Download pdf - Active Transportation and Complete Streets in Rural Counties: From Advocacy to Implementation--Complete Streets in Rural Regions

Complete Streets in Rural Regions

Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning in Rural Regions

High existing levels of

1.0%

2.5% 3.4%

0.9% 1.4%

6.1%

10.6%

8.5%

11.3%

17.8%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

18.0%

20.0%

Ove

rall

Mo

de

Sh

are

Bas

ed

on

NH

TS

Bicycle Walk

Source: 2010 5-Year American Community Survey, B08301 Journey to Work – Combined with National NHTS Survey Data


Rural cities and towns are ideally sized to maximize bicycling and walking potential

• Average walking trip in US = 1.2 miles (50% are less than half mile)

• Average bicycling trip in US = 4 miles (60% are less than 2 miles)

Hamilton, MT


Bicycling and Walking accommodations can support tourism in rural regions

• Long-distance bicycle touring routes

• Access to rural business districts and natural resources

• Making connections to regional routes and trails


Other Reasons for Rural Bicycle/Pedestrian Planning:

• Health/livability

• Rural government easier to navigate

• Reduction of air pollution

• Reducing the need for high-cost transit/paratransit

• Slower pace of life

• Lower income areas


Rural Complete Streets:

• Still need to provide for all modes of transportation

• Still need to be part a larger network

• Different needs than urban walkways and bikeways due to frequency, funding and length

• Different funding sources

• Complete streets are often a unfamiliar concept in rural areas


State-owned highways:

• Often rural roadways are state-owned

• There is a need for more context sensitivity along rural state-owned highways.

Right: many rural highways show little change when they

pass through rural towns











After

Photo by Randy Dittberner, VDOT

Before


Photo courtesy of the Local Government Commission