Placing schools on cheaper land means there's no immediately surrounding community—and no safe place for children to walk. Building wider and wider roads and in essence fueling America's love affair with the automobile also greatly contributed to the biggest planning issue facing this country: suburban sprawl.

Although it's a daunting task, the positive benefits reaped by a good transportation plan are overwhelming. A transportation system conducive to bicycling and walking produce enriched health, reduced traffic congestion, economic vitality, and an overall improved quality of living.

Good policies and plans can take many forms and are developed and implemented at all levels of government, through institutional measures, public involvement, and throughout many parts of the private sector.

Learn more about what goes into a good bicycle/pedestrian master plan, how these modes are integrated into other plans and policies, what policies in states and cities have made improvements for bicycling and pedestrian conditions, and where to find likely sources of funding for these improvements.