Caltrans recently announced support for the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) design guidelines which includes innovations such as buffered bike lanes and improved pedestrian walkways. The timing of this announcement further supports agencies putting together projects for the Active Transportation Program.

All streets within cities and towns may use the new guidelines. In addition to endorsing the new guidelines for local streets and roads, these guidelines can be referenced for city streets that are part of the state highway system. Caltrans is also evaluating the guidelines for future updates to the Highway Design Manual, the standard for building on the state’s highway system.

For additional information, the news release provides links to the NACTO Urban Street Design Guide and Urban Bikeway Design Guide.