UNC Highway Safety Research Center / Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center Project Updates: January 2015 TRB Annual Meeting Recently Completed Resources 1. Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Resources—HSRC, in partnership with VHB and Toole Design Group, recently updated FHWA’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Safer Journey resources (http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/pedsaferjourney/ and http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/bicyclesaferjourney/) as well as PEDSAFE and BIKESAFE (www.pedbikesafe.org), countermeasure guides selection tools that can be used by agencies to determine the best safety solutions for a particular intersection or roadway. Join us for a webinar on Feb 19 on the new BIKESAFE guide. 2. A Resident's Guide for Creating Safer Communities for Walking and Biking—HSRC and partner, VHB, recently updated this FHWA guide intended to assist residents and community groups in getting involved in making communities safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. The guide includes information on identifying problems, taking action to address pedestrian and bicycle concerns, finding solutions to improve safety, and resources to get additional information. Join us for a webinar on Feb 10 where we will showcase the new guide and share stories on safety initiatives from several communities. 3. White Papers on Data Collection and Analysis Topics—PBIC, in partnership with Fehr and Peers, developed two white papers that summarize current research and notable practices with respect to crowdsourcing pedestrian and bicycle activity data (available now) and forecasting demand for bicycle and pedestrian trips (forthcoming). Available: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/data/whitepapers.cfm. 4. Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety on University Campuses—PBIC and its partner, UC‐Berkeley, developed a comprehensive web resource to assist communities in addressing pedestrian and bicycle safety issues on or around university campuses. Available: Spring 2015. Available Trainings 1. Bicycle Safety Action Plan—PBIC and its partner, Toole Design Group, delivered in Fall 2014 a series of modules on how to develop a bicycle safety action plan. Available: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/training/webinars_PBIC_LC_BSAP_2014.cfm. 2. Livable Communities Webinar Series—PBIC delivers free webinars on a monthly basis, covering topics related to bicycling and walking, including education and enforcement countermeasures and notable practices. More information: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/training/webinars_PBIC_LC.cfm. 3. Pedestrian Safety Action Plan—PBIC continues to offer training on topics related to planning and designing for pedestrian safety. Available: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/training/gettraining.cfm. For more, visit: www.pedbikeinfo.org or www.facebook.com/pedbike. Projects Underway in 2015 1. Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide—HSRC and partners, Kittelson and Associates, Inc. and Sam Schwartz Engineering, recently completed this FHWA guide, which provides an overview of planning and design considerations based on a comprehensive review of the state of the practice in the United States. Available: Spring 2015. 2. Development and Revision of University Course Materials—PBIC staff has solicited input from University course instructors around the US and globally to revise and improve course modules to use in teaching bicycle and pedestrian planning and design to students in the fields of planning, engineering, and public health. Based on input, new materials are in development. Available: Fall 2015. 3. Global Benchmarking Scan for Developing Safe and Connected Pedestrian and Bicycle Networks—
HSRC, in partnership with Kittelson and Associates, Inc., is working with a team of experts to research international examples of developing connected networks of pedestrian and bicycle facilities, ultimately making recommendations to FHWA for future projects involving international research. Available: Spring 2015. 4. Guidebook for Evaluating, Establishing, and Tracking Pedestrian and Bicycle Performance Measures—HSRC, in partnership with Kittelson and Associates, Inc., is developing this FHWA‐funded resource to provide guidelines for pedestrian and bicycle performance measurement. Available: Fall 2016. 5. Web Hosting for the Nonmotorized Toolkit—The Nonmotorized Toolkit, a collection of tools to model pedestrian and bicycle demand, is an open‐source software package developed by FHWA to support transportation data analysis and planning. A beta version is currently being supported by the PBIC as it undergoes user testing. Available: Summer 2015. 6. National Guidelines Project—PBIC is working with Toole Design Group to develop a series of matrices that show practitioners which national design guides cover a given treatment and where the treatment is discussed in each guide. There will be a matrix for three different types of facility: on‐street bicycle facilities, shared‐use paths, and pedestrian facilities. The resource covers multiple guidance documents from FHWA, ITE, AASHTO, NACTO, and the U.S. Access Board. The resource may also include other elements of street design that affect the safety and comfort of bicyclists and pedestrians (e.g., lane width, traffic calming features, etc.). Available: Early 2015. 7. Walk Friendly Communities—PBIC and FedEx support the Walk Friendly Communities program, recognizing cities and towns in the US that have demonstrated a commitment to pedestrian safety through engineering, planning, evaluation, education, and enforcement. The program makes designations on a bronze, silver, gold, and platinum level basis twice each year. In 2014, PBIC announced the 50th Walk Friendly Community. More information: http://www.walkfriendly.org/. For more, visit: www.pedbikeinfo.org or www.facebook.com/pedbike.