Active Transportation
Americans rely on connected transportation networks for safe and efficient travel by road, rail, and air. Yet many Americans lack access to connected active transportation networks—which are especially important for the 52% of all trips that are under three miles. Instead of connected networks, pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair and micromobility users can encounter dead ends, miles without sidewalks, roads without safe options, and other network gaps that make it harder or even unsafe to get around by walking, biking, or rolling. In fact, local transportation planners and active transportation organizations have estimated there is $7 billion in unmet need for active transportation networks across the country. DOT, which has historic funding available from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is working to meet communities’ need for safe, affordable, and convenient active transportation networks for all users.
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In May 2024, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) is recognizing National Bike Month and all the related activities of its Operating Administrations that support a safe, multimodal transportation network for all users.
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In line with the Fiscal Year 2022-2026 DOT Strategic Plan’s goals on safety, climate, and equity, the Department seeks to play its part to increase the percentage of trips by transit and active transportation modes by 50% from 2020 levels.
Active transportation networks—including bike lanes, sidewalks, and multi-use trails—help create vibrant communities by providing safe, comfortable, convenient, reliable, efficient, and affordable ways for people to get around. Investing in active transportation can drive community cohesion and economic prosperity while helping to ensure people are connected to the outdoors and the essential places they need to go each day. Importantly, active transportation networks provide opportunities for affordable, low-emission or zero-emission trips while closing gaps between people and their next ride—after all, active transportation is an essential part of every public transportation trip. Active transportation infrastructure helps create interconnected transportation networks that can help reduce congestion and traffic fatalities when designed with all users in mind; improve access to economic opportunity; increase physical activity and improve human health; and tighten the social fabric of communities.
See the drop-down tabs below for more information about the benefits of active transportation, DOT’s relevant initiatives and funding programs, and a list of resources.
Safety: Safety is DOT’s top priority. Investments in and the expansion of active transportation infrastructure are proven safety countermeasures promoted by FHWA. We are in the midst of a national roadway safety crisis, with more than 40,000 people dying in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Rates of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities continue to increase, demonstrating the need to invest in safe infrastructure as part of the broader Safe System Approach outlined in the National Roadway Safety Strategy. Learn more about DOT’s efforts to improve safety for those walking, biking, and rolling here.
Economic Growth: Encouraging pedestrian activity and expanding transportation options through active transportation investments help ensure people are better connected to essential destinations like work and school as well as leisure opportunities like shopping and entertainment. This has been shown to boost nearby property values and economic activity. Active transportation investments also help to reduce healthcare costs by encouraging physical activity.
Climate Change Mitigation: Active transportation includes zero-emission modes like walking and biking, meaning that active transportation trips can help avoid greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. Making it more convenient to walk, bike, and roll is a key strategy in the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, which outlines an interagency approach to decarbonizing the transportation sector, the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Learn more about climate action at DOT here.
Equitable Transportation Access and Community Connectivity: Transportation access is inequitable in communities across the U.S.: people in low-income areas tend to own fewer vehicles, have longer commutes, have higher transportation costs, and are more likely to be injured or killed on the road. Active transportation can provide individuals with affordable transportation options to safely and conveniently connect them to essential destinations, including to public transit, at low or no cost per trip. This links people and communities to one another and to economic opportunity. Click here to learn more about the DOT Equitable Transportation Community (ETC) Explorer, an interactive web application that explores the cumulative burden communities experience as a result of underinvestment in transportation.
Physical and Mental Health: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 25% of adults and 1 in 6 high school children meet daily activity guidelines. Active transportation networks can help incorporate physical activity in daily life by encouraging people to walk, cycle, or roll to get where they need to go—while also avoiding the release of air pollutants that can harm human health. The CDC recommends investments in better active transportation infrastructure, such as sidewalks and paths, as a way to encourage more physical activity, improve mental health and quality of life, and reduce health costs. Learn more about active transportation and health here.
Congestion and Resilience: In combination with good public transportation access, walking, biking, and rolling can replace car trips, thereby reducing traffic congestion and providing more transportation choices. For example, research showed that a shutdown of transit services in Los Angeles led to a highway delay increase of 47 percent, and that the overall value of transit’s congestion relief benefit there was estimated to be upwards of $4.1 billion per year. Active transportation is a key link to public transit, and thus supports its congestion relief benefits. Additionally, active transportation investments can increase the resilience of our transportation systems by providing safe, convenient travel options alongside other modes.
Every transportation agency has the opportunity to improve conditions and opportunities for active transportation within their transportation systems. Federal surface transportation law allows state DOTs and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) to fund pedestrian and bicycle projects and activities from several transportation funding programs, including both formula and discretionary programs.
