Complete Streets News – August 2012
POLICY ADOPTION
Unanimous Approval of Ordinance from Indy Council -- The 28-member Indianapolis City-
County Council voted unanimously in favor of a Complete Streets ordinance on August 13. “As
Indianapolis continues to grow, it is essential we plan for the safe and mixed use of our streets and sidewalks," said Council President Maggie Lewis. Sponsored by Lewis and Councilor John
Barth, the ordinance is the product of a months-long collaboration between public health officials, AARP, bicycle advocates, transportation staff, and community leaders. Columnist
Matthew Tully framed the shift to Complete Streets in terms of Indianapolis thinking big about its future, saying, "While [Complete Streets] sounds wonkish, it's actually one of the most important developments to emerge from the council in some time." http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/marion_county/complete-streets-ordinance-wouldimprove-safety-on-roads?ref=scroller&categoryId=10001&status=true http://www.indystar.com/article/20120804/NEWS08/208040327/?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell
%7Ctext%7CIndyStar.com%7Cp http://www.indy.gov/eGov/Council/Proposals/Documents/2012/PROP12-208.pdf
Policy In Place for Michigan DOT -- On July 26, the Michigan State Transportation Commission
(STC) completed a major piece of the state's Complete Streets law: enact a policy for use by the
Department of Transportation. The STC worked closely with the governor-appointed 18member Complete Streets Advisory Council to draft the policy. The commission then made several improvements to the policy in response to public comment, including expanding the definition of users to include people of all ages and abilities and those using public transportation; establishing a date for updating procedures and guidelines; adding language about offering training; and providing more information about how the Department of
Transportation will report on its progress. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_CS_Policy_390790_7.pdf
http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9623_31969_31970-283249--,00.html
http://michigancompletestreets.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/stc-responds-to-public-commentapproves-strengthened-complete-streets-policy/
The Twin Cities Area Transportation Study, a regional planning agency in the Benton Harbor
and St. Joseph, Michigan area, adopted a Complete Streets policy that will apply to all regional transportation projects that use federal funds. http://www.swmpc.org/downloads/walk_and_roll_draft_complete_streets_policy_final_61820
12.pdf
Last month, a Complete Streets resolution was adopted by the borough council of Fair Haven,
New Jersey. Mayor Benjamin Lucarelli says implementation will likely begin near grade schools, as many children walk or bicycle to school. (RedBankGreen http://www.redbankgreen.com/2012/07/fair-haven-opts-for-complete-streets.html
) http://bprc.rutgers.edu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Fair-Haven-Complete-
Streets-Resolution.pdf
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Complete Streets News – August 2012
Officials in Morristown, New Jersey adopted a Complete Streets policy on July 17 for many reasons, including the opportunity to be more competitive in grant applications. (Morristown
Patch http://morristown.patch.com/articles/complete-streets-policy-adopted#c )
Two new policies were adopted in northwestern Minnesota this month. On August 6, the
Fergus Falls City Council approved a Complete Streets resolution. Just a week later, the City
Council of nearby Frazee also approved a Complete Streets resolution. http://www.completestreets.org/webdocs/policy/cs-mn-fergusfalls-resolution.pdf
, http://www.completestreets.org/webdocs/policy/cs-mn-frazee-resolution.pdf
POLICY ACTION
Complete Streets Partner firm LJB Inc. composed an article on Complete Streets
implementation for the July 2012 APWA Reporter. Author Beth Sliemers, P.E. describes the four steps to implementation as defined by the National Complete Streets Coalition and offers examples from several Ohio communities. http://www.apwa.net/Resources/Reporter/Articles/2012/7/Implementing-a-complete-streetspolicy-a-four-step-approach http://www.ljbinc.com/
Just months after Dubuque, Iowa officially unveiled its Complete Streets work done through a federal TIGER grant, the Federal Highway Administration announced that the city would receive
$600,000 in federal aid to apply the city's Complete Streets policy to three additional corridors.
