More than 76,000 Americans have been killed walking or crossing the street in the past 15 years, and pedestrians account for about 11.8% of all traffic fatalities, according to the groups Transportation for America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership. However, less than 1.5% of federal transportation money is spent on projects for walkers and bicyclists.

The groups are asking Congress to offer incentives in a new transportation bill for states to spend more of their share of federal funds on road projects to address the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, the elderly and disabled.

Pedestrian deaths have held fairly steady in the past decade — more than 4,500 a year, according to federal data.

"What we've been doing the last 30 years is building to accommodate more and more traffic," says James Corless, director of Transportation for America. "We want this (pedestrian and bike safety) to be a higher priority."

He says building in options for walking and biking will help reduce obesity, some cancers, heart disease and diabetes.

The recommendations come as pedestrian deaths are spiking in some communities:

•In New Jersey, pedestrian deaths through Oct. 31 were up 21% over the same period last year to 130, according to the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety. The increase baffles officials in a state that has spent more than $70 million on pedestrian safety and seen such deaths drop 17% from 2006 to 2008.

"We're scratching our heads because we've thrown the kitchen sink at this thing," says Pam Fischer, director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety. Undercover officers pose as pedestrians and ticket drivers who disregard people in crosswalks.

•Minnesota has seen 31 pedestrian deaths this year compared with 25 all of last year although automobile, bicycle and motorcycle traffic deaths all are dropping this year in the state, says Nathan Bowie, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety. About 40% of the pedestrians killed had alcohol in their system and about 50% were killed jaywalking, Bowie says.

•In Nashville, where pedestrian accidents have risen for several years, Mayor Karl Dean named a coordinator to make the city more walkable. The city designated $5.2 million for sidewalks and $900,000 for bike paths, says spokeswoman Janel Lacey.