Fact Sheets

Potential for Conflict—When motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians compete for the same section of roadway,conflicts and collisions are bound to occur.Anyone who's walked or bicycled Southern California's streets and roads can cite instances of near misses with impatient or distracted drivers, perhaps cutting them off in crosswalks or bike lanes.

This design guide provides information on constructing or modifying rural roads to cope with excessive speed and unsafe conditions.

With communities across the country now recognizing the importance of "complete streets," what does implementation of a city or county's complete streets policy actually look like? While bike lanes and sidewalks are an important component of making a complete street, the underling design guidelines and policies for roadways and parking are equally influential in creating livable communities.

A white paper that presents a thorough discussion on Complete Streets.

This feature explains the complete streets movement and explores ways to make urban thoroughfares more pedestrian and bicycle friendly and respectful of the surrounding community while not unduly compromising motor vehicle travel. Techniques for designing an arterial street that an control traffic speeds and permit more comfortable and safe pedestrian and bicycle access are described.

This report has been developed in response to widespread interest for improving both mobility choices and community character through a commitment to creating and enhancing walkable communities. This report is intended to facilitate the restoration of the complex multiple functions of urban streets. It provides guidance for the design of walkable urban thoroughfares in places that currently support the mode of walking and in places where the community desires to provide a more walkable thoroughfare, and the context to support them in the future.

This paper discusses the growth of the Complete Streets movement and its role in road design and planning processes, particularly in relation to Context Sensitive Solutions. We will then go on to describe how the geometric design of our urban arterials and collector streets can provide more room for nonmotorized travelers, make street crossings easier for pedestrians, and help to control traffic speeds, thus reducing pedestrian, bicycle and automobile crashes. Finally, we will show how this can be done within existing rights-of-way and within tight maintenance and construction budgets, thus making better use of taxpayer dollars. A discussion of cost considerations will conclude this paper.

This article highlights the impact the bicycle industry and bicycle tourism can have on state and local economies, describes the need for bicycle facilities, discusses the cost effectiveness of investments, points out the benefits of bike facilities for business districts and neighborhoods, and identities the cost savings associated with a mode shift from car to bicycle. The evidence demonstrates that investments in bicycle infrastructure make good economic sense as a cost effective way to enhance shopping districts and communities, generate tourism and support business.

In the two years since the Local Government Commission's Smart Growth Zoning Codes:A Resource Guide was first published,the movement to reform zoning codes has gained momentum. Today, form-based codes have become an increasingly popular approach to achieve these reforms and create communities where people want to live,work and play.

The Local Government Commission's Smart Growth Zoning Codes: A Resource Guide is intended to help local officials improve community livability through code reform. It is meant for jurisdictions that already have developed a broad vision for making their communities more livable.

This fact sheet and other LGC materials suggest a more careful approach in which emergency responders participate with residents and local jurisdictions to develop programs that minimize impacts on response times.

Incomplete streets cost families money and encourage oil consumption—Transportation is the second largest expense for American households, costing more than food, clothing, and health care. Even prior to the recent run-up in gasoline prices, Americans spent an average of 18 cents of every dollar on transportation, with the poorest fifth of families spending more than double that figure. Much of this household transportation expense is pumped directly into the gas tank. The United States uses 20 million barrels of oil per day and over 40% of American oil consumption goes to passenger cars.

Complete streets improve safety. A Federal Highways Administration safety review found that designing the street with pedestrians in mind- sidewalks, raised medians, better bus stop placement, traffic-calming measures, and treatments for disabled travelers-all improve pedestrian safety.

Complete Streets are designed and operated so they work for all users—pedestrians, bicyclists. Incomplete Streets Breed Congestion—Designing streets only for automobiles reduces opportunities for safe travel choices that can ease traffic congestion: walking, bicycling, and taking public transportation. Americans drove almost three trillion miles in 2008,1 and many of those trips were very short. Half of all trips in metropolitan areas are three miles or less and 28% are one mile or less. In rural areas, 30% of all trips are two miles or less, and yet a vast majority of these trips are by automobile.

