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The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, City Commission adopted a Complete Streets policy on October 1, along with a design manual to guide implementation. The city is encouraging better pedestrian, bicycle, and transit accommodations through both the transportation planning and the development review processes. With several demonstration projects already underway, the city will provide further strategic guidance in its Multimodal Connectivity Program, to be released later in the fall. Read more >>
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) introduced a new Healthy Transportation Policy Directive that will boost the Department’s commitment to Complete Streets. Under the directive, all MassDOT Divisions will review all projects currently in design to ensure they “increase and encourage more pedestrian, bicycle and transit trips.” Any projects that do not do so must have approval from thee Secretary and CEO of Transportation before moving ahead. MassDOT will be able to use guidance from NACTO, including its Urban Bikeway Design Guide, in fulfilling the directive’s intent. “This policy directive is the next step in putting into daily practice our commitment to build a healthy, sustainable transportation system that meets all our customers’ needs,” said MassDOT Secretary Davey. Read more >>
Lincoln, Nebraska Mayor Chris Beutler signed a Complete Streets executive order last month. The order calls for the development of an interdepartmental process to ensure Complete Streets is applied; establishes limited exceptions; and requires annual reports on progress. Read more >>
Cranford, New Jersey now boasts a Complete Streets resolution, thanks to the efforts of resident Rebecca Hoeffler, who was frustrated by unsafe streets and the inability to cross key intersections on foot. The new policy will help the community further expand its efforts to create safe routes to public transportation stops and stations and promote walkability. Read more >>
Via a short but direct act of the Westchester County, New York Board of Legislators, the County will now consider the needs of all users in transportation projects. “Readying our infrastructure—for today and tomorrow—should mean incorporating the best visionary ideas around to meet the changing needs of our population,” said Legislator Catherine Borgia, chair of the Government Operations Committee and lead sponsor of the bill. Read more >>
Houston, Texas Mayor Annise Parker announced her intention to sign an executive order creating a city-wide Complete Streets policy. “As we work to build a healthier community, it is more important than ever to reimagine our approach to streets, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, public transit, bike trails and lanes,” said Mayor Parker. The Houston Coalition for Complete Streets, representing 33 state and local groups such as AARP Texas and Houston Tomorrow, and City Council Member and Mayor Pro-Tem Ed Gonzalez lent incredible support and resources in moving Houston to this point. The executive order establishes clear activities and responsibilities in implementing Complete Streets, and a new project in Midtown illustrates the promise of this approach in Houston. Read more >>
Conway, Arkansas will have now consult its Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board on each new street project, to aid in implementation of the city’s 2009 ordinance. “It’s one thing to require it,” Wes Craiglow, deputy director of planning and development, said, “but it’s another thing to design it well, and bringing the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board on board as consultants during the engineering and planning stage will ensure that our infrastructure adheres to the best practices.” (Log Cabin Democrat)
San Francisco is piloting multimodal safety enhancements on Folsom Street, which connects several popular downtown neighborhoods but experiences some of the city’s worst collision rates. Read more >>
Connecticut has made some progress in implementing its 2009 Complete Streets law, reports the Tri-State Transportation Campaign (TSTC), but more is needed. The Connecticut Department of Transportation released a website this summer noting its accomplishments: the work of its internal task force; training opportunities; the implementation of a Bicycle and Pedestrian Needs Travel Assessment Form early in project planning stage to ensure that designers consider the needs of all travelers. TSTC calls for the state to revise its street design guidance to match national best practices. Read more >>
Portland, Maine has been implementing its 2012 Complete Streets policy through a number of summer projects, including via repaving work, building new curb extensions to shorten crossings for those on foot, and landscaped medians. (Rights of Way)
Michigan’s state-level Complete Streets Advisory Council met last month, reports Transportation for Michigan. At the meeting, attendees shared updates on work in the Upper Peninsula, statewide transportation revenues, resources, and an update on implementation within the state Department of Transportation. Read more >>
Bloomfield, New Jersey has applied its 2011 Complete Streets resolution to projects North Center, expanding sidewalks, building bus shelters, adding curb extensions, and making crosswalks more visible. “We can now have parents walk down the sidewalk side-by-side pushing a baby stroller,” noted Mayor Raymond McCarthy. “This is evident of Bloomfield growing and becoming the jewel of Essex County.” (NorthJersey.com)
