Counts+ Low-Stress Active Transportation Network Implemented

Bicycle emoji silhouette.

Creating low-stress, comfortable active transportation infrastructure is essential for attracting more people to walk, bike, or use other modes of active transportation. Among potential users, the “interested but concerned” group consists of people who would like to bike or walk more but are discouraged by safety concerns. Adding low-stress bike facilities to bikeway networks can address these concerns, making active transportation a more attractive option for both commuting and recreation.


Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) is a framework that quantifies how comfortable or stressful a roadway or trail is for bicyclists based on their interaction with vehicle traffic. It assigns a numeric stress level to roads and trails based on factors such as traffic speed, lane width, traffic volume, and intersection design. Low-stress active transportation facilities are essential for attracting users of all abilities, especially those who feel unsafe riding near moving vehicles.

Resources

PDF instructions for this metric

Excel tool for this metric