Regional Active Transportation Plan Update 2026
Regional Active Transportation Plan Update 2026
The Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG) is seeking meaningful input on regional active transportation from the wider Oklahoma City region to update its regional active transportation plan. The regional active transportation plan is a sub-component of the ACOG Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). The Metropolitan Transportation Plan is developed every five years by ACOG and includes priorities for the next 30 years. The MTP is a fiscally constrained plan that outlines future investment in highway, transit, and multimodal improvements to support regional growth and ACOG goals. The plan includes recommendations for streets and highways, airport access, transit, freight movement, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
Project Overview
What is Active Transportation?
Active transportation refers to any form of human-powered transportation such as walking, bicycling, skateboarding, rollerblading, electric bikes/electric scooters, and using mobility assistive devices like wheelchairs. Active transportation also encompasses those who use transit services since every transit trip begins and ends using some form of active transportation (arriving to and leaving a bus stop).
Active transportation serves multiple purposes. First, active transportation is a relatively inexpensive form of transportation. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, people living in low-income areas tend to own fewer vehicles, have longer commutes, have higher transportation costs, and are more likely to be injured or killed on the road. Investment in active transportation infrastructure provides individuals with affordable transportation options to safely and conveniently connect them to essential destinations such as work, school, grocery stores, medical centers, and even transit stops. As a result, this mode of transportation provides accessible mobility options for all people, regardless of income, ability, or age.
Second, it is well documented the importance active transportation plays in terms of public health. Frequent use of active transportation modes promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyles — reducing the risk of chronic diseases and premature death. Access to sidewalks and shared use paths can serve as a way to encourage more physical activity and improving mental health and quality of life.
Finally, the increase of active transportation — in particular, replacing vehicle trips with walking/biking trips — can also play a role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the ACOG Region, the transportation sector is the region’s second largest source of GHG emissions, accounting for roughly 22% of all GHG emissions according to the 2024 Priority Climate Action Plan. Investment in active transportation infrastructure as well as increases in the use of active modes, can serve as a means to support various climate action initiatives.