The Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks report is a resource and idea book intended to help small towns and rural communities support safe, accessible, comfortable, and active travel for people of all ages and abilities.
by Federal Highway Administration
The Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks guide is a design resource and idea book to help small towns and rural communities support safe, accessible, comfortable, and active travel for people of all ages and abilities.
In many small towns and rural communities, active transportation is even more common than it is in urban areas. However, infrastructure to support active transportation is often limited or absent. Many small and rural communities are located on State and county roadways that were built to design standards that favor high-speed motorized traffic, resulting in a system that makes walking and bicycling less safe and uncomfortable. These roadways can be retrofitted and redesigned over time to provide a transportation network that better serves the safety, health, and economic interests of the community.
This guide is a resource for practitioners developing and promoting multimodal networks in small and rural communities. The opportunities for road design highlighted in this document build on a broad range of existing national design guidelines and references. This guide translates existing street design guidance and best practices for bicycle and pedestrian safety and comfort to the rural context, and provides examples of how to interpret and apply these design practices to create safe, accessible, and comfortable multimodal networks.
Attached document published December 2016
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), part of the US Department of Transportation, provides expertise, resources, and information to improve the nation's highway system and its intermodal connections. The Federal-Aid Highway Program provides financial assistance to the States to construct and improve the National Highway System, other roads, bridges, and trails.
posted Apr 17, 2024
This report summarizes guidance and best practices to create safer bicycle facilities and connect them into networks that allow more people to safely bike to more places within and throughout communities.
Making Transportation Planning Applicable in Tribal Communities Research Study: Final Report
posted Dec 20, 2023
The Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Office of Tribal Transportation (OTT) planning staff have observed two challenges in Tribal transportation planning: (1) that existing planning analysis tools do not always align with Tribal community context and needs and (2) it is not always clear what benefits planning provides to transportation project selection and delivery in Tribal communities.
Tribal Development of Trails and Other Dedicated Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure
posted Dec 19, 2023
This white paper provides information and resources for Tribes, Tribal trails and active transportation advocates, and agencies that may partner with Tribes on trail projects including Federal and State agencies, MPOs, county and local governments, and community organizations.
Rails to Trails Conservancy's TrailNation™ Playbook
posted Dec 13, 2023
Rails to Trails Conservancy's TrailNation™ Playbook brings the decades of experience building trail networks across the country to a resource of case studies, best practices and tools for trail network development on a local and national level.
637 views • posted 11/01/2023
