PBIC Messenger

The PBIC Messenger is the free monthly newsletter from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. The PBIC Messenger features latest news, resources, webinars, upcoming events, and more. Subscribe to receive the next issue.

Current Issue:

March 2024

  • Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP)
  • USDOT Launches New Active Transportation Webpage
  • FHWA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Highway Safety Improvement Program
  • USDOT Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Funds Local Projects
  • FHWA Offers Proven Safety Countermeasures in Rural Communities
  • FHWA Announces Call to Apply to the Congestion Relief Program
  • FHWA "Equity in Roadway Safety" Webinar Series Kicks Off Today
  • New PBIC Info Brief on Creating Accessible, Equitable, Safe, and Complete Networks for Young Pedestrians
  • National Bike & Roll to School Day Opens May 2024 Registration

Past Issues:

February 2024

  • Apply for a USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant
  • USDOT Announces Updated Equity Action Plan and Transportation Data and Equity Hub
  • DOT Navigator Offers New and Updated Grant Application Resources
  • USDOT Launches $15 Million Complete Streets AI Initiative
  • USDOT Releases National Roadway Safety Strategy Progress Report
  • FHWA Announces Call to Apply to the Vision Zero Community Pairing Program
  • Intelligent Transportation System Technologies for Pedestrian Safety
  • National Program Offers Federal Grant Application Bootcamps

January 2024

  • Safe System Roadway Design Hierarchy Tool
  • Vulnerable Road User Research Plan
  • NHTSA Releases New Edition of MMUCC
  • Updated Countermeasures Guide for Highway Safety
  • USDOT Progress Report: 2021-2023
  • Reactions to and Recommendations for the Updated MUTCD
  • Winners of the USDOT Intersection Safety Challenge
  • Flexible Federal Share for Transportation Alternatives and Highway Safety Funds

December 2023

  • $1.5 Billion Available through 2024 RAISE Grant Program
  • New Edition of the MUTCD for Streets and Highways Now Available
  • Final Rule Establishes Greenhouse Gas Performance Measure
  • Safe System Approach for the Urban Core Report
  • FHWA Publishes Two New Trail Resources
  • FHWA Offers New Micromobility Webpage
  • TRB Workshop: International Innovations to Improve Pedestrian Safety on Urban Arterials

November 2023

  • Safe Streets and Roads for All Grants Awarded to 235 Communities
  • FHWA and Bureau of Transportation Statistics Release New Resources to Help State DOTs with ADA Transition Plans and Inventories
  • FHWA Updates Pedestrian and Bicycle Funding Opportunities Table
  • FHWA Design Standards Provisions
  • Vision Zero for Youth US Leadership Award Open for Applications through December 16
  • NHTSA Releases 2021 Summary of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes
  • Two Sets of Articles Offer Ideas and Resources for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety

October 2023

  • White House Technical Assistance Funding Guide Includes USDOT Opportunities
  • Learning from Australasia to Improve Pedestrian Safety Webinar Series Continues with New Supporting Resources
  • 2021 Crash Statistics for People 65 and Older
  • FHWA and FTA Virtual Peer Exchange on Integrating Asset Management Into Planning and Programming
  • New Case Study Documents Quick-Build Projects to Engage Community and Improve Safety for Youth
  • Lusaka, Zambia Receives Vision Zero for Youth International Leadership Award, US Leadership Award Now Open for Applications
  • Historic Joint European Cycling Declaration: Strategies to Unlock Cycling's Full Potential

September 2023

  • US Access Board: Notable Changes in Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines Final Rule
  • Thriving Communities Program Now Open for Applications
  • FHWA Launches Website for New Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Grant Program
  • States’ Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessments Will Be Complete by November 15
  • 2024 Environmental Excellence Award Nominations Due November 3
  • FTA Issues Advisory to Improve Safety for Pedestrians and Cyclists Around Buses
  • Applications for Transit-Oriented Development Planning Funding Opportunity Due October 10
  • New E-Scooter Safety Toolbox Provides Evidence-Based Guidelines
  • October Is National Pedestrian Safety Month
  • National Walk & Roll to School Day Is October 4

