Our model for advancing Complete Streets policy adoption and implementation works because our Coalition includes a range of groups working to spread the word, advocate for policy change, and provide technical expertise. Today, we highlight the technical expertise of Silver Partner firm Fehr & Peers.
The Complete Streets provision included in the Senate transportation bill has been struck from the final bill during the conference process. The provision, Safety for Motorized and Non-Motorized Users, received bi-partisan support in the Senate and is based on a marker bill that received bi-partisan support in the House.
In 2007, over 100 organizations in Jefferson County, Alabama formed the Health Action Partnership, a collective effort aimed at making local neighborhoods healthier places to live, work, learn and play.
Reducing obesity was the Partnership’s main objectives from the outset, as Alabama’s obesity rate is the second highest in the nation. Recognizing that lifestyle change is critical in achieving this goal, the Partnership wanted to increase activity levels in the everyday lives of Jefferson County residents.
The organizations soon realized one answer to reducing obesity had been right beneath their feet all along: Complete Streets.
Making improvements to streets, sidewalks and paths would promote physical activity by making it safe and convenient for residents to walk outside for recreation, and would also makes it easier for them to incorporate functional walking and biking into their day-to-day lives.
Jefferson County’s streets are not currently friendly to pedestrians: most of the county’s sidewalks haven’t been updated in the past 50 years, and many are torn up or unsafe. Birmingham, the state’s largest city, also is just beginning to get back on its feet after a series of destructive tornadoes in 2011, which caused more than a billion dollars of property damage. Street safety is no minor problem, either: Alabama ranks fifth in the country for pedestrian deaths.
Since the Partnership came together, it has sought to leverage funding from a variety of sources to address local issues of public health and safety. One of the largest funding sources thus far has been a $13 million Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded in 2010. A portion of this grant is dedicated to fighting obesity in Jefferson County’s 35 municipalities.
New research shows a relationship between strip-mall development and a higher likelihood of death or injury in traffic crashes for those 75 or older — building on previous research that streets safe for our most vulnerable users are better for everyone, regardless of who they are and how they travel. The complex variety of potential street users provides an opportunity for us to take a holistic approach to transportation and community planning, making our streets and towns safer and stronger.
In an effort to ensure the continued growth and widespread support for Complete Streets policies, we are pleased to announce that the National Complete Streets Coalition’s steering committee recently approved a proposal to incorporate the coalition as an official program of Smart Growth America. The change will take effect July 1.
“The Coalition has had spectacular success as an ad-hoc group for seven years,” said Barbara McCann, who founded the Coalition. “Now it needs a more formal and sustainable structure to better serve the growth of Complete Streets.”
“Complete Streets are a vital component of strong, vibrant neighborhoods,” said Geoff Anderson, President and CEO of Smart Growth America. “Adding the Coalition as a new program aligns with our goal of making communities work for everyone. This is something that goes beyond safety and access and speaks to the need to develop towns and cities in ways that improve quality of life, enhance economic futures and create great places to live and work.”
In an effort to ensure the continued growth and widespread support for Complete Streets policies, the National Complete Streets Coalition’s steering committee recently approved a proposal to incorporate the coalition as an official program of Smart Growth America, the only organization dedicated to researching, advocating for and leading coalitions to bring smart growth practices to more communities nationwide. The change will take effect July 1.
A new poll released by America Bikes yesterday is a telling indicator that Americans support Complete Streets — over 80% of respondents, in communities large and small, would like to see federal funding for bicycling and walking maintained or increased. These findings are consistent with other state and local polls that have shown American citizens want streets that work for everyone.
Holiday Drive in New Orleans is an recent example of complete streets work in action.
In December 2011, the City Council of New Orleans, LA, unanimously passed the city’s first complete streets ordinance. The ordinance, which encourages designers and engineers to build streets that accommodate everyone, has already gained widespread support. Now, it’s up to New Orleans leaders to actually make these changes happen.
Last month, Smart Growth America and complete streets experts Michael Moule and Michael Ronkin held a workshop for City officials in New Orleans to help make their complete streets plans a reality. Joining the officials were representatives from 12 local, regional, and state agencies as well as non-profit partners who also participated in the event.
With its 2011 Annual Report (.pdf), the National Complete Streets Coalition offers a snapshot of the phenomenal success of the Complete Streets movement. The report highlights how the Coalition has helped to lead the movement and respond to its changing needs in 2011, celebrating the many milestones the year brought: at least 125 new policies … Continued
The next time someone refers to a sidewalk as a too-expensive “amenity,” think about Powell Calhoun and Donna Williams. They were fatally hit by a driver as they traveled along a frontage road in Jackson, Mississippi that had no sidewalks for him to push her wheelchair.