(Dubuque Telegraph Herald http://www.thonline.com/news/tri-state/article_7ec51328-dd79-
11e1-9cc1-001a4bcf6878.html
)
A new Complete Streets Plan will help Baltimore implement its 2010 resolution in its southeastern neighborhoods. http://www.baltimorecity.gov/Portals/0/agencies/transportation/public%20downloads/SE%20 complete%20streets%20plan%20FINAL%206-11-12.pdf
Complete Streets policies in place across the Washington, D.C. region have helped the capital city and its suburbs attract over $1.5 million in federal aid to implement those policies. For example, Rockville, Maryland will put over $800,000 of those federal funds to work transforming streets near a major subway station in line with its 2009 Complete Streets policy.
(Beyond DC http://beyonddc.com/log/?p=3790 , Rockville Patch http://rockville.patch.com/articles/feds-to-help-rockville-complete-streets-near-metrostations )
The Michigan Department of Transportation ran a series of walkability audits across the state, an excellent tool to engage community members and officials at several levels of government in visioning safe, Complete Streets for those on foot. (Michigan Complete Streets Coalition http://michigancompletestreets.wordpress.com/2012/08/02/michigan-department-oftransportation-promotes-walkability-audits/ )
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Complete Streets News – August 2012
A long-awaited upgrade to South Third Street in Missoula, Montana will make travel better for everyone by improving motorist turning, adding bicycle lanes, and building sidewalks.
(Missoulian http://missoulian.com/news/local/city-to-present-third-street-redesign-atwednesday-meeting/article_ca74da8e-db84-11e1-a3e4-0019bb2963f4.html
)
The Citizen Complete Streets Advisory Panel in Bellevue, Nebraska is looking for resident input to ensure that the community's Complete Streets ordinance is implemented according to community desires. (City of Bellevue http://www.bellevue.net/Home/CityNewsDetail/tabid/105/ArticleID/66/ArtMID/1532/Bellevue
%E2%80%99s-Complete-Streets-Panel-Needs-Your-Input-on-Transportation-
Issues.aspx?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter )
Portland, Oregon joins the growing number of cities looking for alternatives to the automobilecentric Level of Service (LOS) standard for measuring roadway performance. The city plans to begin developing a new multi-modal performance measures policy by mid-September.
(Streetsblog http://streetsblog.net/2012/07/31/portland-to-rewrite-car-centric-streetengineering-standard/ )
A draft Complete Streets Handbook was released by the Philadelphia Mayor's Office of
Transportation and Utilities; public comments will be accepted through October 1. https://phillymotu.wordpress.com/2012/08/13/the-complete-streets-design-handbook/
COALITION NEWS
New Report and Companion Workbook Highlight Successful Complete Streets Policies -- The
National Complete Streets Coalition, a program of Smart Growth America, has released two new resources to encourage communities to adopt thoughtful, thorough Complete Streets policies. The 2011 Policy Analysis analyzes the over 350 Complete Streets policies that have been approved by communities across the country. Policies of particular note are highlighted throughout the report, providing a comprehensive examination of best policy practices across the country. Accompanying the new report is the new Complete Streets Local Policy Workbook.
This introductory guide serves as a starting point for community staff, leaders, and residents to begin mapping out their own Complete Streets policies. http://www.completestreets.org/webdocs/resources/cs-policyanalysis.pdf
http://www.completestreets.org/webdocs/resources/cs-policyworkbook.pdf
Post-Workshop Implementation in Deerfield Beach -- Ever wonder what happens after a workshop? Deerfield Beach, Florida hosted a Policy Development Workshop in February this year and a recent presentation from the city's Chief Planner outlines the activities they've undertaken since then, including: creating a Complete Streets Committee with representatives from many city departments; meeting monthly to review Complete Streets guidelines; doing public outreach; and identifying needed changes to city documents. http://urbanhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/TAC-Presentation-Deerfield-July-9.pdf
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Complete Streets News – August 2012
Coalition Workshops in Alice, Raymondville, and Birmingham -- Our Complete Streets
Workshops program brought together policymakers, transportation staff, public health professionals, and advocates for two workshops in Texas this month, one in Alice and the other in Raymondville. Workshop participants will begin to understand how Complete Streets can be achieved locally and identify next steps. We were also in Birmingham, Alabama, where our instructors will work with local staff to develop concrete next steps for implementation of the city's 2011 resolution. http://www.migranthealth.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=160
Renewing Partners See Value in Coalition -- We're pleased to recognize many renewing
Bronze-level Complete Streets Partners: Brown, Mitchell & Alexander, Inc.; Burton Planning
Services, LLC; Carmanah Technologies; Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc.; The RBA Group; Synergy, LLC; and Whitman, Requardt & Associates. We're also happy to have Paul Zykofksy renew at as an individual Partner.