Given the numerous individual and community benefits that walking, biking, and rolling provide—including for health, safety, the environment, mobility, and quality of life—DOT encourages transportation agencies to consider walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes, to provide transportation choices for people of all ages and abilities, and to go beyond minimum standards to provide safe, convenient, and comfortable active transportation networks. Additionally, the US Access Board published the Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG), which may be used by practitioners to ensure designs for pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way, such as sidewalks and street crossings, are accessible and usable by people living with disabilities.” DOT and DOJ must adopt these Guidelines before they become enforceable Standards. Many of the BIL grants and funding opportunities can be used to develop and implement ADA Transition Plans that remove barriers to accessibility.
Communities are eligible for federal funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that will allow states and MPOs to address the interconnected challenges of climate change, safety, and inequity through unprecedented opportunities to invest in active transportation networks. DOT encourages implementation of projects and programs that improve safety, equity, and accessibility for all road users. BIL created new active transportation programs and new requirements that will help improve active transportation safety, such as requiring that states use a portion of planning funds for Complete Streets activities, complete vulnerable road user assessments, and prioritize safety spending on vulnerable road users (VRUs). More information on DOT’s Operating Administrations’ roles and their programs and initiatives that support safe, convenient active transportation networks is provided below.
DOT Operating Administrations
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
FHWA provides stewardship over the construction, maintenance and preservation of the Nation’s highways, bridges and tunnels through financial and technical assistance and guidance to State departments of transportation (DOTs) and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). FHWA coordinates with State DOTs to promote and facilitate increased use of non-motorized transportation, including developing infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists and educational, promotional, and safety programs for using such facilities. FHWA provides State and local agencies with guidance on safe roadway design standards. FHWA funding, primarily in the form of formula grants to State DOTs and MPOs, can be used to build and improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. FHWA is also responsible for DOT’s Complete Streets program, which supports transportation agencies in planning, developing, and operating safe, comfortable, and connected streets. FHWA and FTA maintain a table indicating potential eligibility of bicycle and pedestrian projects for current funding opportunities (linked in the above text box).
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
NHTSA’s mission is to saves lives, prevent injuries, and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activities. NHTSA’s website includes resources and information about safe bicycling and walking, including safety research and public education materials. NHTSA also houses the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), which is a nationwide census providing yearly data regarding fatal injuries suffered in motor vehicle traffic crashes, including those involving pedestrians and bicyclists.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
FTA provides financial and technical assistance to local public transit systems, including overseeing grants to state and local transit providers. Multiple FTA grant programs are available to help cities and towns invest in pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, which improves mobility and helps people access public transportation. FTA maintains a list of grant programs with funding eligibility for bicycle projects.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
FMCSA works to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries by enforcing safety regulations, supporting research on safety information systems and safer vehicle technology, and providing States with financial assistance for roadside inspections and other commercial motor vehicle safety programs. These programs are designed to reduce commercial motor vehicle collisions, including those that involve bicyclists and pedestrians.
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
FRA supports the safe movement of people and goods by rail through regulatory and inspection work, investments to develop and improve the rail network, and through research and technology development. FRA has worked to identify safety risks and to improve the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists at grade crossings, including gathering information on signals, signs, and other devices used to prevent non-motorized fatalities.
DOT Funding Programs
Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A): The BIL established the new SS4A discretionary program with $5 billion in funding over 5 years. SS4A funds initiatives to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries, including activities related to pedestrians and bicyclists.
National Highway Performance Program (NHPP): NHPP supports the condition and performance of the National Highway System. The BIL provided approximately $148 billion in funding over five years for the NHPP. Funding can be used for investments in bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Program: The STBG Program provides $72 billion in funding over 5 years to States for a wide variety of transportation infrastructure projects, including active transportation projects. Federal law requires 10 percent of these funds to be set aside for Transportation Alternatives, which include a variety of smaller-scale transportation projects like pedestrian and bicycle facilities. There is a further set aside for the Recreational Trails Program, which provides funds to develop and maintain recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both nonmotorized and motorized recreational trail uses.
Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP): HSIP seeks to achieve a significant reduction in traffic fatalities and serious injuries on all public roads, including non-State-owned roads and roads on tribal land. The BIL provided approximately $3 billion in funding annually for five years, which can be used to fund the installation of pedestrian and bicycle safety upgrades.
Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning: TOD is a planning strategy that includes a mixture of commercial, residential, office and entertainment uses centered around, or located near, a transit station. When completed successfully, TOD has the capacity to create thriving communities with compact development that provide options to safely walk or ride a bicycle, increase connections to transit, and expand access to services. Through this program, FTA provides funding to local communities to integrate land use and transportation planning in context with a new fixed guideway or core capacity transit capital investments. The BIL increased funding for the program by 38% to approximately $68.9 million over five years.