Incomplete streets will hamper climate change strategies—The transportation sector is the fastest growing carbon dioxide source in the United States with emission rates rising 2% per year. Projections show that more efficient fuels and 'clean' vehicles won't be enough to offset the projected 59 percent increase in driving between now and 2030. Even with expected improvements in vehicle and fuel economy, carbon emissions from transportation would be 41 percent above today's levels by 2030 if driving is not curbed.

Incomplete streets a barrier for children—When streets are designed only for cars, they become barriers for children, who cannot safely walk or bicycle along or across them. Unfortunately these safety fears are well founded—pedestrian injury is a leading cause of unintentional, injury-related death among children, age 5 to 14. As a result, many children end up in the back seat of the car, missing out on opportunities for independence and physical activity. One recent survey found that, while 71% of adults walked or rode their bicycles to school as a child, a mere 17% of their own children currently do so.

Incomplete streets a problem for older Americans—Even when roads have basic pedestrian facilities, they often do not consider the needs of the growing population of older Americans. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2025, the portion of Americans over 65 will increase from 12% to nearly 20%, totaling 62 million Americans. As people age, many give up driving for safety's sake.

Incomplete streets put people at risk—Streets without safe places to walk, cross, catch a bus, or bicycle put people at risk. Over 5,000 pedestrians and bicyclists died on U.S. roads in 2008, and more than 120,000 were injured.2 Pedestrian crashes are more than twice as likely to occur in places without sidewalks; streets with sidewalks on both sides have the fewest crashes. While the absolute numbers of bicyclists and pedestrians killed has been in decline for the decade, experts attribute this in part to a decline in the total number of people bicycling and walking.

Incomplete streets lead to higher costs—Transportation is the second largest expense for American households, costing more than food, clothing, and health care. Even before the recent run-up in gasoline prices, Americans spent an average of 18 cents of every dollar on transportation, with the poorest fifth of families spending more than double that figure. The vast majority of this money, nearly 98%, is for the purchase, operation, and maintenance of automobiles. Drivers spent $186 billion on fuel last year, and without improvements to fuel economy, Americans will spend an estimated $260 billion in 2020 on gasoline.

Incomplete streets a barrier for riders, good service—In too many cases, road design is out of sync with the needs of the people who are riding buses, trains, and trolleys. Poor design slows transit service and discourages people from using public transportation. Even in communities served by public transportation, incomplete streets may discourage residents from fully using the service. Many users are unable to get to transit stops in a safe and convenient manner.

Incomplete streets restrict physical activity—When streets are designed only for cars, they deny people the opportunity to choose more active ways to get around, such as walking and biking. Even where sidewalks exist, large intersections and speeding traffic may make walking unpleasant or even unsafe—discouraging any non-motorized travel. Obesity in America has reached epidemic proportions in recent years. The latest data show that 32% of adults are obese, the number of overweight or obese American children nearly tripled between 1980 and 2004.

Complete Streets create viable, liveable communities—Creating infrastructure for non-motorized transportation and lowering automobile speeds by changing road conditions can improve economic conditions for both business owners and residents. When Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission District slimmed its traffic lanes to slow down cars and accommodate other users, merchants reported the street changes enhanced the area. Nearly 40 percent of merchants reported increased sales, and 60 percent reported more area residents shopping locally due to reduced travel time and convenience.

Help Prevent Costly Delays and Retrofits Integrating the needs of all users—pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation riders, motorists, older people, children, and people with disabilities—early in the life of a project minimizes costs associated with including facilities for these travelers. Complete streets policies ensure early multi-modal scoping, saving money by avoiding costly project delays. Without a policy, bicycle, pedestrian, and public transportation accommodations are often debated too late in the design process and are considered a disruption rather than necessary and beneficial project features.

