PL 48, Estimation of Benefits from Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements

Abstract PL 48, Estimation of Benefits from Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements In recent years, there is a resurgence in walking and biking trips in the USA. The 2009 National Household Travel Survey estimated that walking and biking trips account for roughly 11.9% all trips, higher than the 9.5% estimated in 2001. Bicycle use as a transport mode has also increased--between 1977 and 2021, the share of bicycle trips as a percentage of total trips more than tripled from 0.6% to 2.1%. These trends point to the need for increased project-level accommodation of pedestrians and bicyclists. KYTC wishes to find a balance that weighs pedestrian and bicycle facility needs against the needs of motorists. Establishing a process to evaluate the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists and identifying projects that could fulfill those needs is an important part of attaining this balance. Central to this is the ability to estimate the benefits and associated costs of proposed projects or project elements. Objective methods to accomplish this could help agencies demonstrate project benefits and establish the relative importance of each project within the roadway network (e.g., SHIFT). This is the goal of the proposed project.