Alta recently completed a draft of California’s first statewide bicycle and pedestrian plan. This document provides strategies and actions to support bicycling and walking, with major themes throughout of improving active transportation data collection and data systems for the state. In support of this guidance, we developed a baseline data collection methodology for the state, […]
by Jeff Knowles, Associate Planner, Alta Planning + Design Almost halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles sits the small town of Coalinga (population 17,000). In many ways Coalinga is a typical Central Valley agricultural community — residents draw their livelihoods from nearby ranches, farms, and oil fields. Established as a coal refueling station for steam locomotives […]
By Ryan Johnson, Senior Planner, Alta Planning + Design If there is any drawback to living the dream of being an active transportation planner, it’s that the payback can be slow. It often takes years or even decades for a plan to come to fruition. That’s not the case, though, when developing an education and […]
As inter-city active transportation options start to become the norm, more ambitious goals for regional connectivity are now being explored. These large and inspirational projects have exciting implications for the future of the US in terms of our transportation systems, health, environment, economy and culture. For instance, as part of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan […]
Turlock is a rural city of about 70,000 residents in California’s Central Valley. The temperate climate and short rainy season make walking and bicycling an attractive option for much of the year. Most destinations in Turlock are within reach by bicycle — the town is roughly a square about 5 miles across. Its gridded street system makes […]
by Ryan Johnson, Planner, Alta Planning + Design During my seven years in Los Angeles living car-free, I’ve often surprised friends or new acquaintances when I show up for a conference, happy hour, or another social event without a personal automobile. “Wait, you didn’t take the I-10 to get out to the Westside?!” they’ll ask. […]
by Christopher Kidd, former Planner at Alta Planning + Design Why is there so much confusion about riding bicycles on the sidewalk? As someone who’s spent time as a bicycle planner in the public sector, in the advocacy world, and as a consultant with Alta, I’ve seen the full spectrum of opinions on the matter. […]
By Ryan Johnson, Planner, Alta Planning + Design “Mainstreaming the Bike in California.” That was the objective on everyone’s mind this past weekend at the California Bicycle Coalition’s statewide summit in Oakland. I traveled from L.A. with my colleague Jessie Holzer to share our experiences working on Safe Routes to School projects in Southern California, […]
by Mary Stewart, Senior Designer, Portland, OR Alta is currently designing a shared use pathway system that will serve folks driving Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) as well as cyclists and pedestrians in the Coachella Valley in southern California. Currently, we are developing design guidelines for shared use paths based on NEV geometries, speed (25 mph […]
