Photo by Aaron Bialick, Streetsblog SF
 |
 |
 |
 |
We’re hiring — The National Complete Streets Coalition, a program of Smart Growth America, seeks a passionate, professional leader to serve as its Director. The successful candidate will build upon a decade of success by taking the Complete Streets movement to the next level. The Director, who will be based in Washington, DC, will be an organized, focused, personable leader with seven to ten years of experience. Read more >>
Realtors® survey again shows preference for walkable communities — Americans, especially Boomers and Millennials, want to live just a walk away from destinations and neighborhood amenities, according to the National Association of REALTORS® 2015 Community Preference Survey, done in collaboration with Portland State University. The survey also reveals preferences for maintaing and fixing current roadways, reasons for not walking or bicycling more often, and factors people consider when finding a place to live. Read more >>
Safe mobility supports social mobility — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx again made the real connection between reliable, safe transportation—specifically to jobs, education, and other opportunities—and the ability to thrive economically. “Historically, we have valued throughput while placing less thought on the actual places in between,” he recently wrote in his blog, and called for streets that are safe for walking and bicycling, solid public transportation, and transportation investments that create ladders of opportunity. Read more >>
Senate transportation bill includes landmark Complete Streets provision — Language requiring states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations to plan and design for the safety needs of all users in all federally-funded projects was included in the Senate’s recently approved long-term transportation bill. This is the first time that Complete Streets language has been voted upon and approved by the full Senate. We thank Senators Schatz, Heller, Franken, Udall, and Markey for championing this language. We’ll look to our champions in the House next. Read more >>
Over 400 people told FHWA: Great street design should be standard — Over the past month, hundreds of you signed onto a letter that told the he Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to amend their rule that governs design standards for the National Highway System (NHS) and use design standards that make streets safer for everyone. Read more >>
Powering the movement for people-first transportation systems — A new report from TransitCenter researchers digs into the hows of transportation change in cities nationwide. The researchers credit the alignment of three distinct groups: local non-profit organizations for leading conversations about policy solutions; elected leaders who mandate change and follow through; and agency staff who navigate bureaucracy to get things done. The main lesson, though? “The biggest catalyst for change is local people advocating for change.” Read more >>
Ten-foot lanes make for safer intersections — A study presented at the Canadian Institute of Transportation’s annual meeting, and reported by the State Smart Transportation Initiative, found that travel lanes between 10 and 10.5 feet wide saw the lower levels of side-impact and turn-related crashes than their wider counterparts. Wider lanes are often required by U.S. guidance, but use of reliable crash and safety data, as in this study, points to the safety of narrower standards. Read more >>
Attend the annual Complete Streets forum in Toronto — The Toronto Centre for Active Transportation will hold its 8th annual Complete Streets Forum on October 1. Speakers cover the latest research, design applications, and other implementation techniques. Register by September 11 for early-bird rates. Read more >>
Celebrate 25 years of ADA: install curb cuts! — The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in July 1990, but represents a much longer battle for disability rights. On the blog of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, graduate student Julie Peterson discusses how curb cuts were among the early rallying calls of advocates—and why it’s so important that the concept of Universal Design extend to the transportation system and public spaces. Read more >>
Inspiration photo gallery — Looking for ideas to transform your streets? Check out the global before/after image collection gathered by urb-i. See more >>
The Los Angeles City Council approved Mobility Plan 2035 last week, an incredible leap into people-first, place-supportive Complete Streets decision-making. Mobility Plan 2035, which updates the city’s 1990 transportation plan, takes California’s Complete Streets law to heart, calling for investments in safe, reliable transit, walking, and bicycling networks and an end to transportation-related fatalities. The Los Angeles Times editorial board endorsed the plan, saying, “It’s time for L.A. to shed its traditional automobile-centric approach and evolve into a modern, multimodal city.” Read more >>
After years of grassroots organizing, an overbuilt street in San Francisco got a new look: one that fits the neighborhood and meets residents’ desires for improved walking, bicycling, and transit environments. The trade-off? An automobile level of service score of F. Cesar Chavez Street, also outfitted with landscaping and green infrastructure, represents the city’s Complete Streets approach. Read more >>
Using Washington, DC‘s new regulations as inspiration, we looked at how construction projects can better accommodate for people walking and bicycling. Complete Streets implementation means the network is safe for all users—even when construction crews need space on-street. DC’s regulations include a hierarchy of accommodation types to ensure that the safest and most convenient options are considered first. Read more >>
In Athens, GA, residents have identified two critical changes to strengthen its Complete Streets policy: application to all types of projects (not just new construction or reconstruction) and new performance measures. Read more >>
The Indianapolis Cultural Trail is well-known for its remarkable transformation of downtown streets into places where people walk, bicycle, and linger in comfort. A new study finds another benefit: more customers and higher sales for businesses along the Trail. Read more >>
Minnesota state legislators enacted legislation long-desired by Complete Streets supporters: allowing local governments more design flexibility. Right now, local agencies are beholden to State Aid standards for some routes; these standards are out of step with other state guidance and make it a bit tougher to implement Complete Streets designs. By next year, the state Department of Transportation will need to introduce a single guiding document on street design. Advocates will continue to work alongside transportation professionals to ensure good guidance comes from the process. Read more >>
Chattanooga-Hamilton County (TN/GA) won a Transportation Planning Excellence Award last month. The regional agency, which covers the Chattanooga region in both Tennessee and Georgia, employed a unique method of scoring projects based on objective goals. Doing so means that limited funds will go to projects that mean the most to the region and its residents. As a result, bicycle and pedestrian investment doubled, transit capacity investment increased 6 percent, and roadway capacity investment decreased 20 percent. Read more >>
On Sunday, August 16, Houston METRO debuted its completely redesigned bus network. Now, 73 percent of bus riders have access to high-frequency service–a 217 percent increase from METRO’s current system. The high-frequency routes, which can be found across the city, have 15-minute headways, meaning missing a bus won’t ruin your day. To make such a massive improvement, a team of consultants worked closely with METRO and the community to understand trade-offs and opportunities. We discuss this hard work on our blog. Read more >>
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |