A bicycle plan (or bicycle master plan) is a document that describes a local agency’s long range plans for bicycle infrastructure and programs. The plan emphasizes designating and expanding bicycle routes, fostering a safe environment for bicycling and promoting bicycling as a viable transportation option.  Bicycle plans are often combined with pedestrian plans. 

In California, to be eligible for the State’s Bicycle Transportation Account funds, a city or county must prepare and adopt a bicycle transportation plan that addresses specific criteria as outlined on the Caltrans website.

Ideas/Roles:

• Local governments can identify safe bicycling routes to school in a bicycle plan, and work with school officials to promote these routes to students and families.

Examples:

• The City of Glendale updated its Bicycle Transportation Plan in 2012. The plan includes assessing preferred bicycling and walking routes, adding bicycle and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure such as trees, signage, “bump-outs” (extends curb further out at intersections and narrows street crossings for pedestrians), bicycle sensors and multilingual “Look-out” signs.
• In 2010, the City of Los Angeles updated its Bicycle Plan.  It provides guidelines for including bicycle travel throughout Los Angeles through policy changes, transportation design and infrastructure improvements. The bikeway system to be created over the next thirty-five years includes 1,684-miles of bikeways. The plan introduces plans for bicycle-friendly streets and low-income neighborhood priorities.
• The Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s 2001 Regional Transportation Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area included a Regional Bicycle Plan.  The regional bicycle plan helps identify priorities for bicycle routes and facilities, and recommends a series of activities and policies to encourage bicycling at the regional level.
• The San Mateo City/County Association of Governments prepared a Comprehensive Bike Plan(PDF) which outlined a process to plan, design, implement, and maintain bicycle infrastructure in San Mateo County. Read more at www.eatbettermovemore.org
• The City of Davis adopted a Bicycle Plan in 2009, and is currently finalizing an updated version. The primary goal of the plan is “to increase the amount of bicycle trips as a percentage of all trips to 25 percent by 2012, a level formerly achieved in 1990.