NACTO releases third edition of the Urban Bikeway Design Guide

January 28, 2025

Cover page of the third edition of the Urban Bikeway Design Guide

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has released the third version of their Urban Bikeway Design Guide(link is external), which provides detailed guidance on how to improve streetways to create safer, more inclusive, and more comprehensive networks for cyclists and pedestrians. The Urban Bikeway Design Guide is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Transportation(link is external), recognized in federal law, and has been used by municipalities, state departments of transportation, and regional agencies across the United States and Canada.

Created "by cities, for cities," the third edition of the Urban Bikeway Design Guide provides policy, planning, and project development guidance on how city officials and transportation professionals can create connected bikeable streets that serve cyclists of all levels. The guide also focuses on how street design can be made more equitable to serve the needs of all, especially those who come from historically marginalized groups.

"The third edition also reflects the increasing use of new types of vehicles using bike infrastructure and features best practices to integrate more types of bikeway users–including those riding e-bikes, scooters, and cargo bikes–into the design process," states the NACTO press release. "More detailed intersection design practices focus on improving safety for everyone – walking, biking, scooting, and driving."

A print version of the third Urban Bikeway Design Guide(link is external)is now available for purchase, with an online version being made available in the future. A digital version of the first guide(link is external) is available for no cost on the NACTO website.


Explore our guides and toolkits webpage for more resources to promote safe pedestrian and bicyclist facilities.