Completing Streets: Transforming our Communities for Active Living

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• Completing Streets Transforming our Communities
  for Active Living
• Barbara McCann
• National Complete Streets Coalition
• April 9, 2009

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National Complete Streets Coalition Steering
Committee

• ASLA
• City of Boulder
• Institute of Transportation Engineers
• Kimley-Horn and Associates
• League of American Bicyclists
• NCBW
• Safe Routes to School National Partnership
• Smart Growth America

• AARP
• Alliance for Biking and Walking
• Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle
  Professionals
• Active Living by Design
• America Bikes
• America Walks
• American Council of the Blind
• American Planning Association
• American Public Transportation Association

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What is a Complete Street?

• A Complete Street is safe, comfortable
  convenient for travel via automobile, foot,
  bicycle, transit

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Whats the Problem?

• Americans are on the move without moving.

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Promoting exercise has not worked
Source Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System
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What is an Activity-Friendly Environment?

• A place that makes it easy to choose to be
  physically active, through planned exercise or
  routine daily activity.

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Active Living is one answer

• A way of life that integrates physical activity
  into daily routines.

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The tremendous potential

• Trips in metro areas
• 48 - lt 3 miles
• 28 - lt 1 mile
• 65 of trips under 1 mile are now taken by
  automobile

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Acting on the Evidence

• Institute of Medicine
• Preventing Childhood Obesity Health in the
  Balance

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Preventing Childhood Obesity Built Environment
Strategies

• Prioritize capital improvement projects to
  increase opportunities for physical activity in
  existing areas.
• Revise comprehensive plans, zoning and
  subdivision ordinances to increase availability
  and accessibility of opportunities for physical
  activity in new developments.
• Improve the street, sidewalk, and street-crossing
  safety of routes to school.

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Public health researchers agree

• Actions to encourage more physical activity
• Build more sidewalks
• Improve transit service
• Shift highway funds to create bike lanes

Brennan-Ramirez, L. et al. 2006. Am. J.of
Preventive Medicine, Vol 31, Issue 6
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We know how to build right
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Yet too many roads still turn out like this
John La Plante
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or this
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Streets are inadequate
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National Poll

• 47 of older Americans say it is unsafe to cross
  a major street near their home
• 54 of older Americans living in inhospitable
  neighborhoods say theyd walk and ride more often
  if things improved
• 56 express strong support for adoption of
  complete streets policies

International Communications Research Poll for
AARP, 1,000 adults, July 2008
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What is a Complete Streets policy?

• A complete streets policy ensures that the entire
  right of way is planned, designed operated to
  provide safe access for all users.

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What is a Complete Streets policy?

• A complete streets policy ensures that the entire
  right of way is planned, designed operated to
  provide safe access for all users.

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Complete streets policies provide for

• Pedestrians
• Bicyclists
• Transit
• Motorists
• Travelers of all ages and abilities

US Access Board
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Why have a complete streets policy?

• To change practice, integrating the needs of all
  road users into everyday transportation planning
  practices

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Why have a complete streets policy?

• To gradually create a complete network of roads
  that serve all users

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Why have a complete streets policy?

• To shift transportation investments so they are
  creating better streets now.

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CS changes intersection design
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CS changes intersection design
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CS changes bicycling
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CS changes bicycling
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CS changes transit
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CS changes transit
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CS changes accessibility
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CS changes accessibility
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Who wants Complete Streets?

• 55 of Americans would rather drive less walk
  more
• Transit is growing faster than population or
  driving
• About one-third of Americans dont drive
• 21 of Americans over 65.
• All children under 16.
• Many low income Americans cannot afford
  automobiles.

