Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Findings
Recently, the DOT asked cyclists and pedestrians to take part in a survey for its Bike & Pedestrian Master Plan. Well, the votes are in, and some of the findings are below. For more results, head over to the MDOT site and click on the reports tab, and you'll find the extensive report.
The top reasons survey respondents cited for investing in bicycle and pedestrian improvements included:
Improving the safety of walking and biking
Creating safe routes for walking and biking to schools
Increasing physical health and activity
The top obstacles to walking reported in the survey results were:
Pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks and paths are missing or bad
Traffic is too fast or heavy
The need to transport people or things
The top obstacles to biking reported in the survey results were:
Motorists don’t exercise caution around cyclists
Lack of or poor condition of bike facilities
Traffic is too fast and heavy
The top priority objectives identified in the straw poll results were:
Address gaps and physical barriers in the bicycle network; build connected networks with continuous bicycle accommodations.
Address key gaps in trail systems and improve integration of trails and on‐road facilities.
Provide assistance and/or incentives to local governments to improve biking and walking.
Incorporate Complete Streets principles in all State transportation projects, and promote Complete Streets policies at the local level.
Promote bicycling and walking as normal transportation modes that have a broad diversity of participants.
Focus on improving bicycling and walking conditions in locations with the highest demand.