The Kansas Department of Transportation recently unveiled a new online tool to help local public agencies learn about key transportation corridors used by pedestrians and bicyclists and the specific safety risks they face.
[Above photo by Kansas DOT]
The agency said its new Kansas Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment Tool includes a “StoryMap” that explains how the data can be interpreted as well as an interactive mapping and data visualization tool.
Data gathered from the tool can assist agencies to understand safety concerns for these local travelers, the agency said; helping support safety-conscious decision making, including investments in infrastructure, education, enforcement or emergency services.
[Editor’s note: The Kansas DOT issued a revised active transportation plan in May 2023 to boost walking, bicycling, safe wheelchair use, skateboarding, and non-motorized vehicle mobility options across the state. That plan is expected to serve as a guide for Kansas DOT and communities statewide on how to include and promote active transportation when planning roads, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure projects.]
“Pedestrians and cyclists are some of our most vulnerable road users,” said Vanessa Spartan, the agency’s transportation safety bureau chief, in a statement.
“Understanding where they’re traveling and risk factors on those routes are important steps to addressing potential safety needs,” she added. “We often find that investments in the safety of pedestrians and cyclists also benefits other road users.”
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