Pedestrian Resources

» How To Use An Accessible Pedestrian Push Button

» Prevent Pedestrian Crashes: Parents and Caregivers of Elementary School Children

» Pedestrian Safety Tips

» Teaching Kids How To Walk Safely

» A Kid’s Guide To Safe Walking

» Pedestrian Safety Tips From The NHTSA

Cyclist Resources

» Bicycle Safety From The NHTSA

» Bike Safety Smarts for Teachers and Kids

» Bike Safety & Hand Signals

» Here’s How to Safely Teach Your Kids to Ride a Bike

» What’s Better for You and Your Child: Bike Seat or Trailer?

» Beginner’s Guide to the Most Common Bike Repairs

» Bicycle Safety for Kids: Handling Concussions and Other Common Bicycling Injuries

Industry Resources

11th Edition of the MUTCD, December 2023

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, or MUTCD defines the standards used by road managers nationwide to install and maintain traffic control devices on all public streets, highways, bikeways, and private roads open to public travel. The most current version of the MUTCD is the 2023 Edition.

US Access Board – 2023 Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recognizes and protects the civil rights of people with disabilities and is modeled after earlier landmark laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race and gender. To ensure that buildings and facilities are accessible to and usable by people with disabilities, the ADA establishes accessibility requirements for State and local government facilities, places of public accommodation, and commercial facilities. Under the ADA, the Access Board has developed and continues to maintain design guidelines for accessible buildings and facilities known as the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). ADAAG covers a wide variety of facilities and establishes minimum requirements for new construction and alterations.

Designing Accessible Crosswalks

ADA – Accessibility Guidelines

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures access to the built environment for people with disabilities. The ADA Standards establish design requirements for the construction and alteration of facilities subject to the law. These enforceable standards apply to places of public accommodation, commercial facilities, and state and local government facilities.

Accessible Pedestrian Signals – U.S. Legislation, Standards, and Guidance Applicable to APS

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) states that pedestrian safety considerations should be included in new transportation plans and projects. Section 1202 (g)(2) directed that they “…shall include the installation, where appropriate, and maintenance of audible traffic signals and audible signs at street crossings.” Required that FHWA develop guidance on pedestrian and bicycle facility design. A Policy Statement on Accommodating Bicyclists and Pedestrians in Transportation Projects was written, which includes the following statement: “Sidewalks, shared use paths, street crossings (including over- and under-crossings), pedestrian signals, signs, street furniture, transit stops, and facilities, and all connecting pathways shall be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so that all pedestrians, including people with disabilities, can travel safely and independently”. (TEA-21, 1998)

Accessible Pedestrian Signals – Where is APS Required?

All new and altered pedestrian signal heads installed at crosswalks must include “accessible pedestrian signals” (APS), which have audible and vibrotactile features indicating the walk interval so that a pedestrian who is blind or has low vision will know when to cross the street. Pedestrian push buttons must be located within a reach range such that a person seated in a wheelchair can reach them. The walk speed used to calculate the crossing time allows pedestrians with disabilities sufficient time to cross.

Accessible Pedestrian Signals – Guide to Best Practices

The content of this site is a product of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 3-62, Guidelines for Accessible Pedestrian Signals. This research study used extensive field testing to determine which APS features and locations are most beneficial for blind and visually impaired pedestrians. The website content was adapted from the document produced by the NCHRP study, entitled Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practices.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) is a national clearinghouse for information about health and safety, engineering, advocacy, education, enforcement, access, and mobility for pedestrians (including transit users) and bicyclists. The PBIC serves anyone interested in pedestrian and bicycle issues, including planners, engineers, private citizens, advocates, educators, police enforcement, and the health community.
MUTCD 2023

11th Edition of the MUTCD, December 2023

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, or MUTCD defines the standards used by road managers nationwide to install and maintain traffic control devices on all public streets, highways, bikeways, and private roads open to public travel. The most current version of the MUTCD is the 2023 Edition.
PROWAG 2023

US Access Board – 2023 Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recognizes and protects the civil rights of people with disabilities and is modeled after earlier landmark laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race and gender. To ensure that buildings and facilities are accessible to and usable by people with disabilities, the ADA establishes accessibility requirements for State and local government facilities, places of public accommodation, and commercial facilities. Under the ADA, the Access Board has developed and continues to maintain design guidelines for accessible buildings and facilities known as the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). ADAAG covers a wide variety of facilities and establishes minimum requirements for new construction and alterations.

Designing Accessible Crosswalks

ADA 2002

ADA – Accessibility Guidelines

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures access to the built environment for people with disabilities. The ADA Standards establish design requirements for the construction and alteration of facilities subject to the law. These enforceable standards apply to places of public accommodation, commercial facilities, and state and local government facilities.
APS Resources

Accessible Pedestrian Signals – U.S. Legislation, Standards, and Guidance Applicable to APS

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) states that pedestrian safety considerations should be included in new transportation plans and projects. Section 1202 (g)(2) directed that they “…shall include the installation, where appropriate, and maintenance of audible traffic signals and audible signs at street crossings.” Required that FHWA develop guidance on pedestrian and bicycle facility design. A Policy Statement on Accommodating Bicyclists and Pedestrians in Transportation Projects was written, which includes the following statement: “Sidewalks, shared use paths, street crossings (including over- and under-crossings), pedestrian signals, signs, street furniture, transit stops, and facilities, and all connecting pathways shall be designed, constructed, operated and maintained so that all pedestrians, including people with disabilities, can travel safely and independently”. (TEA-21, 1998)

Accessible Pedestrian Signals – Where is APS Required?

All new and altered pedestrian signal heads installed at crosswalks must include “accessible pedestrian signals” (APS), which have audible and vibrotactile features indicating the walk interval so that a pedestrian who is blind or has low vision will know when to cross the street. Pedestrian push buttons must be located within a reach range such that a person seated in a wheelchair can reach them. The walk speed used to calculate the crossing time allows pedestrians with disabilities sufficient time to cross.

Accessible Pedestrian Signals – Guide to Best Practices

The content of this site is a product of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 3-62, Guidelines for Accessible Pedestrian Signals. This research study used extensive field testing to determine which APS features and locations are most beneficial for blind and visually impaired pedestrians. The website content was adapted from the document produced by the NCHRP study, entitled Accessible Pedestrian Signals: A Guide to Best Practices.
PBIC

Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) is a national clearinghouse for information about health and safety, engineering, advocacy, education, enforcement, access, and mobility for pedestrians (including transit users) and bicyclists. The PBIC serves anyone interested in pedestrian and bicycle issues, including planners, engineers, private citizens, advocates, educators, police enforcement, and the health community.