August 2023

  • US Access Board Issues Final Rule on Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines
  • USDOT Appoints Members of the Advisory Committee on Transportation Equity
  • Upcoming Webinar Series on Improving Pedestrian Safety on Urban Arterials: Learning from Australasia
  • New Resources to Engage Youth and Help with Walk & Roll to School Day
  • NHTSA Pedestrian Safety Month
  • State-by-State Implementation of Transportation Alternatives Program
  • Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning Applications Due October 10

July 2023

  • New Pedestrian Safety Zone Resources Support Systemic, Low-Cost Improvements
  • New Report Covers Comparative Study on Communities with High Rates of Pedestrian Injuries
  • Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program Deadline September 28
  • $2.2 Billion RAISE Program Grants Awarded
  • $20.9 Million Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund Grants Awarded
  • ITDP Launches Cycling Cities Campaign to Promote Benefits of Bicycling
  • FHWA E-Bike Resources
  • Free Small Community and Tribal Government Webinars

June 2023

  • International Study Focuses on Pedestrian Safety on Urban Arterials in Australasia
  • New Resource Shows How Quick-Build Safety Projects Can Improve Connections for Young Commuters
  • Upcoming Webinar on Using Sidewalk Inventories as a Tool for Equity and ADA Compliance
  • Upcoming Webinar on Youth-Engaged Design and Quick-Build Installation
  • Help NCHRP Researchers Evaluate Safety Culture and Perceptions
  • NHTSA Seeks Comments on Proposed Update and Rule That Aim to Protect Pedestrians
  • FHWA Launches IRA Implementation Website
  • Community Connectors Grants for Communities Harmed by Transportation Infrastructure
  • FRA Awards Over $570M in Railroad Crossing Elimination Grants

May 2023

  • FHWA Highlights Efforts to Improve Safety for People Walking, Bicycling, and Rolling Made Possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
  • FHWA Compiles Technical Assistance Resources
  • FHWA Details Recent National Roadway Safety Strategy Efforts
  • FHWA Awards $21.8 Million to 33 National Scenic Byways Projects
  • Apply for PROTECT Grant by August 18, 2023
  • New Interactive Tool Explores Impacts of Underinvestment in Transportation
  • NHTSA Issues Request for Comments on New Crashworthiness Pedestrian Protection Testing Program
  • Lusaka, Zambia Receives 2023 Vision Zero for Youth International Leadership Award
  • PBIC Remembers Public Health and Road Safety Champion and Collaborator, David Ragland

April 2023

  • Apply for a USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant by July 10
  • NHTSA Reports Increases in Pedestrian and Bicyclist Deaths in 2021
  • Case Study Features City of Seattle Strategies for Equitably Advancing Safe Walking and Biking for Youth
  • Bike & Roll to School Day Is One Week Away
  • Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Act Proposed
  • E-BIKE Act Revised, Reintroduced

March 2023

  • USDOT Reconnecting Communities Program Responds to Historic Injustices
  • Using RRR Projects to Expand Multimodal Networks
  • FHWA ‘Equity in Roadway Safety’ Webinar Series Launches April 17
  • Bike & Roll to School Day May 3: Registration Now Open
  • ITE Foundational Equity Glossary Draft
  • Transportation Alternatives Program State-by-State Quarterly Review
  • Intersections Initiative Helps Communities Apply for Active Transportation Funding

February 2023

  • USDOT Responds to Roadway Safety Crisis
  • USDOT and FHWA Award Funding for Projects to Improve Walking, Biking, and Rolling
  • Request for Information: Improving Road Safety for All Users on Federal-Aid Projects
  • The DOT Navigator: One-Stop Shop for Federal Grant Funding
  • Request for Comment: Draft MMUCC Guideline, Sixth Edition

January 2023

  • U.S. Blueprint to Remove All Emissions from the Transportation Sector by 2050
  • Screening Tool for Equity Analysis of Projects
  • 2022 Roadway Fatalities Overall Seem to Level Off, But More Bicyclists and Pedestrians Die
  • Paper on Predictive Safety Analysis in Montgomery County Receives TRB Award
  • Reminder: 2023 RAISE Grant Program Deadline in February

December 2022

  • Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting Sessions to Attend
  • “Arterial Roads and Pedestrian Safety” Presentation Slides
  • Talking Points for Children and Youth Active Travel
  • $1.5B Available through 2023 RAISE Grant Program

November 2022

  • UNC Highway Safety Research Center to lead national Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
  • Youth Active Travel Celebrated in October
  • ICYMI: Advancing Trails to Support Multimodal Networks Info Brief
  • Summary: USDOT Resources Prioritize Safety for People Who Walk, Bike, and Roll

