Creating urban non-motorized zones designates pedestrian-only or limited-motor-access areas in downtowns, civic plazas, or event corridors, promoting walking and cycling. This strategy can be used as a temporary measure or a long term solution.
While zone restrictions for private vehicles can be implemented immediately, active transportation infrastructure within those zones will require continued investment and installations. VMT impacts will be incremental as pedestrian priority zones develop. There are not clear methods for quantifying the reduction due to this strategy, however linked strategies to improve the pedestrian network may be considered as a proxy quantification method.
Establishing pedestrian-priority zones can improve safety, air quality, and access to community destinations in underserved neighborhoods. Equitable implementation should provide accessible routes, multilingual signage, and meaningful community engagement while ensuring improvements benefit existing residents and businesses.
Funding sources include the Active Transportation Program, Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, CMAQ, local transportation funds, and grants supporting complete streets and pedestrian improvements. StanCOG’s active transportation funding framework supports projects that improve walking and bicycling and increase access to community destinations.
The City of Modesto’s Non-Motorized Transportation Plan identifies pedestrian priority areas around key destinations including Downtown Modesto, schools, colleges, hospitals, shopping centers, and the Amtrak station. The plan uses these priority areas to focus pedestrian improvements where walking activity and connections to important destinations are greatest.
