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This monthly newsletter issued by the National Complete Streets Coalition provides a roundup of news related to Complete Streets policies -- policies to ensure that the entire right of way is routinely designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Please pass it around! And visit www.completestreets.org to stay informed.
Policy Adoption
Policy Action
Federal Policy Update
Coalition News
Complete Streets News
Resources
Quotes
POLICY ADOPTION
Homewood, Alabama -- named the state's most walkable community -- is now following a Complete Streets policy (.pdf) approach following unanimous vote by the City Council last month.
Complete Streets got the official endorsement of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board -- the regional planning body for the Washington, D.C. region -- last month. The adopted policy encourages the region's municipalities to adopt their own Complete Streets policy and provides a template for them to use.
The New Brunswick, New Jersey City Council adopted a Complete Streets resolution (.pdf) on May 16. The city's Planning Director, Glenn Patterson, supported the resolution, saying, "Not only does this policy promote a healthier New Brunswick and more community interaction, but by creating a more walkable city it promotes economic development."
Councilman Mark Squilla introduced an ordinance to codify Philadelphia's Complete Streets approach, currently an executive order from Mayor Michael Nutter. (Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia)
Over concerns about the costs of new facilities, the city commission of Great Falls, Montana voted down a proposed Complete Streets policy. (KFBB)
POLICY ACTION
Roswell, Georgia is putting its 2009 Complete Streets policy to work on the upcoming improvements to Eves Road.
At the American Public Works Association State conference last month, staffers from Champaign, Illinois talked up their Complete Streets approach.
Preliminary plans for Frankfurt, Indiana's first transportation project under its new Complete Streets policy were unveiled this month. (Frankfurt Times)
Luminaries abounded at the ribbon-cutting for the TIGER-funded Complete Streets work in Dubuque, Iowa's Millwork District. The newly reconstructed streets will support workers, visitors, and residents who want safe transportation choices.
Legislation recently introduced in the Michigan legislature could force the early dissolution of the state's Complete Streets Advisory Council, a stakeholder group created with the state's Complete Streets law in 2010. (Michigan Complete Streets Coalition)
Community stakeholders are hoping that when Hennepin County, Minnesota resurfaces Park and Portland Avenues this fall, its Complete Streets policy will inspire better facilities for all users. (Twin Cities Daily Planet)
A project on Route 45 through Woodbury, New Jersey is gaining praise for its Complete Streets sensibilities -- providing safer accommodations for shoppers on foot and helping out downtown businesses. The improvements are part of the state's implementation of its Complete Streets policy. (Gloucester County Times)
With a Complete Streets policy in place, and a new emphasis on creating just plain pleasant streets, leaders in Las Vegas are hoping their transportation investments will spur action away from the strip. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Seattle moves forward with its Complete Streets approach on Linden Avenue North, to be reconstructed this fall.
A renewed Martin Luther King, Jr. Way is among the first projects out the door after the passage of a Complete Streets policy in Spokane, Washington. (Bike Style)
Under its Complete Streets guidelines, Tacoma, Washington will renew Pacific Avenue to make it friendlier to those on foot and bike, as well as to implement some innovative stormwater management techniques.
FEDERAL POLICY UPDATE
Though the current bill is (once again) set to expire at the end of the month, the future of federal transportation policy is still up in the air. Negotiations on a federal transportation authorization bill are in full swing right now, with very little confirmed information about what a compromise bill between the Senate and House will finally contain. We do know that the bipartisan Cardin-Cochran amendment, which gives local governments access to federal funds for local projects, including biking and walking, is under attack from House Republicans. Speak up for its inclusion in the bill via our partner organization, Safe Routes to School National Partnership. To keep up with federal policy, visit Transportation for America and America Bikes.
COALITION NEWS
Workshop Helps Camden Take Action
One of our Complete Streets Policy Implementation workshops has helped Camden, South Carolina get on track to implement its 2011 Complete Streets resolution. Our two expert instructors, John LaPlante and Carol Kachadoorian, visited the community on May 30 and facilitated solution-oriented conversations among participants from a broad array of backgrounds. At the end of the day, the city walked away with a clear, actionable plan to take its policy to everyday practice. Interested in a workshop? Visit our site for the details.
APTA Conference Highlights Complete Streets for People with Disabilities
At Steering Committee member American Public Transportation Association's 2012 Bus and Paratransit Conference, Easter Seals Project Action organized an event to highlight the importance of accessible paths for people with disabilities -- a key element in implementing Complete Streets. The event included an afternoon stroll that demonstrated how paratransit options were integrated into the full transit system of Long Beach, California, where the conference was held.
Thank You to Our Partners
We're pleased to welcome three new firms as Silver Partners:
At the Bronze level, we welcome new Partners MMM Group Limited and Planning Communities LLC, as well as renewing Partners Beckett and Raeder, Broadreach Planning & Design, and Kittelson and Associates, Inc. Thanks also to new Individual Partners Beth Akeson and Melanie Vanlandingham.
If your firm isn't a Partner, check out the great Partner benefits and join the Coalition today!
Hiring: Policy Associate
Smart Growth America seeks a motivated self-starter to coordinate member involvement and activities for the National Complete Streets Coalition as a full-time Policy Associate. The position includes significant administrative duties, but will also contribute to research and policy-related projects that advance the Coalition's objectives. This is an excellent opportunity for a "people person" to help grow our national movement for safe, vibrant community streets. Read the full announcement and application instructions online.
COMPLETE STREETS NEWS
An article in Next American City describes the implications of federal transportation policy for people with disabilities, noting ADA only addresses public transportation, leaving many people without accessible transportation options and without a way to even get to a bus stop or train because of lacking sidewalks, curb ramps, and audible crossings.
