about the b-active plan
The B-ACTIVE Plan (the Plan) is the Active Transportation Plan for the Greater Birmingham region. The purpose of the Plan is to establish a clear vision for building and expanding a multimodal transportation network in Jefferson and Shelby Counties and parts of Blount and St. Clair Counties, with specific focus on creating a cohesive system of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. This Plan identifies and prioritizes strategic projects to build a safer, more connected, and equitable active transportation system for the region.
Developed by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham working on behalf of the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in conjunction with local municipalities, agencies and stakeholders throughout the region. The lead consultant on the plan was Toole Design Group, one of the top active transportation planning consultants in the United States. the Plan serves several purposes:
Developed by the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham working on behalf of the Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in conjunction with local municipalities, agencies and stakeholders throughout the region. The lead consultant on the plan was Toole Design Group, one of the top active transportation planning consultants in the United States. the Plan serves several purposes:
- Planning Process - The Plan describes the network planning processes and shares the narrative of engaging with those who live in and care about the Greater Birmingham region.
- Collaboration - It describes how the region can work together to support active transportation; it will address important transportation issues in the region, such as major barriers/gaps in the regional system, regional connectivity, and attracting new users.
- Guidance - The Plan is a guide for the MPO to plan, fund, and ultimately construct more connected active transportation facilities, providing guidance for the region’s local municipalities when developing their bicycle and pedestrian elements.
What is active transportation?
Active transportation, also known as non-motorized transportation, refers to the human-powered modes of travel such as walking and biking, primarily. The greater Birmingham regional transportation system currently lacks sufficient non-motorized provisions along many corridors where bicycling and walking should be viable travel choices–especially for short trips. In light of rising energy costs, an aging population, public health concerns, and an increasing demand for alternatives to motor vehicle travel, there is a growing need for infrastructure and development patterns that support what has widely become known as “active transportation.”
Pedestrian facilities such as sidewalks and bike facilities such as bike lanes are all considered active transportation.
Key questions of the b-active plan
- Where are the major gaps and barriers in the regional bicycle and trail system today?
- What is needed to attract new users to the active transportation network (i.e. to make people feel safer commuting by bicycle)?
- How can we increase regional connectivity?
- What and where are the key projects needed for implementation?
why is the b-active plan important to the greater birmingham region?
Active transportation is an opportunity for everyone. All of us are pedestrians at some point during the day. Even if you are walking between your car in the parking lot to the grocery store’s entrance, you are traveling as a pedestrian. People using walking assistance devices such as wheelchairs or walkers are also pedestrians. Whether you are an avid cyclist, occassional rider, or do not ever ride a bicycle, a safe and connected active transportation network benefits for the larger community and region. These benefits include:
Planning for a larger audience
The B-ACTIVE Plan was developed with a guiding principle that recommendations and resources of this plan should be focused on creating more users rather than solely providing more lane miles of bicyle or pedestrian infrastructure. A core value of the process was to analyze and provide guidance on active transportation facilities that were attractive, safe, and connected. A larger audience, identified as the “interested but concerned” (Figure 1-1), was the target audience through the planning process. The shift toward planning and designing active transportation facilities for this larger group of community members corresponds with the overall Goals and Objectives of the B-ACTIVE Plan.
Want to learn more?
Visit the B-Active Plan page by clicking the button below to check out the full plan, executive summary, and state of the network report.