Costs for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Infrastructure Improvements: A Resource for Researchers, Engineers, Planners, and the General Public

Research Papers

Costs for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Infrastructure Improvements: A Resource for Researchers, Engineers, Planners, and the General Public

Description:

Bushell, M.A., Poole, B.W., Zegeer, C.V., & Rodriguez, D.A. (2013). Costs for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Infrastructure Improvements: A Resource for Researchers, Engineers, Planners, and the General Public. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Highway Safety Research Center.

A summary report can be downloaded here, and the full report can be downloaded using the link at the top of this page.

The database of costs can be downloaded here.

Report summary (credit to PBIC): Costs for pedestrian and bicycle safety infrastructure often vary greatly from city to city and state to state. This document (and associated database) is intended to provide meaningful estimates of infrastructure costs by collecting up-to-date cost information for pedestrian and bicycle treatments from states and cities across the country. Using this information, researchers, engineers, planners, and the general public can better understand the cost of pedestrian and bicycle treatments in their communities and make informed decisions about which infrastructure enhancements are best suited for implementation. By collecting countrywide cost information, this database should contain useful information for any state or city, even if costs from that particular state or city are not included for a given treatment.

A better understanding of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure costs will hopefully ensure that funding is allocated to pedestrian and bicycle improvements more efficiently. The goal is to encourage more communities to enhance facilities for non-motorized users and increase the safety of those choosing to walk and bike. Building a new roadway for automobiles can cost tens of millions of dollars to construct, and many of the pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure projects and facilities are extremely low-cost in comparison. This infrastructure can also serve to improve safety for all road users, while also promoting healthier lifestyles through more bicycling and walking. The tables provided in this document provide general estimates and cost ranges for 77 pedestrian and bicycle facilities using more than 1,700 cost observations, and are presented with a median and average price, the minimum and maximum cost, and the number of sources. By making more informed decisions about the costs of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure treatments, decision-makers will be able to dedicate funds to those treatments secure in the knowledge that these investments are often affordable as well as determine which treatment is the most cost-effective.

It must be noted that costs can vary widely from state to state and also from site to site. Therefore, the cost information contained in this report should be used only for estimating purposes and not necessarily for determining actual bid prices for a specific infrastructure project.

This report was funded by Active Living Research.