago Bicycle Program Videos webpage, including one on how to safely navigate intersections and one on how to avoid the “door zone.”  Readers may also want to watch a video produced by Streetfilms, which describes the new protected bike lane on Kinzie Street, the first such lane in the City of Chicago.

The Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals (APBP) will host a webinar, “Emerging Technologies for Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning,” on January 18, 2012, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CT.

The cost is $50 per site for APBP members and $75 per site for non-APBP members.  Register online.  For more information, contact Debra Goeks (262-228-7025 or deb@apbp.org).

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is holding a series of meetings and webinars throughout Chicago to receive input on their “Streets for Cycling Plan 2020,” which received funding through Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement program.  The plan will identify locations and ways for expanding and improving the city’s network of bicycling facilities, with the goal of making bike trips safe and comfortable for all Chicagoans.  The meetings flyer is also available in Spanish.  Meetings/webinars dates and locations are as follows: 

• January 18, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Garfield Park Conservatory, Jensen Room, 300 N. Central Park Avenue.
• January 25, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Woodson Regional Library, Auditorium, 9525 S. Halsted Street.
• February 1, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N. Lincoln Avenue.
• February 3 webinar, noon to 1:00 p.m.  Reserve a webinar seat.
• February 6 webinar, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.  Reserve a webinar seat.

The California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) has released a report that explores the development of methods for identifying sites where there is potential for significant reductions in pedestrian and bicyclist injuries.  The report, titled “Strategies for Reducing Pedestrian and Bicyclist Injury at the Corridor Level,” uses data from 1998 to 2007 along a16.5-mile section of San Pablo Avenue (SR 123) in the San Francisco East Bay area.  The report includes a framework for conducting benefit-cost analyses and a prototype training protocol for conducting analyses of pedestrian and bicyclist safety in a corridor or network.  The guiding principle is that sites with the most potential for reducing injury are those where the most injuries can be prevented per dollar spent.  Everything else being equal, these sites are also the ones with the highest expected number of injuries if nothing is done.  Prior history is typically used to make this estimate, but this may not be sufficient, especially if the underlying rates are low. 

The Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 2190 is dedicated to bicycles and contains six papers that explore various topics related to bicycle transportation and planning, including:

• The influence of the built environment on route selection for bicycle and car travel
• Automated bicycle counts
• Multimodal travel choices of bicyclists
• Effects of gender on commuter cycling and accident rates
• On-street bicycle facility configuration effects on bicyclist and motorist behavior; and
• Parking lane width effect on bicycle operating space

This volume complements the volume on pedestrians, which we featured in an earlier post.

The official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, published an article evaluating the impact of a “walking school bus” program on children's rates of active commuting to school and physical activity. The study found that the walking school bus program increased active commuting and daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

The complete study is available for download on Pediatrics webpage for a $12 fee.

America Walks has released a report giving the results of a survey on walking, which we highlighted in a blog post in July.  The national online survey was designed to increase our understanding of attitudes towards and behavior related to walking.  The survey found that, while there are various reasons why people walk, “maintaining good health” was mentioned as the single most important motivator.  In line with this reasoning, the survey results indicate that the more frequently an individual walks, the fewer the number of diseases a respondent reports being afflicted with.

As reported in an earlier post, the State of Illinois, in partnership with the League of Illinois Bicyclists (LIB), created a specialty “Share the Road” license plate, the sale of which will provide funds for LIB’s statewide educational campaigns to teach both cyclists and motorists how to share the roads more respectfully, lawfully, and safely.

LIB received the necessary 1,500 reservations needed to begin the production process and, after the State’s design and production process approvals, “Share the Road” license plates should begin to appear on cars by May or June of 2012.  Congratulations to the League of Illinois Bicyclists!

The U.S. Access Board has reopened the comment period on its proposed guidelines for accessible public rights-of-way (PROWAG) through February 2, 2012.  While the original comment deadline was November 23 (see our earlier blog post), the extension is in response to requests from interested parties, including government and trade associations, for additional time to submit comments on the rule, as indicated in a published notice.

