Must pedestrian facilities be included in all projects?

Both FHWA and WSDOT require that bicycle and pedestrian facilities be included in new construction and reconstruction projects in all urbanized areas absent exceptional circumstances.

• 2010 FHWA Policy

Action Plan for Implementing Pedestrian Crossing Countermeasures at Uncontrolled Locations (pdf 2 mb)

This action plan provides recommendations for process change to help WSDOT better understand the overall system: 

• Where pedestrian crossing needs exist;
• How to prioritize unmet need and make best use of existing and future funding; 
• How to obtain the right mix of effective treatments. 

What design standards apply to projects?

The FHWA Federal-Aid Policy Guide provides that the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) or equivalent guides developed in cooperation with State and local officials, to provide uniform minimum standards and criteria for the design and construction of pedestrian and bicycle facilities. 

WSDOT has endorsed the National Association of City Transportation Professionals (NACTO) Urban Street Design Guide and some local jurisdictions have adopted their own standards that add to the AASHTO Guidance.

• AASHTO Guide for the Planning, Design and Operation of Pedestrian Facilities
• Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) 

WSDOT Pedestrian Design Guidance for State Highways (outside cities)

• WSDOT Pedestrian Design Guidance (pdf 2.0Mb)
• WSDOT Shared-Use Path Design Guidance (pdf 860kb)
• WSDOT Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge & Municipal Construction
• Pedestrian Facilities Guidebook (pdf 6.6Mb)

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

• ADA Standards
• FHWA Design Sidewalks and Trails for Access Part 1
• FHWA Design Sidewalks and Trails for Access Part 2  

Design Treatments

• Pedestrian Design Guidance National Pedestrian & Bicycle Info Center

Safety 

• Pedestrian Safety & Transit Corridors (pdf 3.3Mb)
• Pedestrian Crash Analysis Tool (PBCAT) 
• WSDOT Collision Report