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Streets that benefit communities
Bridgeport Way, University Place, Washington
University Place, WA
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Streets that benefit communities
University Place, WA
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Streets that benefit communities
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Complete streets and safety

• Designing intersections for pedestrian travel can
  reduce pedestrian risk by 28

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Complete streets and safety
Medians reduce crashes by 40
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Benefits for physical activity

• Residents are 65 more likely to walk in a
  neighborhood with sidewalks.
• Cities with more bike lanes per square mile have
  higher levels of bicycle commuting

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Benefits for physical activity

• One third of regular transit users meet the
  minimum daily requirement for physical activity
  during their commute

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Complete streets and trails

• Streets provide access to trails
• Complete streets and trails can form a
  comprehensive non-motorized network
• Complete streets take pressure off overcrowded
  trails

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Photos Tampa Tribune
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Benefits for the wallet
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Select Complete Streets policies across the
country

• Illinois
• Oregon
• California
• Massachusetts
• DuPage County, IL
• Sacramento, CA
• Johnson County, IA
• Arlington County, VA

• Charlotte, NC
• Chicago, IL
• Columbus, OH
• Decatur, GA
• Ft. Collins, CO
• Iowa City, IA
• Madison, WI
• Roanoke, VA
• Salt Lake City
• Sacramento, CA
• Seattle, WA

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Complete Streets Act of 2009HR 1443, S584

• To ensure that all users of the transportation
  system, including pedestrians, bicyclists,
  transit users, children, older individuals, and
  individuals with disabilities, are able to travel
  safely and conveniently on and across federally
  funded streets and highways.
• -introduced by Rep. Matsui, Sen Harkin

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Complete Streets Act of 2009HR 1443, S584

• States and MPOs directed to adopt policies within
  two years
• Policy elements specified
• Apply the policies to federally funded projects
  in the TIP
• Redirects 1 of STP into safety after one year of
  non-compliance
• Directs FHWA to report on policy adoption
  progress
• Updates US Code with complete streets language
• Strengthens technical support authorizes funding

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An ideal complete streets policy

• Is inclusive of all modes
• Applies to all transportation projects
• Specifies and limits exceptions allowed
• Clarifies senior manager approval for exceptions
• Is context-sensitive
• Emphasizes connectivity
• Uses latest design standards is flexible
• Sets performance standards

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Incomplete streets
This bridge provides the only access across the
Fox River to Cary, Illinois. In 2000,
17-year-old Nate Oglesby died trying to cross it
on his bicycle two teens had died previously.
US 14, Cary Illinois
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Complete streets
Nates family won a wrongful death lawsuit and
the community pressed the Illinois DOT to
retrofit the bridge, at far greater cost than
doing it right the first time.
US 14, Cary Illinois
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Illinois SB314

• In or within one mile of an urban area,
  bicycle and pedestrian ways shall be established
  in conjunction with the construction,
  reconstruction, or other change of any State
  transportation facility
• Vetoed by Governor
• Senate overrides unanimously
• House overrides, 109-3 October 2007

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Seattle ordinance

• Section 1. SDOT will plan for, design and
  construct all new City transportation improvement
  projects to provide appropriate accommodation for
  pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and
  persons of all abilities, while promoting safe
  operation for all users, as provided for below.

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Seattle ordinance

• Section 2. SDOT will incorporate Complete
  Streets principles into the Department's
  Transportation Strategic Plan Seattle Transit
  Plan Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plans
  Intelligent Transportation System Strategic Plan
  and other SDOT plans, manuals, rules, regulations
  and programs as appropriate.

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Charlotte NC Transportation Action Plan

• The City will promote a balanced and multi-modal
  transportation system that serves the mobility
  needs of all segments of the population,
  accommodates all travel modes and promotes
  community economic development needs.