Residents and city staff in Rutherford, New Jersey have begun the difficult first steps of implementing the city’s Complete Streets resolution, reviewing potential design solutions to unsafe roadways. (NorthJersey.com)
The Michigan Department of Transportation coordinated with the City of Lansing to take advantage of a planned repaving project and implement a low-cost opportunity to improve the bicycling network in the city. The result: the state’s first counterflow bicycle lane provides a more direct route for people on bikes. Read more >>
A Minnesota think tank reviewed the state’s implementation of its 2010 Complete Streets law, and found that more work needed to be done. Without a formal policy at the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the group contends that project-by-project fights for accommodation of all users will be ongoing. Read more >>
Helena, Montana now requires new subdivisions to include sidewalks, just as they do streets, curbs, and gutters, building on the community’s 2010 Complete Streets policy. The new measure was championed by Commissioner Katherine Haque-Hausrath, and the former city public works director John Rundquist wrote an opinion piece supporting the measure. Read more >>
Complete Streets well-represented at National Walking Summit — The first annual National Walking Summit was held in Washington, DC earlier this month. The enthusiasm for Complete Streets was apparent throughout the conference, which attracted over 300 participants. Our Coalition and the Downtown DC BID welcomed Complete Streets Partners and close supporters at an intimate breakfast. Barbara McCann, founder of the Coalition and one of our Complete Streets Workshops instructor, helped attendees understand how our workshops and other resources can help advance their Complete Streets initiatives. Laura Searfoss, our Policy Associate, helped lead two conference sessions: Walkable Commercial Districts: Making the Economic Case and Design Principles and Completing Our Streets: Policy and Advocacy Tools to Get You Moving. Presentations and materials from the two sessions are available on our website.
NACTO announces Urban Street Design Guide — The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), a member of the Coalition’s Steering Committee, released its long-awaited design guide for Complete Streets that work for walking, bicycling, taking public transportation, and driving. The Urban Street Design Guide provides a holistic view of the street that includes all of the designs from its Urban Bikeway Design Guide within a plan for the entire street. “NACTO’s Urban Street Design Guide is a toolkit for cities to create safe, multi-modal streets that meet the needs of all users, providing an alternative to existing design books that treat city streets as mini-expressways,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, New York City Transportation Commissioner and President of NACTO. The guide can be adopted by individual cities, counties, or states as either a stand-alone document or as a supplement to other roadway guidance documents. It is available both as a print document for purchase and an interactive web site. Public webinars for the Guide will be co-hosted with fellow Steering Committee members APBP on November 6 (3:00-4:00 PM ET) and ITE on November 14 (12:00-1:30 PM ET).
Study: Millennials want (and already use) multimodal options — “Millennials and Mobility,” a new study by Steering Committee member American Public Transit Association (APTA), finds that not only are Millennials driving less than older generations, they also use multiple modes of transport at a higher rate. Some 70% of respondents (about 1,000 city dwellers between the ages of 22 and 34) use multiple modes at least several times a week. Walking, driving one’s own car, and bus and rail transit were the favored modes, with those under 27 choosing non-driving modes even more frequently than their older siblings.
Thank you to our Partners — The Coalition thanks Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc., which renewed its support for the Coalition as a Bronze Partner and our newest Individual Partner, J. Scott Lane, who upgraded his Partnership this month! Support the Coalition’s work by becoming a Partner today. We offer five levels of Partnership with great benefits at each.
U.S. CDC and DOT partner to develop transportation and health tool — In an exciting partnership, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Transportation will develop a simple-to-use transportation and health tool to help communities and states compare themselves to peers in terms of key health and transportation indicators. It will be useful resource for transportation decision-makers around the country, providing an overview and a key perspective on how their decisions affect the health of the communities they serve. The tool is expected to launch in fall 2014.
Completing Our Streets: Costs and the importance of policy — To celebrate the release of her new book, Barbara McCann has allowed us to post exclusive excerpts. This month, McCann, founder of the National Complete Streets Coalition, shares her thoughts on overcoming the costs concerns and the need to adopt strong policies to ensure implementation. Completing Our Streets is out now from Island Press. All National Complete Streets Coalition Platinum Partners and those who upgrade to the next Partnership level will receive a signed copy of Completing Our Streets. Become a Coalition Partner today!
