Despite being used successfully for decades in Europe, Advisory Bike Lanes (also known as advisory shoulders), are an emerging facility type in North America and can be an effective tool for communities to provide bicycle lanes on streets that are otherwise too narrow to accommodate them. Alta’s Innovation Lab has produced a white paper that […]
The balance between improved perception of safety and improved connectivity can be difficult to strike. Bikeways are often considered safer if they involve little, if any, interaction between people bicycling and people driving or if greater degrees of physical separation are placed between a bikeway and a travel lane with heavy traffic volumes and/or high […]
All Ages and Abilities Crossing of a Major Arterial from Atlanta Regional Commission Bike to Ride. Creating a Low Stress Bicycle Network We like to think that all people could potentially become bicyclists. A bicycle network will attract a large portion of the population if it is designed to reduce stress associated with potential motor vehicle conflicts […]
Alta worked with Google to identify ways to decrease bicyclist stress and increase bicyclist comfort and connectivity to their Mountain View headquarters through a customized Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress Analysis. Measuring Bicycle Network Connectivity and Comfort Originally developed by researchers at the Mineta Transportation Institute, Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) quickly assumed the mantle […]
Improving our communities for active transportation requires change. This change must occur at a political level, continue to be supported at the staff level, and be accepted by the public in order to achieve success. This change is frightening for many as it represents extra effort, unknown consequences, and fears of liability, and it requires […]
Developing a Downtown Master Plan in Laurens, South Carolina How can a community develop an active, healthy downtown? The short answer is: create a place for people. The long answer is: leverage economic, physical, and cultural assets to build the foundation for a livable, vibrant place where people want to live, work, and play. Alta’s Greenville […]
The Significance of Design Guidelines for Small Towns and Rural Communities Until recently, photographs showcasing best practice bicycle and pedestrian design throughout the US had something missing. Design guidelines generally featured transit lanes, five story buildings, and wide sidewalks; all contemporary and innovative facilities were considered to be “urban” in nature. Missing from the conversation […]
Photo credit: City of Fort Collins By Joe Gilpin and Tom Natwick, Alta Planning + Design How do cities better serve residents in providing bikeways that will appeal to a wider spectrum of their residents, be safer and induce more use? The vast majority of bicycle involved crashes occur at intersections along collector and arterial streets; […]
by Lisa Nisenson, New Mobility Lead, Alta Planning + Design According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, almost half of U.S. states have enacted legislation allowing testing and pilot programs for autonomous vehicles. This year, 33 states have introduced legislation for new or expanded programs. At the local level, transportation and planning news feeds increasingly […]
By Phil Goff, LEED AP, Senior Associate, Alta Planning + Design As bike share continues to become increasingly popular in the U.S., Detroit can now be counted among the over 70 cities that feature the program. For Detroit, bike share is one component of the revitalization that has occurred in the central city over the […]
