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Strategies > Transportation Infrastructure > Pedestrian Infrastructure

Pedestrian Infrastructure

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Photo: pedbikeimages.org/ Dan Burden
Pedestrian infrastructure includes sidewalks, trails, crosswalks, and intersection designs. ​Increased sidewalk coverage, increasing the connectivity of pedestrian walkways, and adequate sidewalk widths are included in this strategy. Street lighting and landscaping are additional micro-scale design elements that facilitate walking.

Planning and designing streetscapes for a range of users--vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians--is the aim of Complete Streets policies and projects. The research construct for Pedestrian Infrastructure (Community Guide, 2016) and Complete Streets (County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2017) are similar, so they are both included here under the strategy of Pedestrian Infrastructure. 



Proven Outcomes

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Increased Physical Activity
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Increased Walking
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Increased Pedestrian Safety
​Pedestrian infrastructure is a recommended strategy for increasing physical activity and increasing walking, (Community Guide, 2016; County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2017) and a scientifically supported strategy for increasing pedestrian safety (County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2017). 

Likely Outcomes

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Reduced Vehicle Use
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Reduced Air Pollution
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Improved Aesthetics
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Improved Physical Fitness
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Improved Sense of Community
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Reduced Stress
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Reduced VMT
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Reduced GHG
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Increased Economic Activity
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Increased Employment
Postulated benefits include reduced vehicle use, reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and air pollution. Pedestrian infrastructure benefits can include increased active transportation, reduced obesity rates, reduced rates of pedestrian and cyclist injuries, reduced stress, and improved aesthetics and positive user perceptions of space. Pedestrian infrastructure may enhance economic activity and increase employment (Community Guide, 2016; County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, 2017). 

Equity and Inclusion

  • Pedestrians are disproportionately injured and killed on US roadways. While overall rates of deaths from traffic crashes decreased in 2018, pedestrian deaths increased; in fact, they are the highest they have been since 1990 (NHTSA, 2019). 
  • Drivers are less likely to yield to Black pedestrians attempting to cross the street in crosswalks, suggesting driver bias may play a role in Black pedestrian deaths (Coughenour et al., 2017, paywall; Goddard et al., 2015, paywall).
  • People of color, especially Black people, may fear harassment or violence while walking. As such, an approach that only incorporates environmental interventions will not directly address racist violence.
  • Street lighting may improve resident perception of safety.  
  • Consider the needs of people with disabilities in your pedestrian network, including those who use mobility devices, deaf people, low-vision or blind people, and those with developmental disabilities. Contact your local Center for Independent Living for help in assessing pedestrian accessibility for these populations. 
  • To map sidewalk accessibility, use the open-source platform Project Sidewalk.

Complementary Strategies

  • Local Accessibility
  • Residential Density
  • Land Use Mix
  • Street Network Connectivity
  • Traffic Calming
  • Transit Access

Implementation Guidance

Guides & Reports
How to Make Change
[Website]





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America Walks, 2021
A Guide to Building Healthy Streets

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ChangeLab Solutions, 2016​​
Metropolitan Planning Organization Ideas to Improve and Provide More Walking and Bicycling Projects
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Transportation for America & American Public Health Association, 2017
Reducing Climate Change Impacts on Walking and Cycling


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C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, 2020
Envisioning Healthy Corridors: Lessons from Four Communities



Urban Land Institute, 2019
Universal Design Guide Book



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​Wishcamper Partners & UrbsWorks, 2020
Evaluating Complete Streets projects: A Guide for Practitioners
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​AARP, Smart Growth America, & National Complete Streets Coalition, 2015​
Research Reports & Briefs
NCHRP Research Report 992: Guide to Pedestrian Analysis



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Transportation Research Board, 2022
Model Policy & Codes
The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2018
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Smart Growth America & National Complete Streets Coalition, 2019​​​
Tools
Pedestrians First: Tools for a Walkable City


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Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, 2020
Building Healthy  Corridors: Transforming Urban and Suburban Arterials into Thriving Places

Urban Land Institute, 2016
Universal Design Elements



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NACTO, n.d.
Design for Walkability: An Initiative to Retrofit Suburban Communities


SPUR, n.d.
Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2020 Preliminary Data


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Governors Highway Safety Association, 2021
Walk Audit Tool Kit and Leader Guide





​AARP, 2016
The Urban Street Design Guide





NACTO, n.d.​
Complete Streets for Health Equity: An Evaluation of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish
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SGA & National Complete Streets Coalition, n.d.
Health in Transportation Corridor Planning Framework


​Federal Highway Administration, n.d.
​Pursuing Equity in Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning


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​Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, 2016
Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach

​The Institute of Transportation Engineers & the Congress for New Urbanism, 2010
Built Environment Evaluation: A Guide for Evaluating Built Environment Projects in a Public Health Context
Tennessee Department of Health, 2017
Rethinking Streets: An Evidence-Based Guide to 25 Complete Street Transformations

Sustainable Communities Initiative, 2013
The Benefits of Street-Scale Features for Walking and Biking



American Planning Association, 2015
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  • Home
  • About
  • Service Areas
  • Clearinghouse
    • Goals >
      • Physical Activity
      • Bicycling
      • Walking
      • Equity and Inclusion
      • Greenhouse Gas Emissions
      • Vehicle Miles Traveled
    • Strategies >
      • Transportation Infrastructure >
        • Bicycle Infrastructure
        • Pedestrian Infrastructure
        • Traffic Calming
      • Transportation Demand Management >
        • Active Travel to School
        • Employer-Based Trip Reduction Programs
        • Parking Availability and Pricing
        • Road User Pricing
        • Voluntary Travel Behavior Change Programs
      • Land Use Strategies >
        • Local Accessibility
        • Regional Accessibility
        • Residential Density
        • Land Use Mix
        • Street Network Connectivity
      • Public Transit >
        • Transit Access
        • Transit Service
      • Engagement >
        • Community Engagement
    • Emerging issues
    • Approach
  • News
  • Contact