Bicycle and pedestrian travel is vital to the region's public health, transportation, and economy.
CDTC believes that encouraging bicycle and pedestrian travel is a socially, economically, and environmentally responsible and healthy approach to improving the performance of our transportation system. At CDTC, possible bicycle/pedestrian-related improvements are considered from the perspective of developing a system - not just based on whether a particular facility is currently used. A system of sidewalks, bike lanes, and trails will encourage safe bicycle and pedestrian use and will increase accessibility for all residents and users of the transportation system in the Capital Region.
Since New Visions was adopted in 1997, there has been a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, formerly known as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force, at CDTC. This Committee has met almost every month to discuss, strategize, and mobilize to accomplish the bicycle and walking goals set in New Visions. This Committee guided the development of CDTC's bicycle and pedestrian planning goals:
- Improve safety; reduce the number of vehicle crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians
- Increase the number of bicycle and pedestrian trips
- Improve public health through active transportation
- Increase federal & public funding dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian facilities
- Increase miles of trail
- Increase miles of protected bike lanes
For more detail on these goals and how they were developed, please see the CDTC New Visions Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan.