The proposed guidelines address access to public streets and sidewalks, street crossings, on-street parking, and other components of public rights-of-way.  Comments can be submitted or viewed through the www.regulations.gov website.  Further information on this rulemaking is available on the Board’s website. 

CMAP’s partner in the Regional Indicators Project, the Chicago Community Trust, is seeking proposals through January 5, 2012. Up to Community-Based Sustainable Development.  Up to ten communities will be selected to serve as regional models of sustainable development with full engagement of their community residents.  Among evaluation criteria, proposals should be aligned with the GO TO 2040 comprehensive regional plan and livability principles.  Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and local governments located within and/or primarily serving residents of Cook County.

A new Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) research report (FHWA-HRT-11-035) looks at methods to evaluate pedestrian and bicycle traffic control device.  The report, Pedestrian and Bicyclist Traffic Control Device Evaluation Methods, is part of a larger FHWA research effort to quantify the effectiveness of engineering countermeasures in improving safety and operations for pedestrians and bicyclists. 

This study focuses on existing and experimental engineering countermeasures that have not yet been comprehensively evaluated. The report describesmethods that practitioners can use to conduct reliable evaluations of pedestrian and bicyclist traffic control devices.  The report will be of interest to engineers, planners, and other practitioners who implement pedestrian and bicycle treatments and to state, regional, and local authorities responsible for public safety.

Los Angeles County has published a model street design manual entitled Model Design Manual for Living Streets (access requires a user agreement).   The manual was written by national experts in “living streets” concepts and focuses on accommodating all roadway users and all modes, seeking to achieve balanced street design that accommodates cars while ensuring that pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users can travel safely and comfortably.  Beyond typical engineering concerns, the manual also offers information and guidance on the street aesthetics, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability.

The manual is intended to be of assistance to cities around the country in updating current practice related roadway planning, design, and construction.  Cities may wish to adopt the entire manual, certain chapters only (in full or in part), or to modify or customize chapters to suit their own specific needs.  The manual can be downloaded in different file formats in order to simplify the editing and customization process.  The manual is intended for three major user groups:

• Municipalities who lack the resources to undertake a major revision of their manuals and are looking for examples to assist in re-tooling their current manuals.
• Municipalities that want to adopt the latest thinking in street design.
• Designers, planners, and engineers who are looking for tools to provide flexibility within their existing street design standards.

A new report has been issued at the University of Washington titled “So Many Choices, So Many Ways to Choose: How Five State Departments of Transportation Select Safe Routes to School for Funding.” The report compares the methods by which five statedepartments of transportation (DOTs) select the most promisingSafe Routes to Schools (SRTS) proposals for funding.  Their selection processes and criteria used are reviewed to highlight examples of best practices that consider:

• The four common barriers to walking and biking to school (distance, income, parent values and parent concerns).
• The “Five E’s” commonly used to classify SRTS program elements (engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation).
• The five conceptualized stages of an SRTS program (existing conditions, planning, proposal, implementation, and assessment of outcomes).

The study also offers insights into the five state SRTS programs.

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has released the digital version of their Urban Bikeway Design Guide, laid out specifically for printing.  (See our earlier blog post on the online version of the guide.)

The Guide is now available for free as a PDF download (both low and high resolution versions).  In addition, a hard-copy, bound version is available free to NACTO members and for $40 to others.

An article in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, seeking to quantify benefits from reducing automobile usage for short urban and suburban trips, finds that reducing these short automobile trips and replacing them with active transport would yield major health benefits.  The authors estimate that, for the 11 metropolitan areas of the Upper Midwest, shifting 50% of short trips (less than 8 kilometers) to bicycle would yield a yearly savings of approximately $3.8 billion from avoided mortality and reduced health care costs, and the combined benefits of improved air quality and physical fitness would exceed $7 billion per year.