March 2022

  • PBIC Messenger to Pause Newsletter Delivery
  • New FHWA Complete Streets Report to Congress
  • Bike and Roll to School Day May 4: Registration Now Open
  • The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Resources

February 2022

  • New USDOT National Roadway Safety Strategy and FHWA Update to Highway Safety Improvement Program
  • FHWA Active Transportation Funding and Financing Toolkit
  • PBIC Vision Zero for Youth Philadelphia Demonstration Project
  • FHWA Transportation Alternatives and Recreational Trails Reports
  • America Walks Walking College
  • 2022 AARP Community Challenge Grant

January 2022

  • AASHTO Issues Revised Pedestrian Facilities Guide
  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool, Version 3
  • Federally Funded Bridge Repair/Replacement Includes Accommodations for Pedestrians and Bicyclists

December 2021

  • USDOT Awards Nearly $1B in RAISE Grants
  • Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting Sessions to Attend
  • USDOT Invites Comments to Inform Strategic Framework

November 2021

  • Road Fatalities Spiked in First Half of 2021 and Speeding Still Higher than Pre-COVID
  • Call for Case Studies on Pandemic Era Street Redesigns Due November 24
  • 2022 Environmental Excellence Award Nominations Due December 15

October 2021

  • October is National Pedestrian Safety Month
  • Call for Nominations: 2022 NHTSA Public Service Awards
  • Apply for National Recreation Trail Designation

September 2021

  • Getting Back to School Together
  • New Edition of Countermeasures That Work
  • Walk to School Day 2021

August 2021

  • Sharing Spaces with Robots: The Basics of Personal Delivery Devices
  • Active Transportation Research Roadmap
  • Walk to School Day 2021
  • PBIC Remembers Esteemed Colleague, Janet Barlow

July 2021

  • "Understanding Crashes and Safe Behaviors to Help Prevent Them" Video Series
  • Rails-with-Trails Best Practices and Lessons Learned
  • 2020 Recreational Trails Program Annual Report
  • Safe Systems Summer Learning Series
  • US House Passes its Version of INVEST in America Act
  • Four New Livability Fact Sheets

June 2021

  • Request for Information on Transportation Equity Data by June 24
  • New USDOT Guidance for Transit-Oriented Development Project Loans
  • GAO to DOT: Recommendations to Improve Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety
  • Illinois to Ax Local Match for Walk/Bike Infrastructure

May 2021

  • Federal RAISE Grants to Modernize and Create New Infrastructure - Due July 12
  • National UTC Selects New Projects Focusing on Active Transportation
  • New Walk Friendly Communities Recognized
  • Call for Case Studies: Integrating Public Health in Public Land Transportation Planning
  • Call for Examples: Good Practices for Transportation to School

April 2021

  • Case Studies for FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Focus States and Cities
  • Micromobility: A Travel Mode Innovation
  • NHTSA Announces New Projects on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety
  • NTSB Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements
  • Milwaukee Receives Vision Zero for Youth Innovation Award
  • Reminder: Comments on the Updated MUTCD Due May 14
  • Proposed American Jobs Plan Provisions for Active Road Users

March 2021

  • Dangerous by Design 2021: Pedestrian Deaths Up 45%
  • Transportation and Health Researcher Call to Action
  • MUTCD Comment Period Extended to May 14, 2021, Webinars of Proposed Changes
  • Share Community Practices and Research Needs on E-Scooter Safety
  • Bike to School Day May 5: Registration Now Open

February 2021

  • New Journal Paper Shares Findings and Analysis of Shifting Streets Dataset
  • Preventing Pedestrian Injuries and Deaths Among School Bus Riders
  • FHWA Releases New Resources on Bikeway Selection
  • APBP 2021 Webinar Series
  • Book: Rethinking Streets During COVID-19
  • Book: Cycling for Sustainable Cities

January 2021

  • Proposed MUTCD Update Open for Public Comment Through March 15
  • USDOT Releases First Strategic Plan on Accessible Transportation, Extends Comment Period for Reference Hub on AV Accessibility
  • Create More Space for Children and Families Around Schools
  • PedPal App Makes Signalized Intersections Safer for Pedestrians with Disabilities

