Long Range Transportation Plan
Areawide Bicycle Plan

Bicycling and walking have been growing in popularity for years. More than one third of adults in Alabama enjoy bicycling for pleasure and many use the bicycle as a form of transportation. Walking is great exercise and thousands of people walk to work in the Birmingham area. There are many places in the region where walking is a pleasant activity because of sheltered sidewalks, multi-use trails, street trees, and destinations that are close to home. In many places, however, travel by foot and bicycle is dangerous. Communities are often isolated by major highways and thoroughfares, giving people no choice but to drive to every destination. Parents who grew up walking or riding their bikes to the local park are afraid to let their children do the same today, and with good reasons. In the city of Birmingham alone, a pedestrian is injured once every two days in a collision with an automobile, and half of them are school age children. Local and regional governments in Jefferson and Shelby Counties have recognized the importance of bicycling and walking, and have developed a plan that addresses these critical issues. The Birmingham Area Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenway Plan establishes new goals for the transportation system, and will serve as a blueprint to improve walking and bicycling conditions during the next 20 years.

Additional Documents:

Report Summary: Mean Streets 2004