Designing high-quality, connected, and equitable bike networks is a fundamental part of building a sustainable and accessible transportation system. For bike networks to be successful, they must be safe and comfortable for people of all ages, abilities, and identities.

In 2011, NACTO released the first edition of the Urban Bikeway Design Guide–a first-of-its-kind guidance developed by cities, for cities–giving cities the tools and a permission slip to build better bikeways on their streets. Ever since, NACTO’s guidance has collectively codified a new vision for city streets: safe, vibrant, and inviting to bike on, based on designs created by cities. NACTO collects, vets, and standardizes new treatments, formalizing them into a resource endorsed by U.S. DOT and dozens of cities and states across the country. 

When it comes to implementing and expanding all ages and abilities bike networks, cities—and the staff who power them—are critical sites of innovation. NACTO member cities have built the first protected bikeways in North America, expanded urban transportation options to work with bike share and shared micromobility, planned for equity, and made conditions better for people biking with low-traffic streets, protected intersections, and other infrastructure improvements.

By facilitating conversations between bikeway design experts from cities across the country, NACTO cities are advancing best practices. Collective problem-solving has allowed cities to identify transformative solutions in all areas of their work, from planning to design and from implementation to maintenance. As cities align on best practices, NACTO documents and amplifies new standards by publishing practice-informed reports and design guidance.