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Charlotte NC Urban Street Design Guidelines

• Key component of the TAP
• Lays out a six-step multimodal planning process
  for use in all projects

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The road diet
Before
East Boulevard, Charlotte NC
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Streets are safer
1 crash every 2.5 days
1 crash every 4.2 days
(146 per yr)
(87 per yr)
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More people walking
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More people biking
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Funding measure San Diego County

• Transnet Tax Extension
• All new projects, or major reconstruction
  projects, funded by revenues provided under this
  Ordinance shall accommodate travel by pedestrians
  and bicyclists

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Decaturs Community Transportation Plan

• Adopted April 7, 2008
• To create a safe and efficient transportation
  system that promotes the health and mobility of
  Decatur citizens and visitors, creating better
  access to businesses and neighborhoods.

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Putting it all together in Sacramento

• City Pedestrian Friendly Street Standards
• County tax ordinance
• Citizens Complete Streets Best Practices Guide
• MPO Multi-modal transportation plan
• State Deputy Directive 64

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Putting it all together in Sacramento
Sacramento Area Council of Governments Urban
Advantage
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Putting it all together in Sacramento
Sacramento Area Council of Governments Urban
Advantage
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Putting it all together in Sacramento
Sacramento Area Council of Governments Urban
Advantage
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Putting it all together in Sacramento
Sacramento Area Council of Governments Urban
Advantage
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Where do you start?

• Do your homework
• Find out what exists already in your state and
  region you can build on this
• Find out who may be your best advocate such as
  the governor, a county council member, even a
  local planner

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Where do you start?

• Make connections
• Who are your allies? Community groups, advocacy
  groups, neighborhood associations, the schools
• Bicycle advocacy groups
• Transit advocates
• Smart growth advocates
• Many advocates see next slide.

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National Complete Streets Coalition Steering
Committee

• ASLA
• City of Boulder
• Institute of Transportation Engineers
• Kimley-Horn and Associates
• League of American Bicyclists
• NCBW
• Safe Routes to School National Partnership
• Smart Growth America

• AARP
• Alliance for Biking and Walking
• Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle
  Professionals
• Active Living by Design
• America Bikes
• America Walks
• American Council of the Blind
• American Planning Association
• American Public Transportation Association

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Public Health Complete Streets

• Takoma-Pierce County Board of Health Resolution,
  March 2008
• completestreets.org resources section

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Pierce County Presentation
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Public Health Complete Streets

• "The Pierce County Council requests that the
  Transportation Plan Update include an assessment
  of the plan's support of the "Complete Streets"
  concept, identification of relevant policies
  within the plan that support the creation of
  "Complete Streets", and an identification of
  barriers to, and opportunities for, the
  development of "Complete Streets" throughout
  Pierce County. The Council further requests that
  a specific "Complete Streets" policy be Included
  within the Transportation Plan Update."
• -Pierce County Resolution, 9-22-08

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Public Health Complete Streets

• Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesotas Active
  Living Program
• Community Planning Grants
• Expert Presentations
• Six Complete Streets Workshops
• Community consultations
• Result so far Policy adoption in Rochester,
  Hennepin County, and St. Paul

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Complete Streets Workshops

• Three types of interactive sessions
• Laying the Foundation
• Policy Development
• Policy Implementation
• Led by a pair of leading policy
  engineering experts

Administered by Assoc. of Bicycle Pedestrian
Professionals
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Complete Streets Workshops

• Audience
• Planners Engineers
• Other agency officials (public health, transit)
• Elected officials
• Community stakeholders
• For more information
• Linda Tracy
• linda_at_APBP.org
• 406-880-3880

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Implementation from policy to practice
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An effective policy should result in

• New training for planners and engineers

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An effective policy should result in

• Restructure procedures

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An effective policy should result in

• Re-written design
• manuals

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An effective policy should result in

• New measures to track success

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Visit the complete streets website

• Sign up for Complete The Streets News
• Print fact sheets
• Download a power-point presentation
• Research existing policies

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The many types of Complete Streets
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The many types of Complete Streets
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The many types of Complete Streets
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The many types of Complete Streets
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The many types of Complete Streets
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The many types of Complete Streets
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The many types of Complete Streets
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• For more information
• www.completestreets.org

Illustration AARP Bulletin