Complete streets foster livable communities — Communities are increasingly embracing smart growth to meet their residents' desire for choices in housing, shopping, recreation, and transportation. Complete streets meet the demand for transportation options, while promoting other community goals. They provide safe and affordable access for everyone, whether traveling to school, work, the doctor, or their favorite restaurant.

What the Bill Does: The Complete Streets Act of 2008 (S. 2686), introduced by Senators Harkin (IA) and Carper (DE) and Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2008 (H.R. 5951) introduced by Rep. Matsui (CA) ensure that future transportation investments made by state Departments of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations create appropriate and safe transportation facilities for all those using the road—motorists, transit vehicles and riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.

For typical U.S. cities with populations over 250,000, each additional mile of bike lanes per square mile is associated with a roughly one percent increase in the share of workers commuting by bicycle. Increasing the share of workers commuting by bicycle by one percentage point would double the average number of bicycle commuters in many cities. Rapid transit bus service that operates on streets improved to speed bus travel can increase ridership and shift trips from cars.

Complete streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Complete streets policies direct transportation planners and engineers to consistently design with all users in mind. They have been adopted by a few states (OR, VA, SC), and a number of regions and cities. Places that adopt complete streets policies are making sure that their streets and roads work for drivers, transit riders, pedestrians, and bicyclists, as well as for older people, children, and people with disabilities.

The streets of our cities and towns ought to be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper. But too many of our streets are designed only for speeding cars, or worse, creeping traffic jams. These streets are unsafe for people on foot or bike and unpleasant for everybody. Schedule a workshop! To help communities successfully adopt complete streets policies, the National Complete Streets Coalition offers interactive, full-day workshops led by national experts on policy development.

Incomplete streets are a constant source of frustration and danger for people with disabilities. A recent study found that blind pedestrians waited three times longer to cross the street, and made many more dangerous crossings than sighted pedestrians. A significant portion of paratransit trips are necessary, not because people are too disabled to use public transit, but because the street network is so poorly designed that they cannot reach the bus stop or train station.

Communities across the country are realizing the 'green' potential of their streets. Making our transportation system more sustainable involves many policies and practices that minimize environmental impact and create streets that are safe for everyone, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation. Complete streets are a natural complement to sustainability efforts, ensuring benefits for mobility, community, and the environment. Many elements of street design, construction, and operation can work in favor of achieving both complete streets that work for all travelers and 'green' streets that serve environmental sustainability. Complete Streets are designed and operated so they work for all users.

Complete Streets policies can end the project-by-project struggle for better facilities

Communities across the country are realizing the ‘green’ potential of their streets. Making our transportation system more sustainable involves many policies and practices that minimize environmental impact and create streets that are safe for everyone, regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation. Complete streets are a natural complement to sustainability efforts, ensuring benefits for mobility, community, and the environment. Many elements of streetdesign, construction, and operation can work in favor of achieving both complete streets that work for all travelers and ‘green’ streets that serve environmental sustainability. Complete Streets are designed and operated so they work for all users.

Streets are key public spaces that often make up much of the land in a town or city. But across America, streets are frequently built for cars, with few features like sidewalks to make them safe and pleasant places to walk or bike. Conventional street design promotes traffic congestion, pollution, and collision injuries and discourages physical activity.

A diverse group of more than 100 citizens from all walks of life came together in 2001 as the Sacramento Transportation and Air Quality Collaborative. These participants represented businesses, the environment, public agencies, community groups, underserved populations and local neighborhood areas. For five years, these community leaders and agency staff contributed countless hours to education, dialogue, deliberation and consensus building in this civic engagement effort.

Connectivity (also called permeability) refers to the directness of links and the density of connections in path or road network. A well-connected road or path network has many short links, numerous intersections, and minimal dead-ends (cul-de-sacs).

As connectivity increases, travel distances decrease and route options increase, allowing more direct travel between destinations, creating a more Accessible and Resilient system.