AC44 Phase 2: Transportation

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Our transportation system includes streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, greenways, and public transit. It connects community members to recreation, schools, jobs, shopping, healthcare, and social visits. Multimodal transportation planning is a key aspect of this project.

Multimodal transportation planning is the development of a transportation system that supports a variety of transportation options for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities to access employment, education, and other opportunities safely and efficiently. Transportation options may include walking, biking, transit, and using a personal vehicle.

Transportation choice contributes to affordability, with transportation costs taking up an estimated 20% of the average annual household income.

Multimodal transportation planning is critical for addressing climate change. In 2018, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation accounted for approximately 52% of Albemarle County’s estimated emissions total.

Building Upon the Work: Climate Action Plan

Albemarle County's Climate Action Plan includes goals for reducing the use of single-occupancy vehicles, increasing the use of alternative modes such as walking, biking, and transit, and shifting to lower- and zero-emissions vehicles, such as hybrid and fully electric vehicles. Increasing the proportion of community members who can walk, bike, use transit, or adopt electric vehicles will benefit local air quality, reducing conventional air pollution that contributes to asthma and other respiratory diseases.


Our transportation system includes streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, greenways, and public transit. It connects community members to recreation, schools, jobs, shopping, healthcare, and social visits. Multimodal transportation planning is a key aspect of this project.

Multimodal transportation planning is the development of a transportation system that supports a variety of transportation options for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities to access employment, education, and other opportunities safely and efficiently. Transportation options may include walking, biking, transit, and using a personal vehicle.

Transportation choice contributes to affordability, with transportation costs taking up an estimated 20% of the average annual household income.

Multimodal transportation planning is critical for addressing climate change. In 2018, greenhouse gas emissions from transportation accounted for approximately 52% of Albemarle County’s estimated emissions total.

Building Upon the Work: Climate Action Plan

Albemarle County's Climate Action Plan includes goals for reducing the use of single-occupancy vehicles, increasing the use of alternative modes such as walking, biking, and transit, and shifting to lower- and zero-emissions vehicles, such as hybrid and fully electric vehicles. Increasing the proportion of community members who can walk, bike, use transit, or adopt electric vehicles will benefit local air quality, reducing conventional air pollution that contributes to asthma and other respiratory diseases.


What questions do you have about Transportation?

This is a complex topic with lots of implications. What questions do you have?

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    Will you build protected bike/scooter lanes in the county? Protected bike lanes are sidewalks for bikes. Because they use planters, curbs, parked cars or posts to separate bike and auto traffic on busy streets, protected lanes are essential to building a full network of bike-friendly routes. Adults and children will ride more if they feel safe on our streets. Bikers do not feel safe if a 4000 lb. Car is inches away from them.

    MJ asked about 2 months ago

    Thank you for your question! With the Comp Plan update, the current Plan's Goals, Objectives, and Strategies will be reviewed and updated, including transportation. Community input will be used to help inform the updated Plan recommendations. We have a questionnaire open through March 10, which asks about all Comp Plan topics (transportation is on Page 2). In the fall of this year, we anticipate sharing draft updated Goals and Objectives for community members to review and share feedback on. If you have not already, we recommend registering on the AC44 website to receive updates on the latest questionnaires, events, and draft materials. 

    Staff recognizes the importance of protected bike lanes and bike/ped infrastructure that is separated from roadways (such as shared-use paths). Shared use paths have some advantages over protected bike lanes, namely that they put even greater distance between bicyclists and motor vehicles and, most of the time, they take up less space and may be more cost-effective than a protected bike lane and a sidewalk (while still providing infrastructure for both bicyclists and pedestrians). Another benefit of shared-use paths is that while they can follow a roadway, they can also move bicyclists and pedestrians more directly to a destination (cutting corners to a business or school’s front door, for instance). One thing to consider with shared-use paths is those very popular shared-use paths can feel congested with bicyclists and pedestrians competing for space; that can be addressed by widening the path. Ultimately, both protected bike lanes and shared-use paths are great options for encouraging multimodal transportation. Transportation planning staff determine which piece of infrastructure is the right fit on a case-by-case basis. 

Page last updated: 20 Mar 2023, 04:01 PM