Active Transportation

I would like to:

Get where I need to go without having to jump in a car each time

Combine my daily workout with my daily commute

Enjoy the Treasure Valley’s beautiful weather and scenery

Avoid traffic congestion…and even help reduce it

Do my part to keep our air clean

  All of the above

If you check the box for any of these answers, chances are active transportation—cycling, walking, skateboarding, and the like—is for you.

Active transportation is a safe, comfortable, and convenient human-powered mode of getting around by connecting residents and communities to employment, commercial, and recreational destinations. It also serves as the “first and last mile” for public transportation—providing the link between work, home, and transit stops.

Planning for Active Transportation

To plan for active transportation, COMPASS collects data on both supply (what facilities exist and what shape are they in?) and demand (how much are they being used and when?).

Supply:

  • The interactive Bike Walk Compass maps current and planned bicycle and pedestrian facilities to identify where gaps exist.
  • The COMPASS Data Bike measures trail roughness to help quantify and prioritize maintenance needs on pathways throughout the valley.
  • The 2019 Rails with Trails Feasibility and Probable Cost Study identifies a potential route, road crossings, costs, and more for a paved trail adjacent to the Boise Cutoff rail corridor.

Demand:

  • Sixteen permanent bicycle/pedestrian counters on pathways around Treasure Valley collect data 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on how and when pathways are used, allowing COMPASS to better understand how much use pathways receive and seasonal and daily trends.
  • Forty-one portable bicycle/pedestrian counters are deployed by COMPASS for short periods on behalf of member agencies to assist in site-specific planning.

2050 Regional Pathways and Bikeways Priorities

Communities in Motion 2050 identifies 13 high-priority, unfunded, regional pathway segments. These segments were identified and prioritized through a rigorous process by the Active Transportation Workgroup and will be the focus of new or enhanced pathway funding.

Map depicting the 2050 prioritized regional pathways in Ada and Canyon Counties.

Active Transportation and Communities in Motion 2050 Goals

Enhanced Active Transportation infrastructure will support Communities in Motion 2050’s four goal areas:

Safety

is a vital consideration for active transportation. It is imperative to provide safe accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians, the most vulnerable network users.

Economic Vitality

is complementary to active transportation. Studies show a variety of economic benefits are positively correlated with an increase in active transportation.

Convenience

is an important aspect of active transportation and can be improved if human-powered transport is made easily accessible to all.

Quality of Life

is closely linked to active transportation, as it bolsters mental and physical health, serves as an environmentally considerate means of transportation, and provides options for those who can’t or don’t drive.

How else does active transportation support regional transportation goals?