Contact: Dennis Gaffney
ALBANY, NY – On Bike to Work Day, Mayor Kathy Sheehan, County Executive Daniel McCoy, County Legislator Carolyn McLaughlin, community members, and alternative transportation advocates announced the release of the updated Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan that provides a vision and practical suggestions for how to make the City more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly.
The Master Plan recommends over 40 miles of bicycle boulevards, 30 miles of protected bike lanes, and approximately 20 miles of multi-use paths in the City.
In support of these proposed facilities, the Master Plan makes the following key recommendations in the bike/ped infrastructure:
- Increase the number of pedestrian signals
- Add new sidewalks across the City
- Minimize the number of wide street crossings of three lanes or more
- Reduce the number of high-stress roads that make cycling unsuitable for all ages and abilities
- Increase bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure connections
- Make walking and biking conditions safer, especially in neighborhoods that have higher incidents of bike and pedestrian accidents
View the plan
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said "Building an even stronger bike and pedestrian network in Albany will make our City a more attractive destination for all and also helps build a more sustainable and equitable Albany. The Master Plan provides an analysis of where we are, a vision of where we want to go, and a prioritized plan for how to get there. Thank you to CDTC and all the stakeholders for making this Master Plan a reality.”
A major focus of the plan is that safe walking and cycling promotes equity through future transportation improvements and policies. Residents who do not have access to a car rely on bicycle and pedestrian networks to work, live, and play, which makes well-connected pedestrian and bicycle networks a necessity. The Plan proposes to build upon the City’s Equity Agenda by ensuring that future bicycle and pedestrian improvements are prioritized in communities that include larger percentages of people who do not rely on a personal vehicle to travel.
The Master Plan is an update to the 2009 Bicycle Master Plan and includes a new complementary Pedestrian Master Plan that will guide future investments that provide safe and enjoyable bike and pedestrian access to every neighborhood in Albany.
The Master Plan was developed through input from neighborhood groups, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, transportation officials, and community leaders, including Walkable Albany and the Albany Bicycle Coalition. Public input was a crucial component that included eight community listening sessions, two demonstration projects, numerous focus groups with community organizations, and review from the project’s advisory committee. The project team received 380 online survey responses and 624 visits to an interactive map where users could leave recommendations and comments.
The Master Plan was funded in large part by the Capital District Transportation Committee and included project consultants from Nelson Nygaard, Creighton Manning Engineering, and Behan Planning and Design.
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