The Importance of Good Design back to top Well-designed bicycle and pedestrian facilities are safe, attractive, convenient and easy to use. It is costly to plan, design and build a facility that is little used, or is used irresponsibly because of poor design.
Inadequate facilities discourage users and unnecessary facilities waste money and resources.
Bicycle and pedestrian facilities must be considered at the inception of transportation projects and incorporated into the total design, so that potential conflicts with the safety and level of service for various modes are resolved early on. Sidewalks separated from the roadway with a planting strip create a pleasant environment for pedestrians. Only under special circumstances should designs allow bicyclists and pedestrians to share the same space, e.g. on multi-use paths. This creates competition for this valuable space. Pedestrians and bicyclists can be of any age and no license is required.