December 2020

  • PBIC Searchable Upcoming and Archived Webinar Database
  • Active Transportation Sessions at 2021 TRB Annual Meeting
  • USDOT Releases First Ped Safety Action Plan
  • PeopleForBikes Launches Advocacy Academy
  • Streetsmart Launches Beta Healthy Transportation Platform
  • Walk/Bike/Places Proposals: Crowdsourced Voting Open Dec. 14-21

November 2020

  • Dutch Reduce Default Speed Limit Nationwide
  • Cruise to Offer Driverless Passenger Service in San Francisco, CA
  • ICYMI: Health and Transportation Webinar Series Materials
  • Evaluation of Aesthetically Treated Crosswalks
  • Applications for Safe Routes to Parks Grants Due Dec. 18

October 2020

  • Ten Actions Needed by Developers Before Deployment of Automated Driving Systems Around Schools
  • New Guidance for Conducting Pedestrian and Bicyclist Road Safety Audits
  • FTA Announces $6.2 Million for Transit Planning in Communities Nationwide
  • NHTSA Releases 2020 Pedestrian Safety Month Playbook and Holds Webinar
  • New Injury Reporting Codes for Micromobility Modes
  • Safe Steps to the School Bus Stop
  • US Department of Interior Rulemaking on E-Bikes Finalized
  • Comment Now: Revised Policies for E-Bike Use in National Forests

September 2020

  • "Shifting Streets" COVID-19 Mobility Dataset
  • PBIC Health and Transportation Webinar Series
  • Shared Micromobility in the U.S.: 2019
  • NHTSA and FHWA Launch First National Pedestrian Safety Month
  • Walk to School Day October 7: Registration Now Open

August 2020

  • Walk to School Day 2020
  • City Limits: Setting Safe Speed Limits on Urban Streets
  • Designing Streets for Kids
  • Back to School Student Active Transportation Guidance and Resources

July 2020

  • PBIC: Toward a Shared Understanding of Pedestrian Safety: An Exploration of Context, Patterns, and Impacts
  • PBIC and National Center for Safe Routes to School: Planning Considerations for Walking and Rolling to School in Fall 2020
  • PBIC: Safety-Based Prioritization for Youth Pedestrian Travel Planning: Applying Systemic Pedestrian Safety Analysis to Youth Travel
  • USDOT Summit on Pedestrian Safety
  • FHWA: Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian
  • Update on FHWA Bikeway Selection Guide
  • Free Assistance Still Available for Scalable Risk Assessment Methodology

June 2020

  • New Resources on Transportation and Public Health
  • Considerations for Deploying Automated Driving Systems Around Schools
  • What Makes a "Biking" School? How Some Schools Have Pulled Ahead in Cycling Rates
  • NHTSA Early Estimate of 2019 Vehicle Traffic Fatalities
  • FHWA Publishes TPM/PBPP Implementation Workshop Interim Report

Spring 2020

  • PBIC CenterLines Partnership
  • PBIC Walking and Biking While Social Distancing Dataset
  • COVID-19 Resources and Tracking for Walking and Biking
  • National Highway Institute Bicycle Facility Design Training Course
  • Submit Comments for Federal Rulemaking on E-Bikes

Winter 2020

  • PBIC Researchers Contribute to Two TRB Award-Winning Papers
  • New Info Briefs Focus on Vision Zero for Youth
  • New Studies use 2017 National Household Travel Survey to Analyze Trends in Walking and Biking
  • City of Fremont Receives Vision Zero for Youth USA Leadership Award
  • Help Researchers Locate Signage and Bike Lanes to Assess Safety Performance

Fall 2019

  • New Micromobility Resources Provide Overview and Document Applied Practices
  • New University Course Materials Focus on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Topics
  • New Info Briefs on Student and Youth Travel Data
  • NTSB Meets to Adopt Findings and Recommendations of Recent Report
  • 2018 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes Overview

Summer 2019

  • New PBIC Automated Vehicles University Course Modules
  • New PBIC and PeopleForBikes Info Brief on Connectivity Measures to Evaluate and Build Bicycle Networks
  • Walk to School Day
  • NHTSA Early Estimate of 2018 Vehicle Traffic Fatalities
  • U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works: America's Transportation Infrastructure Act

