Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices. Topic 52-15. Measuring Investments and Benefits of Active Transportation Investments When Accomplished as Part of Other Roadway Projects

A variety of stakeholders and interested parties frequently ask state departments of transportation (DOTs) to provide data on active transportation project funding, such as bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Currently, DOTs do not use a uniform methodology for tracking these investments and may not track active transportation investments at all when they are accomplished alongside other non-active transportation-related roadway improvements. This is problematic because DOTs often accomplish active transportation improvements as part of other roadway projects to realize the efficiencies inherent in making changes across modes on a roadway at the same time. As a result of the difficulty in tracking active transportation investments when the project is not 100% dedicated to active transportation, states may be underreporting their investments in active transportation. DOTs may use formulas or other methods to estimate a breakdown of project costs, and splitting the project costs of these improvements may represent an extra burden to contractors, engineers, and DOT staff. However, accurate spending information would help DOTs better understand how to make projects more efficient, increase return on investment (ROI), and provide useful data to evaluate overall project performance. The objective of this synthesis is to document the methods that DOTs are currently using to track and record their investments in active transportation infrastructure when accomplished as part of other roadway projects. Information gathered includes (but is not limited to): (1) DOT tracking and valuation of active transportation project investments; (2) Methods of calculating ROI (including how to quantify the impact on communities, long-term mode shifts, commutes, congestion, car crash injuries and fatalities, and air quality); and (3) Examples of cost savings approaches. Information will be collected through literature review, a survey of DOTs, and follow-up interviews with selected agencies for the development of case examples. Information gaps and suggestions for research to address those gaps will be identified.  

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=4991
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Contract to performing organization has not yet been awarded.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $45000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-05, Topic 52-15

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Project Managers:

  Harwood, Leslie

• Start Date: 20200501
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bicycling; Infrastructure; Investments; Literature reviews; Return on investment; Savings; State departments of transportation; Surveys; Walking
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01739676
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-05, Topic 52-15
• Files: TRB, RiP
• Created Date: May 18 2020 3:05PM