If your firm isn’t a Partner, check out the great Partner benefits and join the Coalition today! http://www.bmaengineers.com/ http://burtonplanning.com/ http://carmanah.com/ http://www.fhiplan.com/ http://www.rbagroup.com/ http://www.synergy-adatransportation.com/ http://www.wrallp.com/ http://www.completestreets.org/get-involved/join-the-coalition/#partner https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5184/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_
KEY=7852
COMPLETE STREETS NEWS
Walking Highlighted in CDC’s Vital Signs -- The latest Vital Signs publication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focuses on walking for health. The CDC notes that
Americans are not getting the recommended amount of physical activity and that safe, convenient places to walk can change that reality. Data from the National Household Travel and
National Health Interview Surveys are helpfully illustrated and activities to encourage walking are listed. Local governments are encouraged to design "local streets and roadways that are safe for people who walk and other road users" – Complete Streets! http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/Walking/index.html
Walk Appeal – Architect and urban designer Steve Mouzon proposes a new way to consider walkability: walk appeal. Based on the idea that a comfortable walking distance is not constant,
Walk Appeal says that the distance people are willing to travel on foot depends on the quality of the environment. So, in some places, we may be willing to walk two miles, but in others, only
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Complete Streets News – August 2012
100 feet. Kaid Benfield at NRDC pushes the dialogue further -- an exciting start for a potentially powerful idea. http://www.originalgreen.org/blog/walk-appeal.html
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/how_far_will_we_walk_to_someth.html
A new video shows how simple changes to signal timing and a bit of new paint at the intersection of Carlsbad Boulevard and Carlsbad Village Drive in Carlsbad, California move ahead the city's Complete Streets work. (YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvDpk7J2zY8&feature=youtu.be
)
The Polk County, Florida Transportation Planning Organization has rebranded its traffic congestion management work as "Complete Streets" -- reflecting the organization's shift from auto-centric to multi-modal planning. (Polk Ledger http://www.theledger.com/article/20120810/POLITICS/120819963/1338/NEWS00?Title=Traffic
-Management-Group-Complete-Streets-Looks-at-More-than-Auto-Traffic&tc=ar )
Complete Streets supporters in Memphis are pointing to the potential safety and walletfriendly benefits to commuters while the city and county mayors consider an official Complete
Streets policy. (Memphis Flyer http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/completestreets/Content?oid=3243003 )
Jeff Olson, of Complete Streets Partner firm Alta Planning + Design, inspired many locals in the
Plattsburgh, New York region to join the movement toward Complete Streets, calling it "the single biggest change that is happening in transportation infrastructure in this country."
(Plattsburgh Press-Republican http://pressrepublican.com/0100_news/x1495164348/Transportation-crucial-to-community http://www.altaplanning.com/
RESOURCES
Report: Policies and Practices for Pedestrian Safety -- A new report from the National
Cooperative Highway Research Program investigates the policies and practices that are creating safer, more inviting environments for people on foot. Local Policies and Practices That Support
Safe Pedestrian Environments includes case studies, challenges to implementation, and keys to success. The goal of Complete Streets is at the heart of many practices discussed, and the importance of high-level guidance from a Complete Streets policy is oft cited. http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/167603.aspx
Report: Low-Stress Bicycling and Network Connectivity -- A new report from the Mineta
Transportation Institute demonstrates the need for communities to take a network approach when planning for bicycling. Researchers developed criteria to assess road segments according the amount of stress felt by bicycle riders and to review the transportation system as a whole.
