Reports

The Advocacy Advance Team is comprised of dedicated League and Alliance staff and they focus on the research, technical resources, and advice focused on aiding grassroots organizations. We research issues vital to the bicycling community and create reports and resources that give advocates the data and knowledge they need to effectively access Federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects.

New Reports | Federal Funding | Popular Campaigns | Bicycling Statistics & Research

New!

Maximizing Federal Funding for Your Trails: From the Advocacy Advance presentation at the American Trails Symposium (April 17, 2013). Download Presentation

Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) Fact Sheet: This fact sheet describes the new FLAP program under MAP-21, including project eligibility, application deadlines and contacts for each state. Download PDF

Planning for Biking & Walking Facilities: This report looks at bicycling and walking facilities in 4 states (New York, Florida, Ohio and North Carolina) using State Transportation Improvement Programs as an indicator of future spending on bicycling and walking facilities. All 50 states will have a STIP fact sheet by June 2013. Download PDF

Funding Program Flow Charts. These infographics show how federal dollars flow from congress to your community in MAP-21, with advocacy tips for each stage of the process.

Transportation Alternatives Program (TA) Download PDF

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program (CMAQ) Download PDF

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) Download PDF

Surface Transportation Program (STP) Download PDF

Find It Fund It Table: This table indicates potential eligibility for pedestrian and bicycle projects under federal highway and transit programs. In each case there are specific requirements that must be met within eligibility criteria and eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Download PDF

Key Data Sources: Federal Investments for Bicycling and Walking in Your Community. This resource provides a list, summary and links to 11 sources of funding data. Download PDF

Best Practices for Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees. This report gives tips for using BPACs to make bicycling and walking a norm for communities and transportation agencies. Download PDF

Bicycling Means Business. This report describes the economic benefits of bicycle infrastructure. Download PDF

MAP-21 Resources: Advocacy Advance has created a suite of resources to assist your state's "Navigating MAP-21" campaign and maximize bike/ped funding in the new transportation bill. For these resources, including one-pagers, click here.

Federal Funding Resources

State and Region Funding Profiles

These funding profiles detail the regional processes and policies in place for federal funding sources. They answer the who, what, where and how for each source.

Houston, Texas Funding Profile | Download PDF
Arizona Funding Profile | Download PDF
Connecticut Funding Profile | Download PDF
Southwest Pennsylvania Funding Profile | Download PDF
Atlanta, Georgia Funding Profile | Download PDF
Alaska Funding Profile | Download PDF
Missouri Funding Profile | Download PDF
Harrisonburg, VA Funding Profile | Download PDF
Rochester Funding Profile | Download PDF
New Orleans, LA Funding Profile | Download PDF
Tulsa, OK Funding Profile | Download PDF
Wichita Regional Funding Profile | Download PDF
Kansas State Funding Profile | Download PDF
Indiana, Indianapolis and Bloomington State and Regional Funding Profile | Download PDF

Federal Funding for Biking and Walking (General)

Planning for Biking & Walking Facilities: This report looks at bicycling and walking facilities in 5 states (New York, Florida, Georgia, Ohio and North Carolina) using State Transportation Improvement Programs as an indicator of future spending on bicycling and walking facilities. All 50 states will have a STIP fact sheet by June 2013. Download PDF

Key Data Sources: Federal Investments in Bicycling and Walking in Your Community. This resource provides a list, summary and links to 11 sources of funding data. Download PDF

Find It Fund It Table: This table indicates potential eligibility for pedestrian and bicycle projects under federal highway and transit programs. In each case there are specific requirements that must be met within eligibility criteria and eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Download PDF

Primer on Federal Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects: This resource provides a brief overview of federal bike/ped spending. It outlines the questions to ask to answer the who, what, when, why, and how of federal funding for your local projects. Download PDF

Bicycle and Pedestrian Federal Funding Resources: List of resources gathered by Advocacy Advance to learn more about federal funding for bike/ped programs and projects. Download PDF

Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

HSIP Funding Flow Chart: This infographic shows how federal HSIP dollars flow from congress to your community in MAP-21, with advocacy tips for each stage of the process. Download PDF
HSIP Advocacy Case Studies: This report examines some of the states that have successfully dedicated federal safety funds to reduce bicycle and pedestrian fatalities and crashes. Download PDF
Strategic Highway Safety Plan Emphasis Areas: List of each state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan emphasis areas, a prerequisite for HSIP funds. Updated based on data from the 2012 Bicycle Friendly State survey. Download PDF
Highway Safety Improvement Program: Millions of HSIP dollars have gone unspent in recent years; learn how to take advantage of this underused program for bicycle and pedestrian safety infrastructure projects. Download PDF

Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)

CMAQ Funding Flow Chart: This infographic shows how federal CMAQ dollars flow from congress to your community in MAP-21, with advocacy tips for each stage of the process. Download PDF
Congestion Mitigation And Air Quality Improvement Program: Biking and walking are clean forms of transportation; find out about one of the most common federal funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects and programs. Download PDF

Surface Transportation Program (STP)

STP Funding Flow Chart: This infographic shows how federal STP dollars flow from congress to your community in MAP-21, with advocacy tips for each stage of the process. Download PDF

