Resources

Data Sources Related to Walking and Bicycling

• Health and Environmental Benefits of Walking and Bicycling
  Over the years researchers have tried to determine the benefits of walking and bicycling on environmental (e.g., vehicle emissions and fuel use reductions) and health (e.g., physical activity and body-mass-index). On this page you will find examples of these research studies and what they attempt to quantify.

• National Household Travel Survey
  Users can conduct their own data queries about walking and bicycling trips at this site. The National Household Travel Survey is conducted about every seven years.

• Why care about walking?
  A presentation based on National Household Travel Survey data available at: http://nhts.ornl.gov/publications.shtml.

• Trends in Walking for Transportation in the United States, 1995 and 2001 The purpose of this study was to examine trends in walking for transportation among U.S. adults and youth for Healthy People 2010 objective 22-14.

• Journey to Work and Place of Work
  This web page contains Census data on how people commute, including by walking and bicycling.

• 2002 National Survey of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Attitudes and Behaviors
  This national survey examined the scope and magnitude of bicycle and pedestrian activity and the public's behavior and attitudes regarding bicycling and walking.

• Bureau of Transportation Statistics
  This web page contains walking and bicycling data from the BTS and other sources.

• Traffic Safety Fact Sheets Annual Traffic Safety Fact Sheets on walking, bicycling, and other travel modes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

• National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project
  Alta Planning and Design and ITE seek to establish a consistent national bicycle and pedestrian count and survey methodology, building on the 'best practices' from around the country, and publicize the availability of this free material for use by agencies and organizations on-line.

Reports

• Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities - Traveler Response to Transportation System Changes
  This Transportation Cooperative Research Program report examines pedestrian and bicyclist behavior and travel demand outcomes. The report will be of interest to transit, transportation, and land use planning practitioners; public health professionals and transportation engineers; land developers, employers, and school administrators; researchers and educators; and professionals across a broad spectrum of transportation, planning, and public health agencies; MPOs; and local, state, and federal government agencies.

• Thunderhead Alliance Benchmarking Report "Bicycling and Walking in the U.S."
  The Thunderhead Alliance Benchmarking Project is an on-going effort to collect and analyze data on bicycling and walking in all 50 states and at least the 50 most-populated U.S. cities. The first report was released in August, 2007. (Requires Thunderhead Alliance membership.)

• U.S. Bicycle Route System
  The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is hosting a Task Force to develop a national interstate route system for bicycle routes, with input from States and national bicycle advocacy organizations. The Adventure Cycling Association provides staff support. The Task Force has developed a report and a draft corridor plan.

• Guidelines for Analysis of Investments in Bicycle Facilities
  TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report includes methodologies and tools to estimate the cost of various bicycle facilities and for evaluating their potential value and benefits. The report is designed to help transportation planners integrate bicycle facilities into their overall transportation plans and on a project-by-project basis. The research described in the report has been used to develop a set of web-based guidelines, available on the Internet at http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/bikecost/, that provide a step-by-step worksheet for estimating costs, demands, and benefits associated with specific facilities under consideration.

• National Biking and Walking Study 10-yr Progress Report
  A progress report on the Federal Action Plan of the National Bicycling and Walking Study.

• Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practice
  A Guide to Best Practice is designed to serve as a companion resource document to a one-day training course on accessible pedestrian signals.

• Guidelines for Accessible Pedestrian Signals: Final Report
  Provides details on research used to develop a one-day training course on accessible pedestrian signals (APS) and to produce an APS intersection prioritization tool.

Speeches by DOT Leadership

• Bike to Work Day (May 3, 2002)
  Speech by Administrator Mary E. Peters - Bikes belong in our nation's transportation system.

• National Bike Summit (March 6, 2002)
  Speech by Administrator Mary E. Peters - We need every mode of transportation to keep America mobile.

• National Bike Summit Participants Letter (March 27, 2001)
  From Secretary Norman Y. Mineta - Bicyclists and pedestrians are an integral part of our Nation's transportation system for the 21st Century.