April 29, 2016
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New Report: the Best Complete Streets Policies of 2015

BY NATIONAL COMPLETE STREETS COALITION, SMART GROWTH AMERICA

A call to action on the United States’ obesity epidemic, a challenge on safety from a federal cabinet secretary, new standards for transportation in Congress and the first-ever perfect-scoring policy all made 2015 a banner year for the national movement for Complete Streets.

A Complete Streets approach integrates the needs of people and place in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of transportation networks. In doing so, streets become safer for people of all ages and abilities and better support overall ­public and economic health.

Complete Streets redefines what a transportation network looks like, which goals a transportation agency is going to meet and how a community prioritizes its transportation spending. The Complete Streets approach breaks down the traditional separation between planning and designing for driving, transit, walking and bicycling.

The movement gained new momentum in 2015. In January, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation challenged the nation’s mayors to advance safety and accessibility goals in part by using a Complete Streets approach. In September, the U.S. Surgeon General called on communities to help Americans make ­physical activity a bigger part of their daily routines, in part by using a Complete Streets approach.

And for the first time ever, in December, Congress passed a federal transportation bill (the FAST Act) that included Complete Streets language, making this approach … a formal part of federal policy.

It wasn’t just federal agencies taking action. More local communities took action for Complete Streets in 2015 as well. In 2015, 77 jurisdictions adopted a total of 82 Complete Streets policies. Of those, 73 are eligible for this year’s rankings.

Nationwide, a total of 899 Complete Streets policies are now in place, in all 50 states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Thirty-two state governments or agencies, 76 regional organizations and 663 individual municipalities have all adopted such policies to create safer, multimodal transportation networks. … This year the coalition is proud to award the city of Reading, PA’s, 2015 policy the first-ever score of 100 points. …

Complete Streets efforts are almost always the fruit of diverse alliances among advocates for older adults and public health, transportation practitioners, bicycling and walking proponents and many others. The policies passed this year and the momentum at the national level reflects this diversity.

Passing a Policy
Complete Streets policies … direct decision-makers to consistently fund, plan for, construct, operate and maintain community streets to accommodate all anticipated users, including people walking, bicycling, taking public transportation and driving cars and commercial vehicles. …

This report evaluates the language of Complete Streets policies adopted in 2015, based on a comprehensive policy model that includes 10 ideal elements:

1. Vision: The policy establishes a motivating vision for why the community wants Complete Streets: to improve safety, promote better health, make overall travel more efficient, improve the convenience of choices or for other reasons.

2. All users and modes: The policy specifies that “all modes” includes walking, bicycling, riding public transportation, driving trucks, buses and automobiles and “all users” includes people of all ages and abilities.

3. All projects and phases: All types of transportation projects are subject to the policy, including design, planning, construction, maintenance and operations of new and existing streets and facilities.

4. Clear, accountable exceptions: Any exceptions to the policy are specified and approved by a high-level official.

5. Network: The policy recognizes the need to create a comprehensive, integrated and connected network for all modes and encourages street connectivity.

6. Jurisdiction: All other agencies that govern transportation activities can clearly understand the policy’s application and may be involved in the process as appropriate.

7. Design: The policy recommends use of the latest and best design criteria and guidelines while recognizing the need for design flexibility to balance user needs in context.

8. Context sensitivity: The current and planned context—buildings, land use, transportation and community needs—is considered when planning and designing transportation solutions.

9. Performance measures: The policy includes performance standards with measurable outcomes.

10. Implementation steps: Specific next steps for implementing the policy are described.

These elements were developed in consultation with members of the coalition’s Steering Committee and its corps of workshop instructors, and through its ongoing research efforts. Based on decades of collective experience in transportation planning and design, the 10 elements are a national model of best practice that can be employed in nearly all types of Complete Streets policies at all levels of governance.

The National Complete Streets ­Coalition, a program of Smart Growth America, is a non-profit, non-partisan alliance of public interest organizations and transportation professionals committed to the development and implementation of Complete Streets policies and practices. Smart Growth America is dedicated to researching, advocating for and leading ­coalitions to bring ­better development to more communities nationwide. For additional information and the report, click here. Reprinted and excerpted for length with permission.

“Commentary” features points of view from various sources to enhance readers’ broad awareness of themes that affect public transportation.
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