Bicycle, pedestrian access ‘no longer afterthought’ in region

The number of bicycle and pedestrian lanes and trails has exploded in the Washington region during the past decade and that trend is likely to continue with the $530 million expected to be spent on improvement projects in the next 20 years, according to a new regional study.

The study, being compiled by Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Transportation Planning Board, shows more than 350 projects directly aimed at pedestrians and bicyclists are current working their way through individual jurisdictions. The projects — only 30 percent of which are currently funded — would add 680 miles of walking and biking paths across the region.