Spring 2019

  • Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center Launches New Website with New Data Resource Tool
  • Communities Across the United States Celebrate Bike to School Day, Focus on Health and Safety
  • Darren Buck Joins Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) as New Pedestrian and Bicycle Program Coordinator
  • Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) Report on Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State
  • National Transportation Safety Board's Testimony on Every Life Counts: Improving the Safety of Our Nation's Roadways
  • National Safety Council: 2019 Road to Zero (RTZ) Safe Systems Innovation Grants
  • Recently Published Article Takes a New Look at Bicycle Crash Types
  • Rails to Trails Conservancy Unveils Great American Rail-Trail

Winter 2019

  • Summaries of Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities from US Department of Transportation (USDOT)
  • New Guidance for Bicycle Facility Selection from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
  • Data Visualizations for Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
  • Learn How to Develop Scalable Risk Values and Assess Exposure to Risk
  • Upcoming Webinars from PBIC
  • Dangerous by Design 2019
  • Speeding Away from Zero: Rethinking a Forgotten Traffic Safety Challenge
  • TRB Best Paper Awards Granted to Pedestrian and Bicycle Topics
  • Research Reconstructs Pedestrian Fatalities by Replacing Drivers with Automated Vehicles

Fall 2018

  • New Info Brief Provides Summary of Practice and Key Resources for Bicycle and Pedestrian Count Programs
  • Walk to School Day
  • New Workbook Outlines Strategies for Accelerating Multimodal Project Delivery
  • New Guide and Resources for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Risk Assessment
  • Guidance for Systemic Safety Analysis to Identify Sites for Improvements and Countermeasures
  • 2017 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes Overview
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Awards

Summer 2018

  • New Resource Available on Language of Highway Removals
  • National Park Service Active Transportation Guidebook: A Resource on Supporting Walking and Bicycling for National Parks and their Partners
  • Walk to School Day
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Releases Research Note on Pedestrian and Bicyclist Data Analysis
  • Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 2019 Environmental Excellence Awards
  • NHTSA Releases Ninth Edition of Countermeasures Guide
  • Every Day Counts Continues the Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) Program
  • Back-Up Cameras Are Now Required in All New Cars Sold in the United States

Spring 2018

  • Communities Nationwide Celebrate Bike to School Day
  • National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Release Report on Pickup Truck Collision with Multiple Bicycles
  • New Communities Receive Walk Friendly Designations
  • Governors Highway Safety Report (GHSA) on Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State
  • Crash Data Changes with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA)
  • National Lifesavers Conference on Highway Safety Priorities
  • National Household Travel Survey 2017 Data Now Available
  • FHWA releases Guide for Measuring Multimodal Network Connectivity
  • Road to Zero (RTZ) 2018 Safe Systems Innovation Grants
  • RTZ Coalition and the NSC Release Report for Ending Roadway Deaths

Winter 2018

  • Automated Enforcement Systems Info Brief
  • Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian Program Improves Safety
  • Leading Pedestrian Interval is now a Proven Safety Countermeasure
  • Summaries of Pedestrian and Bicycle Research and Program Activities from USDOT
  • Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Information Search Tool
  • Federal Register Notice on Automated Driving Systems
  • Interim Approval Rescinded for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons due to Patent Issue

Fall 2017

  • Contribute to the Open Access Ped Bike Image Library
  • Walk to School Day and Vision Zero for Youth
  • Updated Design Resource Index
  • 2016 Fatal Traffic Crash Data Now Available
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Awards
  • Eight Communities Receive Walk Friendly Designation

Summer 2017

  • New Resource Discusses Ped-Bike Safety and Mobility with the Rise of Automated Vehicles
  • New PBIC Homepage Section Features Popular Topics
  • Info Brief Defines Connected Bike Networks
  • Effective Evaluation of Pedestrian Safety Interventions
  • Teaching Computers to Drive Towards Vision Zero
  • Video Documentation Project Captures Near Miss Incidents

Spring 2017

  • New Communities Receive Walk Friendly Designations
  • Communities Nationwide Celebrate Bike to School Day
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Releases Annual Traffic Safety Facts for Bicyclists and Pedestrians
  • Governors Highway Safety Report Released on Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State
  • Safe Routes to School National Partnership Toolkit to Address Street Harassment—an Overlooked Barrier to Walking, Biking, and Physical Activity
  • Data for the 2016 Biking and Walking Benchmarking Report Now Available

To submit article ideas to the PBIC Messenger, please email pbic@pedbikeinfo.org.