Livermore, CA is included among the top of The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2013.
A total of 83 communities adopted Complete Streets policies in the United States in 2013. These laws, resolutions and planning and design documents encourage and provide for the safe access to destinations for everyone, regardless of age, ability, income or ethnicity, and no matter how they travel.
The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2013, released today by Smart Growth America’s National Complete Streets Coalition examines and scores each Complete Streets policy enacted in 2013. The report outlines ten ideal elements of a Complete Streets policy and scores individual policies based on these ideals. Policy elements refine a community’s vision for transportation, provide for many types of users, complement community needs and establish a flexible approach necessary for an effective Complete Streets process and outcome.
Fifteen agencies led the nation in creating comprehensive Complete Streets policies in 2013. These policies are a model for communities across the country. They are:
| Rank: | Jurisdiction: | Score: |
| 1. | Littleton, MA | 94.4 |
| 2. | Peru, IN | 92.8 |
| 3. | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 89.6 |
| 4. | Auburn, ME (tie) | 88.0 |
| 4. | Lewiston, ME (tie) | 88.0 |
| 6. | Baltimore County, MD | 86.4 |
| 7. | Portsmouth, NH | 86.0 |
| 8. | Muscatine, IA | 83.2 |
| 9. | Piqua, OH | 82.4 |
| 10. | Oakland, CA | 81.6 |
| 11. | Hayward, CA (tie) | 80.8 |
| 11. | Livermore, CA (tie) | 80.8 |
| 11. | Massachusetts Department of Transportation (tie) | 80.8 |
| 14. | Cedar Falls, IA (tie) | 80.0 |
| 14. | Waterloo, IA (tie) | 80.0 |
Small towns and big cities alike enacted Complete Streets policies in 2013. The types of policies these communities use is similarly diverse: most take the form of a resolution adopted by a city or county council, but changes to municipal code and city-wide policies are gaining popularity. Policies adopted by an elected board are also popular. Of the top scoring policies of in 2013, almost all are this type of policy.
Over time, the typical Complete Streets policy has become increasingly well-written, as reflected in an upward trend in the annual median scores of policies. The median score of policies adopted in 2013 was 60.0, up from 46.8 in 2012.
Nationwide, a total of 610 jurisdictions now have Complete Streets policies in place. Today, 27 states as well as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia have Complete Streets policies. Fifty-one regional planning organizations, 48 counties and 482 municipalities in 48 states also have adopted such policies.
The Best Complete Streets Policies report is intended to celebrate the communities that have done exceptional work in the past year and to provide leaders at all levels of government with ideas for how to create strong Complete Streets policies. The report includes extensive detail for what makes Complete Streets policies work well, and how every community can make their streets better for everyone.
Get the full report: The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2013 >>