blog
January 2025
Bicycle Policy / Mobility
Mobycon Supports FHWA New Bikeway Resource Guide
As US cities work hard to improve the quality of bikeways, there is an ever-growing need for practical resources to help stay ahead of new developments within the field. It is for this reason that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) set out to develop a new resource to support transportation practitioners in making informed decisions about trade-offs relating to the selection of bikeway types.
Mobycon was pleased to collaborate with the FHWA, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, and Toole Design Group to advise on the development of this important resource. Our role was to ensure that the guide was well positioned within the context of international best practices and decision-making tools. Our recommendations not only referenced the highly regarded CROW “Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic”, but how to adapt it to the US context. This included careful integration of Dutch Sustainable Safety principles. This proactive safe systems approach to Dutch Vision Zero has evolved over the past 30 years, resulting in world-renowned bicycle facilities that cross the entire nation. The goal was not to copy international best practices but to draw inspiration when developing a made-in-America approach to bikeways.
The recently approved guide incorporates and builds upon the FHWA’s active support for design flexibility and connected, safe, and comfortable bicycle networks. This guide references existing national resources and outlines a process for balancing trade-offs by identifying the desired bikeway type, assessing and refining potential options, and evaluating feasibility. The hope is that this resource will accelerate the delivery of high-quality multimodal projects that improve safety for everyone and meet the transportation needs for people of all ages and abilities.
Stay tuned for FHWA updates on free ongoing technical assistance over the next two years. To learn more about Mobycon’s role on the project or how we work with clients and partners in the US, please contact Mary Elbech.
Download the full guide here: https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa18077.pdf
About Mary
Mary is an Integrated Mobility Consultant based out of our US office in Durham, North Carolina.
‘To me, the most important parameter when working with mobility is always the human experience.’
Contact Mary
m.elbech@mobycon.com; +1 (704) 740-0614