Evaluating the Feasibility of Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities in Frederick County Government

Transportation agencies nationwide have been shifting toward strategic planning goals to reduce automobile dependence and promote diverse and sustainable multimodal systems. With the increased government funding for pedestrian and bicycle transportation, a resulting increase in shared-use pathways, pedestrian infrastructure, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks has been recognized across the United States. It is indeed important for state agencies, local municipalities, and governments to develop research studies to address the overall feasibility, design, and operational issues of such facilities. Integrating diversity in the transportation modes such as transit, pedestrian, bicycling, and ADA-accessible facilities has been one of the main focuses of Frederick County Government (FCG). The primary objective of this study is to analyze and investigate the feasibility of potential routes in the county for shared-use path corridors. This paper evaluates a case study of multiple alternatives for a shared-use facility along a generally north-south alignment between the city of Frederick and Urbana District Park. Two final alignment alternatives for the proposed shared-use path were shortlisted and evaluated using feasibility-level construction cost estimates based on a cost-per-mile estimate. Additional consideration was given to potential design minimization alternatives that could be considered as part of future design efforts to reduce the cost of construction. Transportation researchers and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) community are believed to be benefitting from this study.