Complete Streets

For more than half a century, the personal automobile has been king of the road in terms of transportation planning and funding in the United States. More recently, consideration has been given to the need to accommodate all modes of transportation, not just the motor vehicle. By designing and retrofitting streets, the complete streets movement takes into account the needs of all users. This thinking represents a trend away from equating transportation with mobility and toward accessibility. Mobility means fast, convenient travel. Accessibility focuses on the ability to reach desired destinations safely.

By according consideration to pedestrians, bicyclists, and users of public transit, a complete street is one that may include wide sidewalks, bike lanes, bus lanes, and a variety of traffic-calming devices such as raised crosswalks and pedestrian signals, as well as other features that demonstrate concern for the nonmotorist. The complete streets movement upends the prevailing thought by first considering the most vulnerable of users, the pedestrian. Bicyclists and mass transit users are then accommodated, only after which is automobile mobility [Page 399]addressed. Ultimately, the complete streets ideal is to provide transportation options that may ultimately transform the community at large.

Though a relatively nascent movement, complete streets policies have already been adopted or received commitment to do so by more than 200 jurisdictions nationwide, including statewide laws or ordinances in 15 states. The foundation of the movement is frequently traced to the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA), which dramatically increased the amount of federal funding available for pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

In 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) further augmented federal funds for nonmotorized spending. By 2003, more than $1.4 billion was spent on bicycle/pedestrian projects under TEA-21 funding. The most recent federal transportation legislation, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) was enacted in 2005 and afforded an even more dramatic upsurge in potential federal funding on bicycling and walking. Set to expire in 2009, SAFETEA-LU was extended through 2012 and has been recommended by the U.S. secretary of transportation to receive additional funding by Congress in 2013.

Determination of how best to allocate the funds is left to metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in metropolitan areas with populations greater than 50,000, and by state departments of transportation (DOTs) for smaller metro areas and nonmetro areas. As Congress has not mandated that the money be spent on bicycle or pedestrian infrastructure, there may be considerable variation in how transportation funds are allocated.

This Vancouver, Canada, street design incorporates a physically separated two-way bike lane and wide sidewalks, allowing a large number of people to use of modes of travel besides automobiles. Improvements in bicycling, walking, and mass transit facilities as promoted by the complete streets movement can improve neighborhood quality of life as well as reduce fuel consumption and waste. It is estimated that increasing U.S. bicycle trips to 1.5 percent, up from 1 percent, could save 500 millions gallons of gasoline a year.

Despite this variation, nonmotorized transportation options have received augmented funding due to growing awareness of the many tangible benefits of complete streets. Increased safety, improved health, and reduced traffic congestion, as well as increased social capital, economic opportunity, [Page 400]land values, and overall livability, are all linked to complete streets. The National Household Transportation Survey has found that fully half of all trips that occur in the United States are 3 miles or less. With options of multimodal travel, these trips may readily and even preferably be made via walking, bicycle, or mass transit.

...