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program: The CMAQ program supports surface transportation projects and other related efforts that contribute air quality improvements and provide congestion relief. The BIL continues the CMAQ Program to provide a flexible funding source to State and local governments for transportation projects and programs to help meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act, including pedestrian, bicycle, and shared micromobility facilities and programs. The program is funded with over $2.5 billion per year for five years.
Carbon Reduction Program (CRP): The BIL established the CRP with $6 billion in funding over five years for projects designed to reduce carbon dioxide emission from transportation, including pedestrian, bicycling, and other nonmotorized transport facilities; projects that shift transportation demand to other modes to reduce demand for roads; and electric bike and other micromobility projects, including charging infrastructure.
Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program: DOT has released a combined Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for two programs: the Reconnecting Communities Program, funded at $1 billion from the BIL, and the Neighborhood Equity and Access Program, funded at $3 billion from the IRA. The programs remain separate in terms of award, but both programs provide grants to improve multimodal transportation access, to foster equitable development, and to remove, retrofit, or mitigate highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity. Projects that improve walkability, safety, and affordable transportation access are eligible for funding. An example of how Reconnecting Communities is improving active transportation access, mobility, and community livability can be found in the Reconnecting Communities Story Map feature of Buffalo, New York.
Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP): ATIIP is a new competitive grant program created in the BIL to support projects to construct active transportation networks within communities and active transportation spines connecting communities and regions. The program received $45 million in funding for Fiscal Year 2023.
DOT Initiatives
Every Day Counts (EDC): EDC is a State-based model that identifies and rapidly deploys proven yet underutilized innovations that make our transportation system adaptable, sustainable, equitable and safer for all. Proven innovations promoted through EDC facilitate greater efficiency at the State, local, and Tribal levels, saving time, money, and resources while ensuring our infrastructure is built better, faster, and smarter. FHWA works with State transportation departments, local governments, tribes, private industry, and other stakeholders to identify a new collection of innovations to champion every two years that merit accelerated deployment.
Complete Streets Initiative: Complete Streets are streets designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. This includes people of all ages and abilities, regardless of whether they are traveling as drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, or public transportation riders. The concept of Complete Streets encompasses many approaches to planning, designing, and operating roadways and rights of way with all users in mind to make the transportation network safer and more efficient. Complete Street policies are set at the state, regional, and local levels and are frequently supported by roadway design guidelines.
Safe Routes to School (SRTS): SRTS is an approach that promotes walking and bicycling to school through infrastructure improvements, enforcement, tools, safety education, and incentives. SRTS initiatives aim to improve safety and increase physical activity levels for students. SRTS programs can be implemented by a state DOT, MPO, local government, school district, or even a school. SRTS projects are eligible under STBG and the Transportation Alternatives set-aside and may be eligible under HSIP.
Role of States and Local Transportation and Enforcement Agencies
In partnership with DOT, state and local agencies, community groups, and individuals have a significant role in determining how safe the transportation network in their community will be. State and local transportation agencies and MPOs, which plan, design, build, and maintain roads, sidewalks, and transit stations, are required by law to improve the safety of transportation infrastructure, including for vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bicyclists. Safety enforcement agencies have a responsibility to ensure that the public is aware of safety laws and regulations and that these laws are enforced.
Announcements
- U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $1.25 billion in Direct, Accessible Grants for Local Communities to Improve Roadway Safety (February 2024)
- NHTSA: Pedestrian Safety Month (October 2023)
- FHWA: My Street Planning Tool for Improving Pedestrian Safety (February 2023)
- FHWA: Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning, Program, and Project Development Guidance (May 2023)
- FHWA: Moving to a Complete Streets Design Model: A Report to Congress on Opportunities and Challenges (March 2022)
Related Links
- DOT: Improving Safety for Walking, Biking, and Rolling
- FHWA: Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
- FHWA: Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety
- FHWA: Speed Management Resources
- FHWA: Micromobility Resources
- FHWA: Bicycle Safety Guide and Countermeasure Selection System
- FHWA/FTA: Pedestrian and Bicycle Funding Opportunities Table
- FHWA/FTA: Transportation Planning Capacity Building on Complete Streets
- FHWA/FTA: Flexible Funding for Transit Access
- NHTSA: Bicycle Safety
- NHTSA: Pedestrian Safety
Related Documents
* The information posted on DOT websites may include hypertext links or pointers to information created and maintained by other public and/or private organizations. DOT provides these links and pointers solely for our users' information and convenience. The Department of Transportation does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites and does not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer.