Boosting Active Transportation at the Regional Level: Setting and Meeting Performance Measures How can Metropolitan Planning Organizations increase and best utilize support for active transportation? Learn about approaches from MPOs in Chattanooga and Atlanta in effectively engaging the public and other agencies, setting performance measures, and prioritizing active transportation projects. Presenters: Presenter: Jenny Park Chattanooga Regional Planning Agency Co-Presenter: Byron Rushing Atlanta Regional Commission

1. Redefining Non-Motorized Priorities
Presented to ProWalk/ProBike/ProPlace
Pittsburg 2014

2. Questions?
Hi Byron, I would be grateful if you can help me with some data related to crash areas (pedestrian and bike related):
Where is pedestrian and bicycle activity taking place?
What are the demographic characteristics of non-motorized transportation users?
How many pedestrian and bicycle facilities are available?
Where are existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities?
What is the quality of pedestrian and bicycle facilities?
Where are pedestrian and bicycle crashes occurring?
Which routes are the unsafe routes for walking to school? Thank you,

3. Our Current Plan

4. (our 1975 map)
Penetrator System Areas
Urbanized Area
Urbanizing Fringe

5. Current challenges…
Too Long:
“Regional” bicycle network does not translate to non-motorized travel patterns
Too Big:
Local priorities seldom align with regional assessment
Too Much:
Multi-Modal Level of Service tool is data intensive and poor resolution for regional assessments (but great for local centers)
Too Vague:
Not enough quality information about users (aka “customers”) or conditions across the region
Too Slow:
Low implementation rates for small projects and long times (5-7+ years) for advancement to construction

6. Understanding our “Customer”
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Under 18
18 to 24
25 to 34
35 to 44
45 to 54
55 to 64
65 to 74
75 or older
Male 62%
Female 38%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
Strong & Fearless
Enthused & Confident
Comfortable, but Cautious
Interested, but Concerned
No Way, No How
Level of Comfort

7. Bicycle Lanes
Side Paths
Safe Traffic
Direct Route
Bike Parking
Shower/Change
Scenery
Covered Parking
Other
Transport to School
Bike Shops
Parked Cars
Traffic Signals
Connects to Transit
Steep Hills
Loose Dogs
Big Intersections
Debris
Pavement Condition
Heavy Traffic
High Speeds
More Likely
Neutral
Less Likely
Understanding our “Customer”

8. Establishing a new framework…
Safety Mobility
Economic
Development
Implementation
Screening
Criteria
Crashes Connectivity Access Match
Exposure / Risk
Reduction
VMT Reduction Demand Urgency / Timeliness
Technical
Criteria
Crash Reduction
/ Crash
Modification
Factors
Level of Service
/ Traffic Stress
Equity
Supportive Policies &
Programs
Health Performance Record
Project Readiness /
Maturity of Concept

9. Establishing the Landscape: Crashes & Exposure

10. Establishing the Landscape: Connectivity
Regional Bicycle Facility Inventory highlighting gaps, barriers, and transit system access

11. Establishing the Landscape: Access
Opportunities to improve access to regional activity centers:
ratio of internal networks to surrounding areas

12. Establishing the Landscape: Demand
Factor
Weight
Population
16
MARTA Rail
12
Regional Center
12
Colleges /
Universities
10
Total Employment
10
Existing Bikeways
8
GRTA Bus
8
High ETA / Equity
8
MARTA Bus
8
Retail Employment
6
Schools
4

13. Shifting the Landscape: Mode Shift & VMT Reduction
Mining regional Travel Demand Model for trips by all modes <3mi

14. Shifting the Landscape: Driving Where We Could be Biking?
Ranking short-trip “opportunity zones” by current bicycle mode share (ACS)

15. Shifting the Landscape: Opportunities for Mode Shift
Linking short-trip “opportunity zones” to high-demand locations (proximity of origins & destinations)

16. Expanding into new factors:
Equity & Health Outcomes
Source: PLAN2040 HIA, Georgia Tech Center for Quality Growth & Regional Development
http://www.cqgrd.gatech.edu/research/atlanta-regional-plan-2040-health-impact-assessment
Source: Atlanta Regional Commission

17. Upcoming challenges…
Consumer- Orientation
Who is most likely to travel by foot or bike? Where are they? Where would they like to be?
Highlighting Opportunities
What is the right scale and where are the right locations for non-motorized trips?
Supporting
Growth
How do we investment to support current trips and grow the number of trips? How do we invest equitably?
Maps for Storytelling
Using images, maps, and graphics to dissect and illustrate many different contributing factors.
Data for Decision Making
Understanding travel patterns, gaps, and barriers to help make better funding decisions.
Having a Conversation
Better understanding priorities, establishing long-range visions, and supporting phased investments.
Getting Stuff Done
Increasing implementation rates with better scoping and pre-planning.

18. Challenge: Linking Factors to Funding
Clichéd, but… data driven decision making
Working with local sponsors to better develop high-priority projects that are “regionally significant”
Incorporate high-priority, high- return projects into our long- range RTP and aspirations (aka “on deck”) project lists
Funding projects that are designed for comfort, convenience, and safety

19. Challenge: Measuring & Metrics
Using evaluation tools at the right scale
Putting numbers to benefits – health, comfort, access, economy
and then… DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE MEASURES

20. Challenge: Equitable Investment & Outreach

21. Byron Rushing
RJ Eldridge
Bicycle & Pedestrian Planner
Vice President
brushing@atlantaregional.com
reldridge@tooledesign.com
Charlene Mingus
Benjamin Segrist
Intern
GIS Coordinator
cmingus@atlantaregional.com
bsigrist@tooledesign.com
Additional thanks to: