FHWA &
COMPLETE STREETS
Gabe Rousseau, Ph.D.
Bicycle & Pedestrian Program Manager
FHWA Office of
Human Environment
What are complete streets?

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Roadways that serve all users—vehicle drivers,
pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders
Multimodal networks
Safe for all ages and abilities
Vary by
environment
(e.g., urban/rural)
From Charlotte NC’s Urban Streets Design Guidelines
Pathways to complete streets
Complete streets & FHWA
FHWA has no formal policy called Complete
Streets…
 …But there are federal policies, regulations,
and programs that share complete streets
principles

 SAFETEA-LU
built on existing law and policy
to better include walking and biking
Policy and complete streets

FHWA Guidance on Bicycle and Pedestrian
Provisions of the Federal-aid Program
(1999)
 “Bicycling
and walking ought to be
accommodated, as an element of good
planning, design, and operation, in all new
transportation projects unless there are
substantial safety or cost reasons for not doing
so.”
Policy and complete streets
“The DOT policy is to
incorporate safe and
convenient walking and
bicycling facilities into
transportation projects. Every
transportation agency,
including DOT, has the
responsibility to improve
conditions and opportunities for
walking and bicycling and to
integrate walking and bicycling
into their transportation
systems.”
Secretary LaHood
US DOT Policy Statement on Bicycle and
Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations
and Recommendations (March 2010)
Planning regulations and complete streets


Federal Regulations
23 U.S.C. 217 (g) Planning and Design.
1.
2.
In General.—Bicyclists and pedestrians shall
be given due consideration in the
comprehensive transportation plans developed
by each metropolitan planning organization
and State…
Safety considerations.—Transportation plans
and projects shall provide due consideration
for safety and contiguous routes for bicyclists
and pedestrians...
SAFETEA-LU and complete streets
Added “users of pedestrian walkways and
bicycle transportation facilities” as interested
parties
 Created the Safe Routes to School Program
and the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot
Program

Design and complete streets

National design guides
 AASHTO
Guide for the Development of Bicycle
Facilities
 AASHTO Guide for the Planning, Design, and
Operation of Pedestrian Facilities

State/local design guides
 Charlotte
NC’s Urban Street Design Guide
 MassHighway’s Project Development and Design Guide
Walking and bicycling trends
Increased funding
 More walking and
bicycling trips
 Generally positive
safety trends

Upward trends in funding
Upward trends in walking & biking trips
Decline in pedestrian fatalities
Number of Fatalities
5000
4763 4901 4851 4774 4675 4892 4795 4699
4378
4092
4000
3000
Pedestrians
Bicyclists
2000
1000
693
732
665
629
727
0
Year
786
772
701
716
718
2009 International Scan

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Policy
Engineering
Education
Enforcement
Encouragement
Evaluation
What are complete streets?



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
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Serve all roadway users
Create interconnected, multimodal networks
Safe for all ages and abilities
Vary by context
Are based on community
desires
Are the outcome of good
planning and design
Contact Information

Gabe Rousseau
 Federal
Highway Administration
 Office of Human Environment
 Gabe.Rousseau@dot.gov
 202-366-8044