Photo credit: Nancy Pierce, 2017 Statewide active transportation planning presents a unique challenge. How do you create a comprehensive, cohesive approach for biking and walking across numerous diverse and unique communities? It takes effective coordination and a depth of experience to develop an effective approach. From Alta’s experience completing numerous statewide active transportation plans across the […]
By: Matt Pinder, Senior Designer, EIT, Alta Planning + Design A commuter rail system is only as good as its ability to get people to and from stops and stations, known as the first- and last-mile (FMLM), yet far too often we take this critical aspect of the system for granted. Heavy reliance on car […]
Credit: Oakland Department of Transportation The draft update to Oakland, CA’s bicycle plan was released for public review and comment this month. The plan, called “Let’s Bike Oakland,” is part of a larger effort by the City of Oakland’s Department of Transportation (OakDOT) to practice equity-focused transportation planning. Alta Planning + Design was selected to […]
In 2015, the New Mexico legislature established a vision for a 500-mile, cross-state, recreational trail for hiking, biking, and horseback riding along the Rio Grande. With the intention of moving the Rio Grande Trail from vision to reality, the State Parks Division hired Alta to lead an 18-month master planning process. In December 2018, the […]
Last week we discussed eight Complete Streets 2.0 design principles that serve as a framework for successfully integrating new and emerging mobility options into our streetscapes. These principles allow us to adapt current designs, in response to new and shifting modes of transportation, while better balancing a street’s uses and services. Today, we’ll take a […]
By nature, community planning is forward looking and speculative. In forecasting future investments, we tend to look at factors such as historic trends and growth projections. When designing streets, we turn to industry standards that tend to plan for extreme events. This ranges from multi-lane highways built for rush hour to parking standards requiring a […]
What is Dockless Bike Share? As the name suggests, dockless bike share does not require a docking station — an expense that could sometimes limit the number of bikes a city could afford. With dockless systems, bicycles can be parked within a defined district at a bike rack or along the sidewalk. Dockless bikes can be […]
Rethinking Streets by Lisa Nisenson and Kate Whitfield This post is adapted from our original article for the Ontario Professional Planners Institute’s Ontario Planning Journal — “Integrating Resilience Within Planning”: Technology is already changing mobility in our communities. Emerging technology, especially autonomous vehicles, is expected to radically change systems, vehicles, employment, and investment decisions. Like any change, […]
LimeBike in Seattle, Washington. Credit: Alta Planning + Design Is Dockless Bike Share Right for Your Community? By New Mobility Group Shared-use mobility is part of a larger movement toward a “shared economy” and “collaborative consumption” (think Airbnb, Zipcar, Lyft, etc). Within that realm, the mobility sector is one of the fastest-growing segments based on revenue. […]
Improving our communities for active transportation requires change. This change must occur at a political level, continue to be supported at the staff level, and be accepted by the public in order to achieve success. This change is frightening for many as it represents extra effort, unknown consequences, and fears of liability, and it requires […]