Section 402 – State And Community Highway Safety Grant Program

Section 402 – State And Community Highway Safety Grant Program: Section 402 funds can be used for bicycle and pedestrian safety programs, but they have mostly gone untapped; this report explains how to access these funds. Download PDF

Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP)

FLAP Fact Sheet: FLAP is a new program under MAP-21. Funds can be used to improve transportation facilities (i.e. public highway, road, bridge, trail, or transit system) that are located on, adjacent to, or provides access to federal lands. Download PDF
FLAP Advocate Guide: Specific for advocates, this document provides the need-to-know information on FLAP and tips for your advocacy. Download PDF
FLAP Distribution by State: This state-by-state chart shows funding amount, application deadline and contact information for the FLAP program. Download PDF
FLAP Sample Letter of Support: This letter of support was used by Adventure Cycling to fund a trail project through FLAP. Download PDF

Rescissions

Rescissions FAQs: This sheet provides answers to frequently asked questions about rescissions, including what they are, what’s at stake for bicycle and pedestrian projects and what you might hear from your state DOT. Download PDF
Understanding Rescissions: A Call for Proportionality: An update to the 2010 report on rescissions, this April 2011 report explains the rescissions process, the importance of proportionality and outlines how advocates can work to make sure state DOTs are making the most of key funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian projects. Download PDF
Rescissions And Restoration: Fighting For Priority: How to make sure state DOTs are making the most of key funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian projects; includes a brief explanation of important terminology relating to federal rescissions. Here’s the PDF of the report. Download PDF

Why “Eligibility” Isn’t Enough: The case for dedicated bicycle and pedestrian funding in the federal transportation bill. Download PDF

Popular Campaigns

Developing a Successful Funding Campaign: This resource will help walk you through the elements of developing a funding campaign, using examples from Bike Delaware, Active Transportation Alliance and New Jersey Bike + Walk Coalition. Download PDF

Improving the Process: How Statewide Advocacy Organizations Are Winning Federal Dollars for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects: This report lists the steps that statewide organizations have taken to improve the project selection processes for federal
funding programs. Download the PDF.

Bridging The Gaps In Bicycling Networks: An Advocate’s Guide To Getting Bikes On Bridges: This report outlines how advocates can counter common objections and secure bicycle and pedestrian facilities on bridges. It compiles useful data and policy statements, and draws on the experience and insight of advocates across the country who have won or are engaged in bridge access campaigns in their communities. Download PDF

Climate Change & Bicycling: How Bicycling Advocates Can Help Craft Climate Action Plans: This report outlines how bicycling advocates can push for the inclusion and implementation of policies that promote cycling in city, state and university Climate Action Plans. Download PDF

Rumble Strip Technical Guidance: In May 2011, the FHWA quietly distributed a new Technical Advisory (guidance) to district offices and state DOTs on the installation of rumble strips. Unfortunately, the new FHWA guidance on the installation of both shoulder and centerline rumble strips is significantly worse for bicyclists than the 2001 guidance. We have submitted specific points the bicycling community wants added to the guidance. Here is the revised guidance.

State-Wide Rumble Strip Projects: Lessons Learned: This report provides advocates an overview of how to find out about rumble strip projects in their state and how to address their concerns with officials from their Department of Transportation. Download PDF

Bicycling And Rumble Strips - Problems For Cyclists: Rumble strips are increasingly common on popular rural bicycling routes; this report discusses the problem and provides best practices for bicycle-tolerable rumble strips that advocates should encourage their state DOTs to follow. Download PDF

Distracted Driving: A Bicycling Advocate’s Resource: A guide to distracted driving campaigns; includes statistics on the risks of distracted driving, stories from successful campaigns, and sample legislation. Download PDF | Download Fact Sheet

Bicycling Statistics and Research

How Metropolitan Planning Organizations Plan for and Fund Bicycling and Walking Investments: This resource - developed by Advocacy Advance's Bike/Ped-Friendly MPO Working Group - identifies best practices to effectively integrate bicycling and walking needs into the MPO planning and funding process, in general and related to the competitive grant program, in particular. Download PDF.
Infographic: The Economic Benefits of Bicycling. This infographic supplements the Advocacy Advance "Bicycling Means Business" report, with a map of the economic benefits of bicycling around the country. Download PDF
The Economic Benefits Of Bicycle Infrastructure Investments: Lawmakers and key decision-makers want to know how investments in bicycling infrastructure are going to pay off – literally; this report shows what economic returns communities across the country have already experienced. Download PDF | Download Fact Sheet
Why Communities & States Need Bicycle And Pedestrian Staff: This analysis shows the strong correlation between large bicycle and pedestrian staffs and bicycling friendly outcomes such as Bicycle Friendly Community status and high bike commuter levels. Download PDF
Data From the National Household Travel Survey: Half of all trips are 3 miles or less, yet the majority (72 percent) are made by car. Learn more about short trips in this Fact Sheet. Download PDF
American Community Survey Bicycle Commuting Trends, 2000 To 2008: More and more people are riding their bikes to work every year; read about the latest trends and find out how your city and state stack up. Download PDF