The Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks Technical Assistance Center, sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration, recently completed the report Good Practices to Encourage Bicycling and Pedestrians on Federal Lands. The report was developed for federal land managers interested in creating or expanding bicycle and pedestrian options in their units and looking for more information about successful models and practices. Bicycle and pedestrian transportation has many benefits of interest to federal land managers, including resource protection, reducing green house gas emissions, achieving financial sustainability, and improving visitor enjoyment and health. After reviewing bicycle and pedestrian planning documents from federal land units and selected cities and counties, the technical assistance team identified 11 components of an effective bicycle and pedestrian plan: needs assessment; partnerships; goals, objectives, and performance measures; bicycle and pedestrian network plan; design guidelines; maintenance policy and procedures; pedestrian and bicycle support facilities; cost and funding analysis; encouragement, education, and enforcement programs; evaluation and monitoring; and updates. This paper describes each component and presents illustrative examples. The full report contains additional examples and a more in-depth discussion of each component of the plan.
As stated in the September 2006 Transportation Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Grand Teton National Park (GRTE, 2006), âBicycling has become an increasingly popular activity in [GRTE], despite the lack of designated bike lanes and bike paths. Evidence of the interest in bicycling occurs each spring, prior to opening the Teton Park Road to motor vehicles. After the road is cleared of snow by April 1, it remains closed to motor vehicles until May 1. During this time, it is available for non-motorized uses (e.g., bicycling, walking, wheelchairs, rollerblading). The popularity of these activities, especially with local residents, is evident on most days, and during nice weather when the Taggart Lake parking lot is often filled beyond capacity, with the overflow continuing down the road toward Beaver Creek.â Consequently, the plan recommends the adoption of separated shared-use pathways along several roadway corridors within the park. The purpose of these pathways is to enhance mobility for bicyclists and pedestrians in the park, while enhancing their safety by separating them from motorized traffic.
The 2006 Transportation Plan for Grand Teton National Park proposed 22.5 miles of multi-use pathways outside the road to enhance safety and mobility for travelers using non-motorized modes of transportation in the most visited and developed areas of the park. (Grand Teton National Park Transportation Plan 2006, 2007). Construction of the Phase I Pathway, a 7.7-mile segment between Dornanâs Junction and South Jenny Lake Junction along Teton Park Road began in June 2008 (Figure 1). This report summarizes research conducted by the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University before and after this construction occurred. Researchers counted non-motorized travelers, primarily bicyclists and pedestrians, and administered surveys to learn about visitor perceptions regarding the conditions for non-motorized travel in the park. The primary purpose of this research was to compare the conditions before and after Phase I Pathway was constructed. These results also offer a âpoint-in-timeâ glimpse of current non-motorized usage of this region of the park.
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