Minnesota's best practices for pedestrian/bicycle safety.

The information in this Best Practices Guide is provided as a resource to assist agencies in their effort to more safely accommodate pedestrians and bicyclists on their systems of roads and highways. The information in this handbook is consistent with best practices in safety planning as presented in guidance prepared by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). This information is provided to agencies in an effort to reduce the number of severe crashes with pedestrians and bicyclists on their roadway systems, and it is understood that the final decision to implement any of the strategies resides with the agency. There is no expectation or requirement that agencies implement any specific safety strategies, and it is understood that actual implementation decisions will be made by agency staff based on consideration of safety, economic, social, and political issues and location-specific considerations. This Best Practices Guide should be interpreted as follows: * This Best Practices Guide does not set requirements or mandates. * This Best Practices Guide contains no warrants or standards and does not supersede other publications that do. * This Best Practices Guide is not a standard and is neither intended to be, nor does it establish, a legal standard of care for users or professionals. * This Best Practices Guide does not supersede publications such as the following: —Minnesota’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) —Association of AASHTO’s Green Book: A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets —Other AASHTO and agency guidelines, manuals, and policies. * The practices in this guide provide an overview of the current general state of the practice in Minnesota relating to the design, and operation of pedestrian- and bicycle-related facilities. However, agencies are encouraged to modify information in this material as necessary to reflect their own experience, culture and practices. (Author/publisher)