The U.S. Department of Defense is calling for more walkable military bases in new guidelines released last month. (Army Times)
Several residents of Laguna Beach, California are pressing for a Complete Streets approach to solve issues of traffic and parking, and to provide more safety for those on bicycles. (Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot)
Community leaders took a Complete Streets approach on North Estero Boulevard in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, using a drainage improvement project to create a better street for everyone. (Bike Walk Lee)
A proposed Complete Streets ordinance is gaining ground in Indianapolis, reports the Indianapolis Star. The paper's Editorial Board urges the city to move ahead with building Complete Streets, and 85 percent of the city's AARP members support the concept. Kim Irwin, the executive director of the Alliance for Health Promotion in Indianapolis, added, "Ultimately, it's all about choice. People love that idea of choice, but when it comes to getting around the city right now, in many instances people have no other option but to drive."
Making streets safer for those on foot or bike is key to improving residents' access to nearby train stations and bus stops in Maryland. (Washington Post)
The Michigan Health and Wellness 4 x 4 Plan, a statewide plan to reduce obesity and improve wellness, includes plans for continued collaboration between the state Department of Community Health and Department of Transportation to encourage Complete Streets policy adoption and implementation.
Omaha, Nebraska is getting its Complete Streets feet wet with a proposed road diet on 24th Street. (South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance)
With every street in Trenton, New Jersey now covered by a Complete Streets policies from the city, county, and state, a guest opinion in the Times of Trenton envisions the city as the perfect place to illustrate the benefits of the concept.
A Complete Streets policy will be considered in Jamestown, New York, where the impetus for action is getting people without access to a car to their jobs. (Jamestown Post-Journal)
In mid-May, Complete Streets Speakers Bureau member Kevin St. Jacques spoke with community residents, leaders, decision-makers in Brownsville, Texas. (Valley Business Report)
RESOURCES
Video: Benefits of Complete Streets
A 15-minute video from Olmsted Public Health and the Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department discusses the concept of Complete Streets, why such an approach is needed, and the benefits of implementing it. Elected officials, transportation professionals, and residents of Minnesota communities speak about why they support Complete Streets. Infinitely quotable, the video is a great resource for any community -- not just those in Minnesota.
Study: Economic Promise of Walkable Places
A new Brookings Institution study quantifies the value that walkability adds to commercial and residential real estate in a sample of Washington, D.C. region neighborhoods. Christopher Leinberger and Mariela Alfonzo divide neighborhoods according to a five-step walkability ladder, and find each step up adds value to office, retail, and apartment rents, as well as to home value. The New York Times published an op-ed from Leinberger that provides a summary of the study and thoughts on its findings as applied to the country at large.
Report: Measuring Active Transportation
This new report is aimed at community leaders and transportation professionals who are looking to make informed decisions about walking and bicycling facilities and monitoring the results of their decisions. It captures best practices in measurements and provides sample surveys and links to national datasets (.pdf). Though intended for a Colorado audience, Measuring Active Transportation: Recommendations for Colorado could be applied in many other states. An overview of the document is also available via a recorded webinar.
Report: Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation
The detailed planning process and spreadsheet included in this TCRP Report will help communities effectively plan for multimodal access to a variety of transit stations. The report also discusses transit-oriented development and bicycle parking.
Report: People on Foot, Bike Pay Their Way
A newly updated report from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Whose Roads? Evaluating Bicyclists' and Pedestrians' Right to Use Public Roadways (.pdf), finds that non-motorized modes not only have clear legal rights to use public roads but are important for an efficient and beneficial system. It also investigates the claim that roads are funded by user fees, and concludes that those on foot and bike more than pay their share of roadway costs.
Design Guidelines: AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 4th Edition Now Available
The long-awaited update is now available for purchase! This guide, issued by the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, provides sound guidelines for building bicycling facilities that are sensitive to local context.
Fact Sheet: Americans Save Billions By Choosing to Bicycle Instead of Drive
The League of American Bicyclists, Sierra Club, and National Council of La Raza highlight the tremendous economic benefits of bicycling in a fact sheet released last month. A Spanish-language version is also available.
Webinar Series: Health Equity and Transportation
The American Public Health Association is hosting a series of free webinars to explore the ties between public health and equitable transportation. The second webinar, on injury prevention, will be on July 11 and the third webinar, on health impact assessments, will be on August 22. Register online.
Webinar: NACTO's Urban Bikeway Design Guide
Join Coalition members the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) and the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) on July 11 and hear about the second edition of NACTO's Urban Bikeway Design Guide. Register for the free webinar online.
Call for Proposals: New Partners for Smart Growth
Have an idea for a workshop, panel, or training at the 2013 New Partners for Smart Growth? Proposals are being accepted now through June 30 for the conference, which will be held in Kansas City Missouri in February.
QUOTES
"This is more than just making the streets safer and better looking, it's actually enabling people to get to work and get around, and I think that's significant."
-- Gregory P. Rabb, council member, Jamestown, New York
"As the nation and our state age, Complete Streets planning presents an opportunity to increase the safety and availability of older adults' travel options. We need streets designed to be safe and convenient for travel by automobile, foot, bicycle and transit regardless of age or ability. We need new and better sidewalks, bike lanes, trails and paths, longer pedestrian crossing times at intersections, and accessible and reliable public transit."
-- June Lyle, state director, AARP Indiana
"Complete streets are attractive. They're fun. They allow people to use them for transportation and for recreation. I think more people will come out and use them. You'll get more people on the ground."
-- Jenita McGowan, chief of sustainability for Cleveland, Ohio
Thank you to our Partners:
   
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