FHWA provides direct funding for bridge construction and maintenance, and is researching new types of bridges that can be built faster and be made to last longer. We are working with other federal, state, and local agencies to increase the miles of trails, highways, and roads that are accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists. This will result in a higher percentage of personal trips being taken by pedestrians and bicyclists, and provide greater access for persons with disabilities. To help states identify and address pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility concerns, FHWA provides technical assistance to federal, state, and local agencies. As a result, there has been increasing emphasis on pedestrian and bicycle safety issues in transportation planning across the country.
People hate to sit in traffic.
To find better solutions for urban congestion, we are examining national measures that have been developed and tracked over time. One such measure, produced by the Texas Transportation Institute, focuses on congestion in terms of driver delay and congested freeway travel in 68 large metropolitan areas. In fact, smaller urban areas have seen peak period congestion grow more rapidly than large metropolitan areas. During the same years, the percentage of travel in the small urban areas increased from 14 percent to 36 percent during congested peak periods. ITS will provide important tools to minimize some of the causes of urban congestion.