Caltrans Really Is Becoming More Bike and Walk Friendly

News flash: California has become only the third state to endorse the National Association of City Transportation Officials’ (NACTO) Urban Street Design Guidelines to enable more walk and bike friendly projects such as protected bike lanes.

2 minute read

April 12, 2014, 7:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


Santa Barbara sidewalk

La Citta Vita / Flickr

"With their statewide endorsement, Caltrans becomes the third State Department of Transportation to officially endorse the [Urban Street Design Guide and Urban Bikeway Design Guide] following Washington state DOT’s endorsement in December 2013 and Massachusetts state DOT’s endorsement in early April 2014," writes Corinne Kisner.

Emma Shlaes, Advocacy Coordinator at Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, explains how the endorsement simplifies bike and pedestrian planning in California. "This means that cities will now able to implement innovative bicycle infrastructure without going through the Caltrans design exception process," she emailed in an alert to all SVBC members.

The endorsement follows January's independent Caltrans review that called for "sweeping reforms of the department to improve mobility in the face of environmental challenges and a decline in the number of miles driven by Californians."

Malcolm Dougherty, Director of Caltrans, made the surpise announcement at NACTO’s Cities for Cycling Road Show in Oakland on Thursday, April 10.

“California’s transportation system must be multimodal and support bicycles and pedestrians as well as automobiles,” said Dougherty. “Caltrans’ endorsement of these innovative street design options is an important part of modernizing our approach to improving transportation for all Californians.”

Melanie Curry of Streetsblog LA writes that while the announcement wasn't a total surprise to bicycle advocates, it was welcomed by all who had gathered at the Oakland event. Now the ball lands in the court of city transportation planning staffs and walk and bicycle advocates to plan for the "many innovative bicycle infrastructure designs, including bike boxes, and separated, protected bike lanes" that are included in the NACTO guides.

Friday, April 11, 2014 in NACTO

Sweeping view of Portland, Oregon with Mt. Hood in background against sunset sky.

Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary

Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.

March 12, 2024 - Housing Wire

Aerial view of green roofs with plants in Sydney, Australia.

Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024

A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.

March 10, 2024 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Cobblestone street with streetcar line, row of vintage streetlights on left, and colorful restaurant and shop awnings on right on River Street in Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts

From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.

March 12, 2024 - Strong Towns

Aerial View of Chuckanut Drive and the Blanchard Bridge in the Skagit Valley.

Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding

The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.

March 18 - The Seattle Times

Historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles with large "Pan American Lofts" sign on side of building.

Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly

The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.

March 18 - Beverly Press

View from above of swan-shaped paddleboats with lights on around artesian fountain in Echo Park Lake with downtown Los Angeles skylien in background at twilight.

LA's Top Parks, Ranked

TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.

March 18 - TimeOut

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.