How Cities Served Cyclists And Walkers In 2016

Last year, cities such as Atlanta and Los Angeles approved sizable allocations for walking and biking infrastructure, with nine-figure plans to improve bike lanes, sidewalks, and mass transit systems.

Curbed analyzed how cities improved walking and bicycling conditions in 2016. Protected bike lanes and bike boxes became more common, and cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Baltimore introduced bike share systems. Cities also launched education and awareness programs for riders, pedestrians, and motorists.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration created the Vision Zero effort that focuses on redesigning streets. Even a game like Pokémon Go encourages millions of people to walk around.

In many ways, 2016 was a bad year for all commuters. Even as cities made vast expansions to their cycling networks, bike share programs, and pedestrian infrastructure, vehicle-miles driven grew to an all-time high. ... That doesn’t mean walking and biking investments aren’t paying off—rather it shows that the U.S. needs to double down on improvements to help even more Americans choose to get out of their cars.

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