With San Jose, California as a case study, the found that strategically placed improvements to
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Complete Streets News – August 2012 create low-stress connectivity across barriers have the potential to almost triple the number of people who rode a bicycle to work. http://transweb.sjsu.edu/project/1005.html
Report: State Strategies for 21st Century Transportation Solutions -- The National Conference of State Legislatures has released a new report on innovative surface transportation laws, policies, and programs available to policymakers in advancing our nation's transportation system. Among the diverse approaches represented in the report are Complete Streets laws, and case studies from Minnesota and Massachusetts discuss their Complete Streets initiatives. http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/transport/state-solutions-for-21st-centurytransportation.aspx
Nomination Open: National Transportation Planning Award -- The American Planning
Association is accepting nominations for the 2012 Transportation Planning Award, which honors efforts to increase transportation choices, reduce dependence on private automobiles, help ease congestion, and reduce climate change impacts. Nominate your Complete Streets plans by August 28. http://www.planning.org/awards/ http://www.planning.org/awards/categories.htm#TransportationPlanning
Resource: Walkability Workbook -- The Walkable and Livable Communities Institute and the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently published a comprehensive workbook for communities to deliver their own workshops on walkability and host a walking audit. An included Toolbox explains key concepts and provides resources for next steps. Download the comprehensive Walkability Workbook for free. http://www.walklive.org/project/walkability-workbook/
Webinar: AASHTO Bicycle Guide -- A free, seven-part webinar series from the Pedestrian and
Bicycle Information Center and Toole Design Group will cover all aspects of the recently updated Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities from the American Association of State
Highway Transportation Officials. http://www.walkinginfo.org/training/pbic/AASHTO_webinars.cfm
Report: Sustainable Rural Communities – New from the Partnership for Sustainable
Communities, the Federal Resources for Sustainable Rural Communities report provides information on funding and technical assistance opportunities available from HUD, DOT, EPA, and USDA, and examples of how rural communities across the country have put these opportunities into action. http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/pdf/federal_resources_rural.pdf
Fact Sheets: National Traffic Safety -- The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released updated fact sheets on traffic safety related to children, older adults, pedestrians, bicyclists, rural settings, and others. The information is based on 2010 data. http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/CATS/listpublications.aspx?Id=A&ShowBy=DocType
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Complete Streets News – August 2012
Conference: National Women’s Bicycling Summit -- Registration is now open for the first-ever
National Women's Bicycling Summit on September 13 in Long Beach, California (immediately after the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference). The Summit provides an opportunity to network; share best practices; and develop action steps to get more women riding bicycles in your community. http://www.bikeleague.org/conferences/women/index.php
Conference: Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2012 -- Registration is still open for Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2012:
Pro Place, taking place in Long Beach, California September 10-13. The conference’s more than
100 program sessions, mobile workshops, and problem-solving workshops will help you achieve
Complete Streets locally, whether you're a planner, engineer, elected official, or advocate. http://www.pps.org/pwpb2012/
Conference: Active Living Research -- Presentation and workshop abstracts and award nominations are now being accepted for the 10th Annual Active Living Research Conference taking place February 26-28, 2013 in San Diego, California. This year's theme is "Achieving
Change Across Sectors: Integrating Research, Policy and Practice." The submission deadline for presentation abstracts, workshops and award nominations is August 31, 2012. http://www.activelivingresearch.org/conference2013
QUOTES
"Complete streets are not simply a toolbox of amenities or a checklist to be followed, but rather a philosophical statement about what a community believes in. It is a concrete (and sometimes asphalt) reflection of a community’s values in much more real terms than any mission statement about walk-ability or context sensitivity."
-- Scott Clein, P.E., LEED AP, Detroit http://www.freep.com/article/20120725/OPINION05/120725073/Guest-commentary-Howcomplete-are-your-streets-bike-lanes-sidewalks?odyssey=nav%7Chead
“It has to be about more than bike races,” he said. “It has to be about residents getting to the grocery store. We need a healthier living atmosphere for citizens.”
-- Jay Jenkins, City Councilman, Anniston, Alabama http://annistonstar.com/bookmark/19165508/article-
Complete+streets:+New+policy+encourages+bike+lanes+sidewalks
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