The material presented here is excerpted from a CD-ROM developed as part of a series of workshops developed by the New York Bicycling Coalition*. It contains a series of powerful tools in electronic form which advocates and professionals can use to improve bicycling and pedestrian safety in their communities.

The first three sections provide a common base of information for the local advocates and government officials to use in discussing future safety improvements. These can be used to frame the important issues, develop the concepts and provide ideas on implementing corrective measures in the years ahead.

Bicycling and Pedestrian Improvements
Bicycles are considered vehicles by New York state law. As such, they are to be driven on roadways not sidewalks. They are to be operated in a predictable fashion like all other vehicles governed by traffic laws.

Generally, effective cycling and sharing the road, is all that is needed in slow speed and low volume conditions. However, as motorized speeds and volumes increase, bicyclists need more space and protection from cars, trucks and buses. This section is organized in a matrix using volume and speed as variables.
There are many simple, cost-effective improvements that can be made to our existing road networks to enhance the safety for these users under a variety of different traffic conditions. This section deals with roadway improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Pedestrian Facility Improvements
Because walking is slow and sometimes unpredictable, shared facilities can only be used safely when vehicular speed and traffic volume is extremely low. Pedestrians need complete separation from vehicular traffic when speeds and volumes increase. Generally the ideas are grouped into two categories; crossing vehicular traffic and pathway improvements.

Education and Enforcement
This section deals with the broader topic of traffic education and law enforcement. Improvements in these areas are equally important to enhancing the safety of the non-motorized public.

Organizing a Workshop
This section is devoted to the process of getting the advocates and officials together in organized workshops to plan improvements and affect the required changes in the years ahead. Included are specific modules for different types of groups.

Other Resources
Finally, we have compiled a variety of other resources for community planners to use in making our twenty-first century transportation networks more bicycling and pedestrian friendly.

Funding for this project was made possible by the Governor's Traffice Safety Committee.

*NYBC's Mission is to provide a coherent, credible voice for the interests of all bicyclists in the state, on- or off-road, recreational or racer. We achieve this by working with existing cycling clubs in New York and interested individuals.

For more information, contact:

Lois Chaplin
Extension Associate and
Bicycle Safety Specialist
326 Riley Robb Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14850

607-255-2498; 4080-fax
http://www.bike.cornell.edu/