Active transportation is human-powered mobility, such as biking or walking.
Active transportation directly replaces motor vehicle miles traveled, so these modes are effective at reducing vehicle emissions, bridging the first- and last-mile gap, conserving fuel, and improving individual and public health. Bicycles, electric bikes, wheelchairs, scooters, skateboards, and walking are all considered active transportation.
Information about related movements, including Complete Streets, Vision Zero and Safe Systems Approach, and Safe Routes to School can be found here.
Benefits of Active Transportation
Visit the US DOT’s Active Transportation page for information on the benefits of active transportation and active transportation infrastructure.
Visit the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center for information related to active transportation and safety, economy, environment, equity, and health.
Visit Paths to Biking, Walking Improvements Supported by Wealth of Research by the Transportation Research Board for additional information on research that supports walking and bicycling.
Active Transportation in California
While California has made strides in its support for people walking and bicycling over many years, there is still much more needed to increase safety and use of active transportation.
Based on the 2022 American Community Survey, 2.41 percent of California commuters walk to work and 0.74 percent of commuters bike to work (Benchmarking Report).
In 2021 in California, 26 percent of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes were pedestrians and 2.9 percent were bicyclists. Visit the UC Berkeley SafeTREC Traffic Safety Facts for more information on Bicycle Safety and Pedestrian Safety data.
Visit the Project Profiles to learn more about case studies of active transportation projects in California.
National and State Support
There are many national and state agencies and organizations that provide information and support for active transportation. Visit these websites for additional resources.
National Agencies and Websites
US DOT Active Transportation Website – information about federal active transportation programs, funding, and initiatives
FHWA Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety – federal projects, programs, and materials for use in reducing pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities
FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program – information on federal policy, funding, guidance and other resources
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center – information, publications, and webinars on walking and bicycling
National Center for Rural Road Safety – hub for rural road safety training, resources, and technical assistance
State Agencies and Websites
Caltrans Office of Complete Streets – state active transportation data sources, plans, policies, technical tools, and resources
Caltrans Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety – state pedestrian and bicycle safety initiatives and resources