Georgia’s transportation planners and engineers are learning about proven safety countermeasures via a traveling workshop series that features experts from Georgia Bikes, the City of Atlanta, Alta Planning and Design, and the state Department of Transportation.
Residents of Boyd County, Kentucky value safe streets for walking and bicycling, according to a survey conducted by the Ashland-Boyd Health Department. Ninety-eight percent of respondents favored of adopting an ordinance that would ask local governments to consider pedestrian safety and sidewalks with any new development.(WASZ 3)
A Detroit-area community and economic development group has issued a draft Complete Streets plan for 27-mile long Woodward Avenue, connecting Detroit and ten adjacent communities. The plan, which incorporates input from dozens of community planning workshops since 2011, envisions a safer, more walkable Woodward Avenue centered on lane reductions and a transit corridor from downtown Detroit to the city of Pontiac.
In West Jefferson, North Carolina, engineers from North Carolina Department of Transportation replaced the small town’s two traffic signals with four-way stops and added bumpouts and medians to make crossing the street easier. This simple traffic pattern alteration dramatically changed the feel of the town’s historic main street, calming through-traffic and increasing the number of people stopping to stroll, and spend, downtown. According to the local Chamber of Commerce, more than 55 jobs and $500,000 of private investment have moved into the downtown district since the project began.
Sussex County, New Jersey, which is moving toward the adoption of a Complete Streets policy, is piloting eight pedestrian safety projects on county highways and enhancing a number of road crossings in the county’s trail system. Beyond their safety improvements, the pilot projects will build public awareness of different Complete Streets approaches and help inform the drafting of a Complete Streets ordinance by the county Board of Freeholders.
Two thirds of New York City voters favor Complete Streets, including 65% of New Yorkers who own cars. Though two-thirds or more of residents in all five boroughs want safer road designs, support is strongest in the Bronx, where 77% of voters favor such measures. (New York Daily News)
Though Olean, New York’s plans for a complete Streets approach to North Union Street won the upstate community of 14,000 a highly competitive, $6.5 million TIGER Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, city leaders now question the design and may turn down the funding. The managing editor of the Olean Times Herald wrote in support of the project.
(Olean Times Herald)
Salisbury, North Carolina residents were invited to a three-day charrette to develop a Complete Streets approach along East Innes and Long Streets. (Salisbury Post)
Portland, Oregon’s NE Multnomah Street got a makeover last year, reducing the number of automobile lanes, creating wider and, in places, separated bike lanes. Now bicycling is up 15% on the stretch compared to last year and has increased 25% in the overall neighborhood. (Portland Bureau of Transportation)
Legislators in Dallas, Texas got a look at the city’s draft Complete Streets Design Manual last month. The Transportation and Trinity River Project Committee heard a presentation on the near-final version of the guidelines, which have been in the works since 2011. If adopted by the city council, the manual will provide design and policy guidance for a Complete Streets approach within city agencies.
During the regular resurfacing of Ski Hill Road in Teton County, Wyoming, the County’s Engineering and Road staff members incorporated public input and produced a Complete Streets outcome: narrower lanes to keep cars moving at a safe pace,, better crosswalks, and new bike lanes. (Teton Valley News)
Incomplete Streets Death: Esther Benzohar Ohayon — On the evening before Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the driver of a Toyota Camry struck Esther Benzohar Ohayon, 57, and her daughter Orly, 16, as they attempted to cross San Jose Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida. Esther was killed and Orly was severely injured. As observant Jews, the Ohayons had been religiously prohibited from operating machinery or electrical devices that evening, including the Walk button at intersections. On San Jose Boulevard, that gave them only 20 seconds to cross eight lanes of suburban traffic. “Most people who are walkers are not willing to push the button,” the Ohayons’ friend Jon Mitzmacher said. “So you have a situation where you have families of Conservatives and Orthodox jaywalking every holiday.”
