Anaheim is Setting the Pace in Active Transportation

Remember May 23, 2017 as the day that produced a huge leap forward for active transportation in Anaheim California.

The day began with Caltrans’ adoption of the first-ever statewide bike and pedestrian plan, Toward an Active California. This Plan outlines policies and measures that the state can take to help reach its goals of increasing bicycling and walking in California while reducing fatalities among bike riders and people walking. Caltrans’ stated goal is to make walking and bicycling so safe and comfortable that anyone could choose to walk or bike for at least some of their trips.

The day ended with the Anaheim City Council adoption of the 2017 Bicycle Master Plan, with the goal to improve bicycling safety, comfort, and accessibility. Its 11 pm adoption fittingly followed a workshop on affordable housing. Transportation is the second highest household expenditure after housing, and bicycling increasingly serves as an economical transportation mode in many cities. During Plan preparation, several Census Tracts in Central, West and South Anaheim were seen to have bicycle to work commute percentages of two to five percent. Sixteen of the top 20 proposed bikeways are in these areas, and will encourage more work commutes and more non-work trips by bicycle.

The table is set for active transportation projects to deliver health, safety and welfare benefits to Anaheim residents. At its May meeting the California Transportation Commission agreed to accelerate its allocations of funds for approved Active Transportation Program (ATP) projects. This is possible because S.B. 1, the transportation funding bill recently passed by the state legislature, included an annual increase of $100 million for the ATP, a more than 80 percent increase over current funding levels. The increase in ATP funding is expected to encourage more applications in future rounds of the program. Updates to existing ATP guidelines are expected at the end of June, and Anaheim is ready to deliver active transportation benefits.

About the Author

John Lower is Associate Vice President, Roadway Sensors at Iteris.

Connect with John on LinkedIn.