Sonoma County Adopts Plan for Safer, More Connected Walking and Biking Routes

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday adopted an updated Active Transportation Plan to guide future improvements to human-powered transportation throughout unincorporated Sonoma County. The plan will help the County prioritize potential projects and pursue funding for improved bike lanes, safer pedestrian crossings, and better connections between communities. 

“Safe, accessible walking and biking routes are essential to healthy, connected communities,” said Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “This plan reflects the priorities we’ve heard from residents and gives us a roadmap for making meaningful improvements that will benefit Sonoma County communities for years to come.”

The plan, developed by Permit Sonoma in partnership with the Sonoma County Transportation and Climate Authorities, replaces the County’s 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. The three-year collaborative effort brought together community stakeholders, advisory committees and multiple County departments, including Sonoma Public Infrastructure and Sonoma County Regional Parks. Input gathered through public workshops, pop-up events and surveys helped shape the plan’s updated project list and policies, reflecting community priorities and current safety and accessibility standards.

The Board of Supervisors’ action marks the final step in a regional planning effort involving all nine incorporated cities and the unincorporated county. The countywide Active Transportation Plan brings together these 10 local plans into a comprehensive regional framework, coordinating projects and priorities to improve connectivity, access, and safety for biking, walking, and rolling across jurisdictions.

The plan will help guide future transportation investments and strengthen applications for state, federal and other funding opportunities. Adopting the plan does not provide funding or authorize construction of individual projects. Improvements will move forward as funding, resources, and necessary approvals become available.

Residents can review the adopted plan, explore interactive maps and learn more about proposed projects at www.PermitSonoma.org/ATP.