Handbook: Health in All Policies — With a new guide from the Public Health Institute, the California Department of Public Health, and the American Public Health Association, state and local policymakers can use collaborative approaches to incorporate health considerations into decision-making across sectors and policy areas. Intended for practitioners beyond the traditional public health community, the handbook outlines how many public policy choices, including those about the built environment and transportation systems, can affect health outcomes.
Report: Quality bus service is economic boon — A report from the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy examines the economic development outcomes of transit corridors in 21 North American cities. While fixed-guideway transit has long been noted for its economic impacts, less has been known about the economic development potential of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). One of the first comprehensive looks at BRT’s impact alongside that of more traditional rail projects, this report finds that, with the right statutory support, BRT can be a cost-effective catalyst for economic development in transit corridors.
Survey: Americans want to walk more, but can’t find places to do it — Kaiser Permanente recently surveyed more than a 1,200 Americans to gauge their sentiments on walking. Bottom line: people know how good walking is for them, and they’d like to do it more, but poor pedestrian environments and a lack of time keep people from walking as much as they’d like to. Four in ten say their neighborhoods aren’t very or aren’t at all walkable, and a lack of sidewalks and speeding or inattentive drivers all rate far above crime in the things making people feel unsafe walking on the streets. Lower income Americans were the most likely to say that they were walking less today than five years ago.
Guidelines: Measuring, tracking, and reporting local bicycle use — The League of American Bicyclists has released a recommended set of bicycle-friendliness metrics based on those used by the City of Copenhagen. The metrics focus on objective measures and on users’ perceptions of safety or conditions. The guidelines include data gathering requirements, suggested themes and formats, and organizational suggestions.
Conference: Designing Cities — There’s still time to register for the National Association of City Transportation Officials Designing Cities conference, to be held in in Phoenix from October 27-29, 2013. Learn more and register today >>
Conference: CNU Transportation Summit — The Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) will host its annual Transportation Summit in Chicago from November 21 to 23. Groups will focus on transit networks, biking, street design, street vitality and transportation modeling to lift transportation reform to the next level. Register today!
Webinar: Snow Removal — On December 2, join Easter Seals Project Action for a webinar on snow removal and the mobility of people with disabilities. Presenters will discuss effective practices in snow removal for public transportation and to broader Complete Streets implementation efforts. Register by December 2.
Webinar: When Main Street Is a State Highway — On November 20 at 2:00 pm ET, join Community Builders, a project of the Sonoran Institute, and Jim Charlier from Charlier Associates for a webinar on balancing the needs of state highways and downtown streets.
Videos: TEDxCity2.0 Talks — In late September, luminaries from around the world spoke about what’s next in creating successful future cities. The event has been archived online for free viewing. Be sure to check out speeches from Janette Sadik-Khan, NYC Department of Transportation’s Commissioner; Jeff Speck, walkability advocate and renowned city planner; and Enrique Peñalosa, who led Bogota, Colombia’s transformation to a multimodal city.
Design Guide: Urban Street Design Guide — A new national design guide to plan and design multimodal streets is now available from the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Drawing on best practices in existing national guidance and the work of individual cities, the guide can be adopted cities, counties, and states as a stand-alone document or as supplementary guidance.
Case Study: Incorporating Livability in MPO Project Prioritization — A case study from the Federal Highway Administration discusses how the Mid-America Regional Council (Kansas City area) and the Nashville Area MPO incorporate livability principles into the scoring systems that guide project selection. In both cases, a comprehensive set of project selection criteria holistically addressed residents’ livability goals and resulted in MPO ability to better prioritize multimodal projects.
“That’s the key thing: Right from square one you think about the street differently and how decisions are made.”
— Peer Chacko, AICP Assistant Director, Development Services, Dallas, Texas
“Frankly, it’s always been possible to do a Complete Street in Houston, but the default has been let’s get those cars moving. Now we want the default to be a Complete Street and anything different than that to be something that has to be the exception.”
— Mayor Annise Parker, Houston, Texas
“It’s a considerably different town aesthetically. It’s pedestrian safe, it’s pedestrian friendly, and the pedestrians are coming in mobs.”
— Cabot Hamilton, Executive Director, West Jefferson (NC) Chamber of Commerce, on the new life a traffic calming and streetscape project has breathed into the town’s main street
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