The National Association of City Transportation Officials produces design guidance to broaden and advance the practice of urban transportation planning in North America. Written by and for cities, NACTO’s design guides center around building streets that safely accommodate all road users, including people traveling on foot, bike, and on transit.

NACTO’s street design guides are the first national-level guidance focused on the unique needs of urban areas and the many users of our streets, outlining city-approved engineering techniques to build streets as public spaces that are safer for all road users.

Since the Urban Bikeway Design Guide was first published in 2011, and the Urban Street Design Guide in 2013, NACTO and its contributing member cities have set a new bar for transportation design in North America. Hundreds of cities across the globe now rely on NACTO’s street design guidance to build safe, comfortable urban streets that accommodate all road users.

These publications are peer-reviewed graphic and technical resources for roadway designs that prioritize the movement of people–rather than vehicles–and serve as a reference point and proof of concept for city transportation departments looking to change the status quo on their streets.

Endorsements: The Urban Bikeway Design Guide has been endorsed by 57 cities and 8 states, and the Urban Street Design Guide has been endorsed by 51 cities and 9 states. The U.S. Department of Transportation has also given approval for the use of the guides, supporting the flexibility that these publications provide to cities building context-appropriate streets.