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

• 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.

Secretary's Blog

• Anacostia trail network connects communities, offers commuters options, November 07, 2011

• San Francisco's City CarShare Celebrates 10 Years

• More transportation answers for Dr. Gridlock readers, October 20, 2011

• October "On the Go with Ray LaHood" answers your transportation questions, October 19, 2011

• Walk to School Day celebrates walkable communities and active kids, October 05, 2011

• Riding to work with DOT bicycle commuters a great way to start the week, June 06, 2011

• New "On the Go" tackles cycling, fuel economy standards, and high-speed rail, June 06, 2011

• Bike To Work Day demonstrates the many transportation benefits of bicycling, May 20, 2011

• Are you ready for the 2 Mile Challenge?, May 16, 2011

• Record low traffic deaths encourage continued road safety efforts, April 01, 2011

• Faces of Distracted Driving, March 28, 2011

• My message to the 2011 National Bike Summit: "We have work to do", March 09, 2011

• Distracted Driving Shatters Lives: Watch a replay of our webcast and live-blog, March 07, 2011

• For bicycle enthusiasts, next week's National Bike Summit looms large, March 04, 2011

• President Obama's 2012 budget tackles real challenges with real solutions, March 03, 2011

• Utah's Alpine Elementary earns 2010 Oberstar Award from National Center for Safe Routes to School, January 24, 2011

• Walk Friendly Communities encourages towns and cities to support safer walking environments, October 18, 2010

• StreetSmart demonstration urges drivers, riders, and pedestrians to look out for each other, October 12, 2010

• International Walk to School Day celebrates safety and good health, October 06, 2010

• FHWA's Victor Mendez joins local Walking School Bus to celebrate Safe Routes to School, August 24, 2010

• Biennial of the Americas seeks answers to tough energy, climate challenges, July 29, 2010

• Transportation is a public health issue; DOT doing its part to keep kids moving, July 16, 2010

• New report shows biking and walking gains, June 16, 2010

• DOT bicycle-pedestrian policy gets "thumbs up", June 01, 2010

• Nation, DOT take to the streets--with helmets on for National Bike to Work Day, May 21, 2010

• DOT, First Lady & Childhood Obesity Task Force share important goal: Let's Move!, May 11, 2010

• Livability works for rural communities, May 06, 2010

• North Carolina's Piedmont Triad: regional cooperation enhancing livability, April 28, 2010

• What we know about bike infrastructure: people want it, April 26, 2010

• Indianapolis school hosts Grandparents Day, Safe Routes to School mash-up, April 23, 2010

• On Earth Day, reminders of DOT's role in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, April 22, 2010

• Earth Day 2010 in the City of Big Shoulders, April 22, 2010

• On Earth Day, reminders of DOT's role in reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, April 22, 2010

• DOT employees walk the walk, aid injured pedestrian with first-aid, 911 call, April 21, 2010

• Tupelo, Mississippi, on board for Complete Streets and DOT bicycle-pedestrian policy, April 20, 2010

• Survey shows Americans want more mobility options--biking, walking, and transit should be in the mix, April 06, 2010

• My view from atop the table at the National Bike Summit, March 15, 2010

• Sustainable transportation competition for middle schoolers attracts winning ideas from around the country, March 24, 2010

• Bloomington-Normal a model for livability planning, February 16, 2010

• Walking the walk; New transit action puts livability criteria squarely into the mix, January 14, 2010

• Coburn Report dismisses Recovery-supported bike paths, December 09, 2009

• DOT bike commuters leading by example, November 12, 2009

• Walk To School Day offers glimpse of tomorrow's livable communities, October 07, 2009

• FHWA grant funds East Coast's largest bike center; DC transport hub may crack the "last mile" problem, October 05, 2009

• On sustainable mobility, New York region ready to lead, September 28, 2009

• DOT has taken steps--commits to more--toward helping solve energy challenges, September 23, 2009

• Atlanta Regional Commission no stranger to Livable Communities, September 21, 2009

• Livability Tour sees the future in Chicago, Dubuque, Denver, September 18, 2009

• Smart community planning, more transportation options lead to reduced carbon emissions, July 14, 2009

• Colorado creates jobs, puts stimulus funds to work on highway, bike path 'twofer', June 30, 2009

• "Livability Principles" will guide Federal housing, environmental and transportation policy, June 16, 2009

• Bicycling is only healthy when you ride safely, May 20, 2009

• Bicycling is an important factor in less carbon-intensive commuting, April 22, 2009

• First steps toward livable communities, March 22, 2009

• Back on the Hill, pressing for livable communities, March 18, 2009

• Livable communities, the hometowns Americans deserve, March 18, 2009

• Cyclists are important users of transportation systems, March 13, 2009