Lessons Learned Implementing Complete Streets

Designing “complete streets” for all users (not just cars) is a pretty hot topic in our industry – as it should be – or should have always been.

ITE hosted a webinar on the topic a couple of days ago where Sara Patterson, Brett Sears, and Nick Jackson talked about their experiences implementing complete streets projects.  I’ve already seen a lot of items related to incorporating bike lanes, cycle tracks, and sidewalks into road proejcts.

The big takeaway for me was that the elements of complete streets should be incorporated in the city’s planning documents.  This way all modes will be incorporated automatically with improvement projects.  Here are specifics items to include in your planning documents:

• Have transit, cycling, and walking infrastucture policies in your city’s comprehensive transportation plan (especially a sidewalk policy).
• Ideally, tie these policies to the functional classification roadway system in the plan (such as:  all collector streets shall have sidewalks or all minor arterials shall have bike lanes).  That will automatically tie this non-car infrastructure into future road improvement projects.
• Revise your standard drawings and design guidelines to incorporate alternative transportation modes.
• Incorporate demand management in your plan.

I especially like how MMM Group incorporated these concepts into the Town of Ajax’s Strategies for the Enhanced Multi-Modal Transportation Network section of their comprehensive plan.

Photo Source:  www.bikeexprt.com